a president's circle event
STEAM-powered solutions:
driving community change through young innovators
event details
join the circlejune 22
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm
national children's museum
washington, dc
this event is invite only
join the President's Circle for invitations to future thought leadership events
about
STEAM-Powered Solutions: Driving Community Change Through Young Innovators
A National Children’s Museum President Circle Event, inspired by the work of fourth-grade students participating in the DC STEAM Expo — a 9-month STEAM (science, technology, engineering, math, and arts) exploration program at National Children’s Museum, prompting young innovators to use their curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking skills to develop solutions for challenges in their community. By strengthening these abilities early, STEAM education empowers young people to become active contributors to the growth and resilience of their local communities.
Facilitated Roundtable Discussion:
Embracing the theme of community and collaboration at the core of this President Circle topic, this event has evolved from a traditional staged panel structure to an intimate, collaborative think tank designed to bring together unique perspectives from a vast array of professionals, including museum leaders, educators, community organizations, and STEAM advocates. Through facilitated roundtable discussions, participants will explore how children can be empowered to identify challenges in their own communities and leverage STEAM-based approaches to develop innovative, creative, and impactful solutions.
Facilitated by our distinguished President Circle speakers Kari Byron, Heidi Gibson, and Dr. Arlyne Simon, and moderated by Sophie Shrand, these roundtable discussions encourage active participation, knowledge sharing, and collective problem analysis, inviting attendees to learn from each other and leave with actionable ideas on how to support young learners as they create actionable solutions to community problems.
roundtable facilitators
kari byron
television host (e.g. Discovery Channel’s Mythbusters), author, and co-founder of National STEM Festival
For over two decades Kari Byron has been a strong presence in the world of science, adventure and travel television. She is best known as Discovery Channel’s first and longest running female presenter on its flagship show Mythbusters but has gone on to present and produce shows spanning several networks. Her passion and advocacy for science continues to be showcased as a co-founder of the National STEM Festival in Washington DC., as well as a successful podcaster, author and entrepreneur.
heidi gibson
Manager for the Global Sustainability Series at the Smithsonian Science Education Center
Heidi Gibson is the Manager for the Global Sustainability Series at the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC). Heidi manages a team developing the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research guides, transformative educational materials designed to support youth to discover, understand, and act on global issues within the context of their local communities.
sophie shrand
moderator
filmmaker, television host (e.g. Science with Sophie), and STEM education expert
Sophie Shrand is an award-winning TV Host, STEM educator, filmmaker and entrepreneur with degrees in Behavioral Neuroscience and Theatre. Sophie has brought inclusive science comedy to more than 2 million learners worldwide. Sophie is an Obama Presidential Center Featured Changemaker, and sits on the Board of Trustees at National Children’s Museum.
arlyne simon
inventor, biomedical engineer, and author (ABBY INVENTS®)
Dr. Arlyne Simon is an inventor, biomedical engineer, and author of the ABBY INVENTS® children’s book series. She works as an AI Systems Architect at Intel Health and Life Sciences. She has been honored as an American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) IF/THEN® Ambassador, and her life-size statue has been exhibited at the Smithsonian and the MIT Museum. It is currently on display at Vital Voices in Washington DC. Her books, Abby Invents® Unbreakable Crayons and Abby Invents® The Foldibot, introduce K-5 students to inventing and patenting. Both titles have earned recognition from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Purdue University, and named a finalist for the 2022 AAAS/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Children’s Science Picture Books.
photos from past events
president's circle
This conversations serves as one of many exclusive and engaging events for President's Circle members. These events delve into the intersections of children's education, science, technology, and culture, fostering collaboration and innovative solutions to enhance STEAM learning experiences for children.
The President’s Circle is a group of visionary leaders and dedicated advocates committed to the museum’s mission of inspiring children to care about and change the world. Fostering collaboration and promoting impactful thought leadership, membership in the President’s Circle provides access to exclusive events designed to lead the national conversation around early education through innovation and solution-oriented synergy.
event goals
showcase youth innovation
Highlight student-led projects addressing real-world community challenges through STEAM thinking.
demonstrate learning beyond walls
Show how museums and informal learning centers extend STEAM education into communities.
celebrate creative problem-solving
Illustrate the impact of tinkering mindsets on positive community outcomes.
share best practices
Build awareness of how STEAM learning activates children as community changemakers.