The 16th Annual C-STEM Conference

Friday, October 16, 2026

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Join the UC Davis C-STEM Center for the 16th Annual Conference on Integrated Computing and STEM Education on October 16, 2026, at the UC Davis Conference Center. The theme of this year's conference is Reimagining STEM Learning:  Integrating Math, Science, CS, and Engineering for Real-World Problem Solving. Explore engaging solutions to challenges in math and CS education, learn from fellow teachers, discover ground-breaking strategies and best practices for integrating coding and robotics into K-12 math education under the new CA Math Framework, and share math success stories.

C-STEM is a UC Approved Educational Preparation Program for undergraduate admission for all UC campuses.  The rigorous C-STEM Math, CS, and STEAM with Robotics Curriculum provides K-12 students with up to 13 years of integrated learning of math and computer science. C-STEM has UC A-G Program Status. High schools can readily and easily add the 20 “A-G approved” rigorous C-STEM courses to their own school’s A-G course lists to satisfy the UC/CSU admission requirements.  C-STEM provides professional development for teachers through the Joint UC Davis and UC Riverside  Computer Science  Supplementary Teaching Credential Authorization  Program.

The conference provides a forum for policy makers, researchers, district and school administrators, K-12 STEM teachers, and industrial partners to share their vision, research results, best practices, and experience on transforming math education with hands-on coding and robotics, especially on closing the math achievement gap for at-promise students and English language learners.

Gain first-hand experience integrating coding and robotics into math curriculum with our hands-on breakout sessions featuring Linkbots, Arduino, and more. See how teachers have successfully impacted students from ALL backgrounds through C-STEM K-12 Math, CS, and STEAM with Robotics Curriculum, Afterschool and Summer Robotics Camps and Robotics-Math Camps,  GIRL/GIRL+ Camps, Ujima GIRL Project,  level-playing-field RoboPlay Competition.

Also, learn more about the Joint UC Davis and UC Riverside Computer Science Supplementary Teaching Credential Authorization  Program and  teachers, schools, and districts increase their Smarter Balanced Math Test scores dramatically.

A group of C-STEM teachers, administrator, and superintendent will be recognized as C-STEM Teacher of the Year, C-STEM Administrator of the Year, and Superintendent of the Year for their extraordinary pioneering work on integrated learning math with hands-on coding and robotics. C-STEM Distinguished Schools will also be recognized. Each awardee will received award certificates from the California Department of Education, California State Legislature, and University of California, Davis.  More info about C-STEM awards can be found here.

Keynote and Plenary Speakers' Biographies

(Subject to Change)

Keynote

Building Problem-Solvers in the Age of AI: Mathematics, Computing, and Learning for Teacher and Student Success

Moderator:  Tiffany Benson, Superintendent, Travis Unified School District

Ms. Ellen Barger is a respected figure in California’s education leadership, known for her expertise in curriculum and instruction, her commitment to equity, and her dedication to community service.  She possesses over 30 years of experience in teaching and school leadership.  Currently, she serves as Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction at the Santa Barbara County Education Office, where she provides leadership and service to the county’s 20 school districts.

Ellen's career spans elementary, secondary, and post-secondary education, including roles in curriculum development, instruction, and policy. She has held positions such as Director of Curriculum & Instruction at the Santa Barbara County Education Office and Mathematics Coordinator at the Orange County Department of Education. She earned a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from The Ohio State University and a Master of Science in Secondary Education and Mathematics Education from California State University–Fullerton, where she was named the Edwin Carr Fellow.

She is active in statewide education governance, serving on the executive council of the California County Superintendents’ Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee, chairing the Mathematics Subcommittee which aims to integrate policy, practice, research, inquiry, and data to support “equitable, meaningful implementation of quality mathematics for all students.” She is also a mathematics lead for the statewide CAL-MSCS partnership, which builds professional-learning capacity in mathematics, science, and computer science. Importantly, she was part of the team that presented California's Mathematics Framework to the State Board of Education and has been a prominent voice in helping districts translate the framework from policy into classroom practice. She also participates in multiple work groups focused on policy, instruction, and accountability. She brings a social justice lens to her work, serving as a board member of TODOS and as a faculty member for the Institute for Equity in Education.

Beyond her professional roles, Ellen is an active volunteer with Transition House and other Santa Barbara non-profits, contributing to community support and educational equity initiatives.  She resides in Santa Barbara with her husband, Tony Helf.

CA Department of Education Luncheon Address
 

The State of Education in 2026

Moderator:  Barbara Nemko, Superintendent of Napa County Office of Education (Retired)

Mary Nicely is the Chief Deputy Superintendent of Information & Technology at the California Department of Education (CDE), a role she has held since January 2025, overseeing divisions such as Technology Services, Education Data Management, Accountability, Measurement and Reporting, and Assessments. She also serves as Deputy Superintendent of Technology and previously as Chief Deputy Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2021 to 2025, leading the Superintendent Thurmond’s Initiatives Office and focused on recruitment and retention of teachers of color, community schools, and educator housing and public/private partnerships with philanthropy and industry. Before joining the CDE, Nicely served as Chief of Staff and District Director to then-Assembly Member Thurmond, representing California’s 15th Assembly District. Prior to her legislative career, she was President and CEO of Nicely Done Solutions, Inc. a custom database development company headquartered in Berkeley, California founded in 1994. She also served as the Western US K–12 Service and Support Manager for seven of her 13 years at Apple. Nicely is a first generation Burmese American and holds a bachelor’s degree in political economy of industrial societies from the University of California, Berkeley, and a business administration degree from Monterey Peninsula Community College in Monterey.  Mary Nicely brings a unique blend of technology expertise, education leadership, and community engagement to her role at the CDE, driving innovation, equity, and modernization in California’s education system.

Many hands-on breakout sessions are designed for Learning through doing. Learn from experienced C-STEM teachers to share their experience on how to integrate coding, robotics, Arduino into their math and STEM classes for hands-on learning to close the achievement gap. Bring your own laptop of Windows, Mac OS X, or Chromebook to join many hands-on sessions to learn, and take the latest technologies, curriculum, know-how, and excitement to your classroom teaching. 

Breakout Session 1

1A. Hands-on:  For Absolute Beginners - Getting Started with RoboBlocky to Teach Math and CS with Robotics (Bring-Your-Own-Computer)

1B. Model Teaching Strategies for Robust C-STEM Implementation & Student Achievement

1C. Showcasing TK-12 Student Learning:  RoboParades & RoboPlays

1D. Leadership & PD: School and Districtwide Integration of C-STEM Math/CS/Engineering Design with Robotics into K-12 Math Classroom Teaching

Breakout Session 2

2A. ELOP - After-School, Summer School, & GIRL Camp - and C-STEM Student Awards

2B. (ES) Teacher-to-Teacher Sharing:  Best Practices, Strategies, Lessons, and Projects in Integrating C-STEM Coding and Robotics into Elementary School Math 

2C. (MS/HS) Teacher-to-Teacher Sharing:  Best Practices, Strategies, Lessons, and Projects in Integrating C-STEM Math with Robotics/CS

2D. CS & STEAM

Breakout Session 3

3A. Hands-on Arduino: Introduction to Basic Electronics and Creative Problem Solving for Physical Computing (Bring-Your-Own-Computer)

3B.  Advancing Math/CS Achievement for All with COE Leadership & CAL-MSCS Grant

3C.  Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) & C-STEM: Math Support for At-Promise, Multilingual & Students with IEPs

3D. Vibe Coding:  Integrating CS & AI