Professor of Education Michael Kamen, along with Professor Emerita of Teaching and Learning at New York University Pamela Abder, Adjunct Professor of Physical Sciences at Suffolk County Community College Nina Leonhardt, Professor Emerita at the University of Calgary’s Werklund School of Education Bonnie Shapiro, and Faculty Member at Paderborn University Gabriela Jonas-Ahrend, presented “Hopeful Strategies to Address Challenges Currently Facing Teacher Preparation Programs: International Perspectives” at the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education (ICRSME) 2026 Virtual Conference.

Professor of Education Michael Kamen and Associate Professor of Curriculum, Instruction, and Learning Sciences at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Debra Plowman, presented “Ian Inquiry Speaks: Fictional Stories to Support Preservice Teachers in Math and Science” at the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education (ICRSME) 2026 Virtual Conference.

Professor of Education Michael Kamen and Associate Professor of Curriculum Instruction and Learning Sciences at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Debra Plowman published “Dramatic Science” in the Winter 2026 Newsletter of the International Consortium for Research in Science and Mathematics Education. Their quarterly column tells the ongoing story of the fictional character, Ian Quiry, as he studies and struggles to learn how to be an effective elementary school STEM teacher. The column can be read here, starting on page seven of the newsletter.

Professor of Education Alicia Moore, Assistant Professor of Education Marilyn Nicol, and Professor of Education Michael Kamen presented “Healing Through Play, Stories, and Literature: Supporting Children’s Grief, Loss, and Resilience in Early Childhood Classrooms” at the 2026 Live and On-Demand Conference of the International Play Association (IPA-USA).

Duncan Chair and Professor of Mathematics Fumiko Futamura, along with her collaborator, artist Jiabao Li, gave a talk at The Association for the Study of Play (TASP) 52nd annual conference, organized by Professor of Education Michael Kamen and held at Southwestern University. The talk, titled “Math/Art Collaboration Through Play: A Report From the Triangle Program,” focused on the role of play in our interdisciplinary collaboration, which ultimately culminated in the idea of the math playground.