The Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE) is slated to host its 2017 international conference Thursday through Saturday at the Des Moines Marriott Downtown, and Iowa State is expected to display its educational excellence on a world stage.

School of Education professor Joanne Olson and Drake professor Jerrid Kruse, who is an Iowa State alumnus, will serve as co-chairs for the conference, according to a College of Human Sciences press release. Olson had previously served as ASTE president from 2014-15.  

Iowa State also serves as a sponsor for the event, along with Drake University and companies such as American Elements, Carolina Biological and the Iowa Pork Producers Association. 

Both Olson and School of Education professor Michael Clough will receive the national Innovation in Teaching Science Teachers award during the conference for their paper titled “Teachers.”

The conference will include about 150 poster and paper sessions and feature Diane Ravitch, former U.S. assistant secretary of education, as a keynote speaker. Ravitch is scheduled to speak from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Friday.

The ASTE international conference will include participants hailing from as far away as Canada, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.