STEM is Accelerating Innovation

Join the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at the Iowa Department of Education this fall for the 2025 Iowa STEM Summit - Accelerating Innovation. It will take place on Oct. 17 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines. 

This full-day event brings together educators, industry leaders, policymakers and STEM advocates from across the state to explore innovative strategies, share best practices and hear from leaders who are advancing STEM education and artificial intelligence (AI) along with the technologies to support it. 

Registration is required and is now open through Oct.9. You will need to sign up for a SCHED account, or log-in if you have an existing account, before registering for the event.

The Iowa STEM Summit features engaging keynote speakers, interactive breakout sessions and networking opportunities designed to inspire and empower attendees. New to this year, the summit will have an AI track to explore the role of artificial intelligence in education, the workforce and everyday life. 

Summit attendees will learn more about Iowa STEM Council programs and connect with the students, educators and partners participating in these programs to see the impact and reach of STEM initiatives. Whether as a classroom teacher, administrator, business partner, or community leader, attendees will find valuable insights and connections to help advance STEM education and workforce development in Iowa.

This year’s featured keynote speaker is Jay Flores, a Global STEM Ambassador, founder of Invent The Change and author of the bilingual children’s book Engineer Someday!. A dynamic science communicator, Flores has appeared on NBC’s American Ninja Warrior, Amazon Prime Video’s Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?, PBS’s Make48 and Telemundo’s Exatlon, using his media presence to champion Hispanic representation in STEM.

As one of the most influential voices in K–12 STEM education, Jay reaches millions of students monthly through Discovery Education’s Mystery Science and his live show It's Not Magic, It's Science!, which blends science and magic to spark curiosity. 

Updates on session topics, speaker announcements, and logistics will be released in the coming weeks. Mark your calendar for Oct. 17 and prepare to be part of an exciting day of learning and collaboration.

The 2025 Iowa STEM Summit is sponsored by Microsoft. 

For more information on the upcoming Iowa STEM Summit, contact the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council at summit@IowaSTEM.org.