EE Conference

Connecting Health and Nature: Building a Sustainable Future

About the Conference

AEEA’s Environmental and Outdoor Education Conference is a gathering that brings together classroom teachers, non-formal educators, higher education students, Master Naturalists, and conservation professionals from around Arkansas. This professional learning event consists of hands-on workshops, field tours, concurrent presentations, and networking opportunities.

For the 2025 conference, we are changing things up a bit. The conference date will move to early March, and it will be held over a Friday and Saturday. Registration options will include one day or both days. The conference theme focuses on the connection between a healthy environmental and healthy people. Mark your calendars now!

March 7 & 8, 2025
Arkansas Tech University, Russellville

In addition to hands-on learning, exhibitors feature available resources and programs, and the silent auction showcases Arkansas-made goods, education resources, and sustainability-focused products. The silent auction funds the AEEA mini-grant program. The conference brings together diverse attendees in some of the most beautiful locations that Arkansas has to offer.

If you have never attended an AEEA conference, you can view highlights from previous years below.

Now Accepting Proposals for 2025 Conference Sessions.

Attention classroom teachers, non-formal educators, conservationists, and naturalists – join the Arkansas Environmental Education Association’s annual Environmental Education Conference!

We are seeking conference proposals from a variety of topics and formats. We are especially interested in sessions that reflect this year’s theme, Connecting Health and Nature: Building a Sustainable Future, and explore the connection between a healthy environment and healthy people. 

Sessions could fall within the strands listed below:

• Education in Practice – planning and implementing successful environmental education programs, K-12 education, STEM, green and healthy schools, climate education, reports on new and relevant research, etc
• Naturalists in Action – exploring the wonders of Arkansas ecoregions, citizen (community) science programs in Arkansas, etc
• Outdoors and EE Programs – outdoor recreation and environmental education, health and the outdoors, teaching in outdoor settings, access to the outdoors, etc
• Community Engagement – cultivating community partnerships, engaging with underserved communities in environmental education, exploring green careers in Arkansas, etc
• Capacity Building – developing professional skills as an educator,  program administration, grant writing, etc

This is a competitive proposal process. Not all proposals will be accepted. AEEA requests proposals for sessions that: 

• Are solution-oriented and include concrete takeaways
• Are interactive and engage the audience
• Share new research, advances in practice, innovative ideas, or relevant case studies
• Promote inclusion and accessibility in environmental education and the outdoors
• Highlight the River Valley ecoregion of Arkansas
• Include the connection of healthy environments and healthy people

Sessions can be in different formats:

• Slide presentation: 30 – 60 minutes of presenting information and answering questions. 
• Round table discussion: leading a group discussion on a specific topic. This would be 30 – 60 minutes. 
• Show and tell presentation: during a one-hour time slot, multiple organizations would have a staffed table in the same room. The purpose of this type of format is to talk in small groups, or to an individual, in-depth about a specific program. This is different from an exhibitor space which can be unstaffed and is more general about an organization. 
• Workshop: a 2-3 hour hands-on session exploring a specific topic. Workshops generally have a limited number of participants.
• Field tours: a 2-3 hour session learning about the local, natural region. Most field tours would be off-site, though some could be on the ATU campus. Field tours have a limited number of participants.

Submission deadline: January 10, 2025

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ~ FELLOWSHIP ~ FUN

Sponsors

Show your support of environmental and outdoor education in the Natural State by sponsoring the conference. Sponsors are highlighted on our website, social media, and all conference materials. Many levels of sponsorship include complimentary conference registration and exhibit space. Sponsorship information coming soon.