On December 9 and 10, 2019, State Superintendent Tony Thurmond and staff from the California Department of Education (CDE) participated in the 2019 California STEAM Symposium. The conference, held in Anaheim, is a collaborative effort with the CDE, the Californians Dedicated to Education Foundation, and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls.

With more than 3,000 Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) educators and students participating, the conference provided professional learning, networking opportunities, and inspiring keynotes—including State Superintendent Thurmond in conversation with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, former NBA superstar, STEAM education advocate, and political activist. Other keynotes included Ellen Ochoa, former astronaut and director of the Johnson Space Center, and Chris Emdin, the founder of #HipHopEd.

Source: Thurmond, CDE, Students Attend STEAM Symposium – Year 2019 (CA Dept of Education)