NISE 2026: Information
NISE 2026 CONFERENCE
Inspiring Wonder.
Fueling Curiosity.
Monday, November 16, 2026
NIU Naperville Conference Center
1120 E. Diehl road, Naperville, Illinois
A day for science educators to connect, learn, share, and leave inspired.
New for 2026: NIU Registration
NISE 2026 registration and related activities are now handled through NIU's registration platform. You will need to create an NIU login and password before registering. Once you have your login and password, you should be able to register without issues.
Registration questions? Contact NIU Outreach Registration at outreachregistration@niu.edu or (800) 345-9472, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM.
Conference questions? conference@nise.us
Thank you for your patience and support as we make this transition. We appreciate your cooperation and look forward to providing an improved registration experience.
Conference at a Glance
Everything you need to know about NISE 2026.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
K–16 Science Educators
Teachers, specialists, instructional leaders, and anyone passionate about science education.
WHAT TO EXPECT
50+ Sessions & Workshops
Explore classroom ideas, teaching strategies, NGSS, technology, and more.
WHY NISE?
Connect. Learn. Share.
Collaborate with fellow science educators and leave with ideas you can use.
WHY ATTEND NISE 2026?
A day designed for science educators.
NISE brings science educators together to share ideas, discover practical strategies, and learn from one another. Come away with new approaches, fresh perspectives, and ideas you can put to work in your classroom.
PRACTICAL
Ideas you can use in your classroom
COLLABORATIVE
Learn with and from fellow science educators
INSPIRING
Return to your classroom with fresh ideas
CALL FOR PRESENTERS
Have something worth sharing?
NISE is built around educators learning from educators. Share a lesson, investigation, strategy, or approach that engages students, sparks curiosity, and gets them doing the work of scientists.
We are sorry but the window to submit proposals has officially closed for the 2026 conference. Please consider presenting next year.
WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR?
ENGAGING LESSONS
Ideas that motivate students and spark curiosity
AUTHENTIC SCIENCE
Experiences that help students do the work of scientists
PRACTICAL STRATEGIES
Approaches fellow educators can take back to their classrooms
QUESTIONS ABOUT PRESENTING?
We’re happy to help. Contact us at
CONFERENCE DETAILS
Everything you need for NISE 2026.
Monday, November 16, 2026 • NIU Naperville Conference Center
DATE
November 16, 2026
Monday
TIME
8:00 AM – 3:30 PM
Full-day conference
LOCATION
NIU Naperville
Conference Center
PD / CPDUs
Up to 5 Hours
Professional Development
REGISTRATION
$195
Individual Registration
Light breakfast, lunch & snacks included
Pre-registration required • 500 seats available
GROUPS OF 5+
$185
per person
One group registration
GROUPS OF 10+
$175
per person
One group registration
PRE-SERVICE TEACHERS
$90
per person
FEATURED SPEAKERS
Meet the voices inspiring NISE 2026
Learn from educators and leaders bringing fresh ideas, practical strategies,
and new perspectives to science education.
Mister Danny
An award winning magician and a regular favorite headliner at The Chicago Magic Lounge. He performs all over Chicagoland for corporate events, private parties, and monthly for the University of Chicago Children’s Hospital. In 2024, Mister Danny’s solo show, “Magic In Session,” premiered at the Chicago Magic Lounge to rave reviews. He has edited books on magic, invented tricks for other magicians, and teaches magic to learners of all ages. On top of all that, Danny is also a high school chemistry teacher in Evanston.
Shelby Hatch
A scientist and educator who connects chemistry, sustainability, and social justice. An Associate Professor of Instruction at Northwestern University, her research explores environmental justice and heavy metal contamination across Chicago communities. Shelby incorporates sustainability and environmental justice into her chemistry courses and teaches through the Northwestern Prison Education Program. She also makes chemistry accessible through interactive presentations about everyday topics like coffee and chocolate. Her work brings together science, community engagement, and education to help learners see how chemistry connects to the world around them.
Shannon Hackett
The Curator of Birds at the Field Museum of Natural History and Co-Chair of the Committee on Evolutionary Biology at the University of Chicago. Her research uses genomic data and museum specimens to explore the evolutionary relationships among birds and understand why they look, sound, and behave as they do. Shannon is passionate about sharing science through museum exhibitions, public presentations, and education. She has developed bird and evolution curricula for middle and high school students, created summer internships for students and teachers, taught undergraduates, and helped lead one of the nation’s premier evolutionary biology graduate programs.
Amy V. Gilbert - Xplorlabs
Amy V. Gilbert, Ph.D., has taught secondary and postsecondary students in public education for more than 25 years. Her teaching and research is grounded in the foundations of reform-based science methods, with complementary research interests in sustainable professional development programs that work to support educators in transforming their instructional practices. Learn about UL Research Institutes' safety science education platform, Xplorlabs! Sessions will explore the safety challenges of e-vehicle batteries, the science of fire safety, and using question formulation technique with real lab footage from UL Research Institutes.