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Join us for EEAI's 2024 Annual Conference!
November 8th - 10th
Indianapolis
Conference Theme "Exploring the Nature of Cities" Presenter sessions and field trips will focus on four tracks that will complement our conference setting in beautiful downtown Indianapolis! |
Urban Sense of Place: Environmental Education is no longer only about taking participants out of the city. Nature is everywhere and we'll explore how EE can be used to foster urban identity and stewardship.
Partnerships and Participation: We can’t do quality Environmental Education alone. Learn how our presenters have used strategic partnerships and public engagement to for successful EE programming.
Resilience, Regeneration and Reclamation: Environmental Education is helping us create more resilient communities through green infrastructure, sustainability initiatives and restoring our urban environment.
Indiana Children and Nature: Connecting to nature in early childhood: exploring forest and nature preschools, nature play spaces, and other methods for delivering EE to Indiana's youngest learners.
View the conference schedule and complete session details here.
Keynote It’s Kinda Fun to do the Impossible: Finding Abundance in Urban Communities Ken Leinbach Executive Director Emeritus, Urban Ecology Center |
Join us Friday evening to hear the rags-to-riches story of how the Urban Ecology Center grew from a double-wide trailer in a high crime park into a global education model fostering ecological understanding as inspiration for change.
Ken Leinbach, an internationally recognized author, science educator, and leader in community-based education is best known for his work creating the Urban Ecology Center in Milwaukee. The Center’s formula of using environmental education as a tool for inspiring urban revitalization has captured the attention of city leaders across the globe. Ken and the Urban Ecology Center have been featured in numerous media outlets, including The New York Times, Orion Magazine, Milwaukee Public Television, and in Richard Louv’s best-selling book, Last Child in the Woods.
Ken, a certified high school teacher, holds a biology degree from Antioch College, a master’s degree from Prescott College, and an honorary doctorate in fine arts from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design. His awards have followed his work, including the Thomas Jefferson Medal for Natural Science (Virginia), Nature Educator of the Year from the Roger Tory Peterson Institute (New York), and the Martin Luther King Award (Milwaukee). A public speaker on topics including green living, finding abundance, and play, Ken authored Urban Ecology: A Natural Way to Transform Kids, Parks, Cities, and the World and is now training people from cities across the globe on the Center’s mission of connecting people in cities to nature and each other.
Ken is a member of the Governor-appointed Wisconsin’s Coastal Management Council and a founding member of the international Academy for Systems Change. He lives in the neighborhood in which he works, having created the Hawks Nest, an intentional community and Airbnb located in the heart of Milwaukee. Because he chooses not to own a car, Ken can be seen commuting to work by bike, unicycle, or on occasion, kayak.
Presale Opportunity: Purchase a Copy of Ken's Book, "Urban Ecology: A Natural Way to Transform Kids, Parks, Cities and the World" when you register for the conference. There is a quiet experiment in Milwaukee that is turning heads. It starts with the simplicity of getting a city kid exploring their neighborhood park. How is it that so much life, community, and opportunity can grow from this unlikely soil? It's been called a miracle. It's contagious. It's spreading. It's exciting. And it works! This is the story of a group of ordinary people in a neighborhood who created something extraordinary.
Books will be available for preorder during registration for $15. A limited number of copies will be available for purchase on site during the conference.
Pre-Conference Workshop & Field Trips
Explore the link between urban food systems and environmental education, learn about the partnerships that help Indy's green spaces thrive, and even take a sneak peek behind the gates of an exclusive corporate nature park. |
Pre-Conference Workshop - "Climate, Water, and Resilience: Looking Through a Healthcare Lens"
Friday, November 8th, 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: FREE
Kathy Madren, the Education Outreach Specialist with the Department of Natural Resources Division of Fish and Wildlife, will lead this year's pre-conference workshop. Join Kathy for the Climate Conversations workshop where participants will explore healthcare challenges in the changing environmental landscape and ways to become more resilient. You'll also leave with new educational tools and resources from Project WET!
Field Trip - Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab at Marian University (Resilience, Regeneration and Reclamation Track)
Sunday, November 10th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $5
Join Restoration Ecologist Sarah Moss on a tour of the Marian University Nina Mason Pulliam EcoLab. Come explore the 100-year-old wetlands originally created by famous landscape architect Jens Jensen and learn how Marian uses this space as an educational tool for thousands of annual visitors. Located just ten minutes from the heart of Indianapolis, our 75 acres of biodiverse wetlands, prairies, and forests offer a perfect opportunity for learning and exploration. From field trips and service days to research and community science opportunities, we offer multiple ways for local citizens to actively experience the beauty of the native landscape. The walk will take place on gravel trails. We recommend wearing comfortable closed-toed shoes and clothing suitable for the weather. There will be two sets of staircases you will need to descend to get to the property: one with a full handrail and one with a brick wall that you can use for stability going down the stairs.
Field Trip - Paramount Schools of Excellence (Urban Sense of Place Track)
Sunday, November 10th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $5
On this field trip, you'll get to visit two of Paramount's Indy locations - Brookside and Cottage Home. Brookside's 5.5-acre campus includes a working farm—an integral part of the school’s STEM curriculum that enables multi-disciplinary practices in urban agriculture. The farm acts as an outdoor classroom during the school year and, during the summer, hosts Paramount’s Success Through Education Agriculture and Mentoring (STEAM) program. Cottage Home's learning gardens teach students how to meaningfully connect to their environment and create a more sustainable ecosystem through live demonstration and interaction.
Field Trip - Eli Lilly Nature Park (Partnerships and Participation Track)
Sunday, November 10th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $5
What makes a company a good corporate neighbor and citizen? What would it look like if more corporations made access to nature a core part of their employee wellbeing programs? How can companies engage in public-private partnerships to improve sustainability in the towns and cities where they operate? Find out through this exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the 250-acre Eli Lilly Nature Park! Sign up early, registration for this field trip closes on October 25th. Participants must bring a picture ID to show at the entry gate.
Field Trip - Conner Prairie's Preschool on the Prairie (Indiana Children and Nature Track)
Sunday, November 10th, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Cost: $5
Conner Prairie offers a variety of early-learning programming designed to give children the opportunity to build connection to the natural world and enabling children to participate in play that encourages risk, invention, imagination, and creativity. On a tour of the 1,046 acre property, you'll learn about the philosophies behind Preschool on the Prairie and the living history museum's other early childhood education programming.
Student Programming Network with current EE professionals. Meet students from schools around the state. Build your resume by presenting your original research. |
Present your work in a student poster session. Students can share their projects and research with a professional audience through EEAI's poster session, held alongside the silent auction in the zoo's Dolphin Gallery on Saturday night. Participants are invited to display a poster no larger than 36 x 48 inches that details a current research project, student-led program, internship, field study or other initiative related to Environmental Education. Students should be prepared to give a brief overview of their work and respond to questions posed by other conference attendees. Indicate on your registration form that you'd like to participate. Please note that formats other than posters, including digital presentations, cannot be supported.
Venue Thank you to the Indianapolis Zoo for providing an amazing setting for this year's conference! You'll have the chance to explore on your own, participate in some behind-the-scenes educational experiences, and even have an animal encounter or two! |
Conference sessions will take place in the zoo's HIX Institute educational building and the Hulman Riverhouse, accessible from the Hilbert Conservatory just inside the main entrance. Lunch and the keynote address will be held in the Hulman Riverhouse and Saturday's Awards Dinner will be hosted in the Dolphin Pavilion. There will be opportunities for guided behind-the-scenes interactions and self-exploration of the zoo's exhibits. A zoo map is available here. Participants will also receive a discount for use on educational items from the Zoo Store during the weekend.
Get Behind the Scenes
The Oceans and Dolphin Exhibits
Friday, November 8th, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Space is limited - Preregistration is required via a sign up that will be sent to registered conference attendees.
Join us for a behind-the-scenes adventure of the Oceans and Dolphin habitats! From tropical coral reefs to frigid arctic waters, the Oceans area is home to a wide variety of wildlife from different marine environments around the world. We’ll get to meet with members of the Animal Care Team and learn about the animals they care for every day. Discover how trainers work with the dolphins, what a moray eel eats in a day, how we clean all the aquarium tanks, and more!
Lunch Speakers
Dr. Rob Shumaker - Welcome to the Indianapolis Zoo
Friday, November 8, 12:00 PM
Dr. Shumaker is an evolutionary biologist who specializes in the study of behavior and cognition. He has worked in the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) community for nearly 30 years. In 2010 he moved to the Indianapolis Zoo and currently serves as the President and CEO. His work has been featured in such media outlets as National Geographic, NPR, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, PBS, and the BBC. He is internationally recognized as an expert on orangutan behavior and cognition.
Dr. Sérgio Henriques - Celebrating Our State Insect: Say’s Firefly
Saturday, November 9, 12:00 PM
Fireflies—or lightning bugs—are invertebrates, the most diverse group of organisms ever to exist. Millions of invertebrate species have been described, with thousands more added every year. But many invertebrate species are going extinct before we know much about them. Next year will mark the 200th anniversary of the scientific description of the Say’s firefly. Dr. Henriques will delve into the importance of Indiana fireflies and other invertebrates to local ecosystems as well as share how you can help them thrive. Dr. Sérgio Henriques is the Invertebrate Conservation Coordinator in the Global Center for Species Survival at the Indianapolis Zoo. Dr. Henriques serves as the chair of the IUCN SSC Spider and Scorpion Specialist Group and has more than 20 years of experience mobilizing resources to promote invertebrate conservation.
Getting There
The Indianapolis zoo is located at 1200 W. Washington Street, one mile west of Downtown Indianapolis along the banks of the White River. Parking will be free for conference attendees. You must show your registration invoice or conference badge at the parking lot entrance gate to receive free parking. In the unlikely event that the main parking lot is full, visitors may be directed to the zoo's south parking lot on Harding Street, where a free shuttle will provide service back to the main entrance. You can find more detail on the zoo's Directions & Parking page.
Please note that the Monumental Marathon will be taking place on Saturday, November 9th and will impact travel throughout Indianapolis beginning around 7:50 AM. Street closures and restrictions may be implemented on a rolling basis in different parts of town until 3:30 PM. You can access a complete route map here and find more information about street closures on the Monumental Marathon website closer to the event date.
Lodging A limited number of rooms are available at Courtyard Indianapolis South. Book by October 30th to receive our discounted room rate. Indy also hosts a wide array of short-term rentals. Use your preferred platform to find the perfect place to stay! |
EEAI has reserved a block of rooms at Courtyard Indianapolis South, located at 4650 Southport Crossing Drive, Indianapolis, 46237. Attendees can book their rooms at the following link: Group Rate - EEAI 2024 Conference. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis and can be booked from Thursday, November 7th until Monday, November 11th. You must book no later than Wednesday, October 30th to receive the discounted rate.
Are you looking for a roommate or rideshare? Conference attendees can use this sheet to coordinate with others interested in sharing lodging or carpooling for the weekend. It is up to conference attendees to use the information on the form to coordinate with one another directly. Remember that Saturday, November 9th is Indy's Monumental Marathon - click here to see the route and plan your stay for an easy commute to the zoo.
The Fun Stuff Our annual conference isn't JUST about learning. We have a lot of fun when we get together, too! |
Join in on long-standing EEAI conference traditions and help us establish some new ones!
Friday Night Social: Meet at Metazoa Brewing Company to toast another fun, informative and inspirational weekend of EE learning and networking! The social will take place on Friday, November 8th from 8:00 - 10:00 PM. Metazoa is located at 140 S. College Avenue, Indianapolis, 46202. Attendees may bring snacks and water or non-alcoholic beverages to share. No outside alcohol is allowed. Please note that this is a 21+ event.
EEAI Awards: Each year, EEAI honors outstanding educators for their service to the field of environmental education in Indiana. Do you know of an educator you'd like to nominate? Visit our awards page to learn more about each of the honors and use this form to submit a nomination. Award nominations are due no later than October 1st, 2024 and honorees will be announced during dinner Saturday night.
Silent Auction: The auction will take place in person on Saturday afternoon and evening in the Dolphin Pavilion. Items need to be dropped off at the Hix Institute educational building between 11:30 AM and 1:00 PM on Saturday, November 9th so we have time to organize the auction before that evening's events.
EEAI's Got Talent/Songwriting Contest: A favorite of the conference is the talent contest where attendees put their talents on display; singing, poetry, dancing, harmonica playing - whatever your talent is, we want to experience it! An environmental theme is preferred, particularly if it complements the conference theme. This year's talent showcase will take place during the social at Metazoa.
Free Table: Mugs, curriculum, books, posters, and more. Bring something to share and take something home!
Search and Win Zoo Animals: Back by popular demand, we'll host a weekend-long game of hide and seek! Collect as many hidden zoo animals as you can throughout the weekend. The person with the biggest collection on Saturday night will win a fabulous EEAI prize!
Thank you to our 2024 Conference Sponsors |
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