Dear Fellow ASTE Colleagues,

I hope that each of you had a wonderful summer! As we transition to fall, I wanted to take this opportunity to thank our conference thread coordinators and conference proposal reviewers for their service as they are currently reviewing proposals for the upcoming 2023 ASTE International Conference: Science Education Elevated! Many thanks to the conference planning committee and to our 2023 conference chairs, Kathy Trundle and Rita Hagevik, as they continue to plan and coordinate an amazing conference and reception! There are also several outstanding regional ASTE meetings that you can attend during the fall, too! Please visit our Regions Website to find out more information.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to highlight a question that I have been asked by several members about how to ‘run for an elected position in ASTE’. Elected positions in ASTE include the President-Elect and Board Members, as well as the members of the Elections Committee. All newly elected At-Large Board members are appointed according to the current vacancies as Chair/Co-chair of one of ASTE’s Committees. Interested members can read more about specific responsibilities of these positions in ASTE’s Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).

The timeline for elected positions in ASTE is as follows:

• The Call for Nominations is distributed in January with a deadline to submit a nomination of March 15.
• The Elections Committee oversees the creation of a slate, which is then approved by the Board.
• The ballot is announced and elections take place in the Fall.

It is important to note that if a nominee accepts a nomination, they will be asked to submit their application materials, including a short CV that highlights their ASTE involvement and a brief position statement. These materials will be evaluated using the Elections Committee Rubric.

For more information about the elected positions and their associated responsibilities, see this overview document and the ASTE Standard Operating Procedures. Please also contact the elections committee chair, Jeanna Wieselmann (jeanna@umn.edu), if you have any questions or would like additional information. If you would like to find out more information about ASTE volunteer opportunities, please visit our Volunteer Portal!

Moreover, I am truly grateful that the ASTE board created a Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and is committed to promoting a culture of respect, fairness, and inclusivity for Science Teacher Education. All people deserve to pursue their professional activities with dignity and in a safe, supportive, respectful, inclusive, and welcoming environment that encourages diverse points of view and backgrounds in order to engage in open and honest communication.

Please continue to stay active and fully enjoy the Benefits of ASTE by renewing your 2022 membership! To check on your current membership status, contact John Rhea at DES@aste.org. To become a member, please click on the following link: Join Now!

Many thanks to our members for your continued support and service to ASTE! I greatly appreciate all of you and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve you!

With gratitude,

Rommel Miranda

ASTE President (2022-2023)