The University of San Diego (USD) hosted its largest STEAM Youth and Community Conference to date last month, gathering approximately 700 attendees from the local community. This annual event, organized by the university’s Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education, showcased over 40 student presentations and offered a variety of hands-on workshops focused on science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
According to Rebecca Ottinger, Project Manager at USD, the conference has significantly expanded since its inception, evolving from a small gathering to a major community event. “It was the largest turnout we’ve ever had,” Ottinger stated. “The energy was really electric.” The conference aims to provide young people with the tools and support necessary for success, a vision first proposed by three faculty members who initiated the event years ago.
Expanding Opportunities for Young Innovators
The conference included participation from various local organizations, such as the San Diego Unified School District, the San Diego Foundation, and Young Echelon. In previous years, the conference was typically preceded by the STEAM Academy, a two-week summer camp on campus where students engaged in immersive experiences across subjects like robotics and dance. While the academy was not held this year, alternative summer camps were offered, including the VisMO Summer Adventure and the ImPactful Teen Innovation Sandbox.
The VisMO program utilized origami and the popular video game Minecraft to enhance students’ spatial awareness and mathematical understanding. Meanwhile, the Innovation Sandbox focused on helping students create and produce their own live podcasts, merging creativity with technology.
Students who participated in these summer programs were invited to present their projects at the conference’s opening session. “We’re an institute that focuses on innovation, that focuses on how to help raise the voices of our youth,” Ottinger explained. The conference provided a platform for students to showcase their work and share their insights with peers and community members.
Interactive Learning and Community Engagement
In addition to the presentations, the conference featured 30 interactive STEAM-themed workshops. These sessions were run by professors, university students, and local experts, covering a variety of topics such as building underwater robots, mastering weaving techniques, exploring neuroscience, and constructing musical organs. Many of the workshops were offered in both English and Spanish, ensuring broader accessibility.
“Everything that we do is really about reimagining teaching and learning, allowing students to embrace their unique selves,” Ottinger remarked. The workshops aimed to inspire creativity and encourage hands-on learning, allowing participants to engage directly with the material.
The event concluded with the STEAMx conference, modeled after the popular TEDx format, featuring three speakers who discussed the concept of “productive struggle” in their lives. One standout speaker was an eighth grader who delivered a compelling speech about overcoming adversity. “There were over 200 people in that room listening to them,” Ottinger noted. “It was really powerful to have the community come together for this.”
The large turnout and enthusiastic participation at this year’s STEAM Youth and Community Conference highlight the growing interest in STEAM education and the importance of community engagement in fostering the next generation of innovators.
