Emmy®-nominated Science TV Host and YouTube Sensation Emily Calandrelli to Join SXSW EDU® 2025 as a Keynote Speaker

Calandrelli's Keynote Session is added to the conference and festival alongside new Featured Sessions and networking opportunities.

AUSTIN, Texas, Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- SXSW EDU® is excited to announce Emily Calandrelli, also known as ' The Space Gal,' as the first keynote speaker for its 2025 conference and festival taking place from March 3-6, 2025. Calandrelli—an MIT engineer, the 100th woman in space, author, and host and producer of such celebrated series as Netflix's "Emily's Wonder Lab," FOX's "Xploration Outer Space," and "Emily's Science Lab" on YouTube—will examine the importance of STEM representation in the entertainment industry in a session titled Screening Bias: Breaking Down Barriers for Women in STEM on TV.

"Not only is Emily at the forefront of bringing science learning to audiences worldwide, but her expertise provides the perfect example of how education intersects with other fields," said Greg Rosenbaum, vice president of SXSW EDU. "On top of that, she is directly involved in creating the change that she is advocating for, which is an important throughline for many of the speakers and sessions we are curating for the 2025 program. The lineup continues to grow with disruptors who are exploring new ways to deliver learning and ensure that the needs of all stakeholders are addressed."

Calandrelli's keynote joins three new Featured Sessions just added to the conference and festival. Discussing topics ranging from designing for constructive failure and the relationships between the rise of AI and student agency to revitalizing Indigenous languages, each session is led by educators both deeply rooted in and prepared to better education systems for the global communities they represent. They include:

• Learning from Productive Failure: Manu Kapur, director of the Singapore-ETH Center and Professor for Learning Sciences and Higher Education at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, addresses the question: If learning from failure is intuitively compelling, why do we wait for it to happen? Join this session to learn what "Productive Failure" is, and why intentionally designing for failure in a safe way can deepen learning.
• Unleashing Student Agency: Worldwide Evidence & Practice: Propelled by the rise of AI, we are moving from the "Age of Achievement" to the "Age of Agency," as Rebecca Winthrop and Jenny Anderson argue in their new book, The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better. Rebecca comes together with education leaders from around the world, including co-founder of nafda Lebanon, Nadim Matta; CEO of Instituto Salto, Rafael Parente; and founder of Study Hall Educational Foundation, Urvashi Sahni; to hear how they are navigating this transition and what innovations are proving the most impactful.
• Indigenous Learning Systems:Language Revitalization & Education: Explore how understanding the history of U.S. boarding schools has led to the need for action on a future that accelerates the revitalizing of Indigenous languages and transforming education for Native youth with the executive director of One Generation, Kara Bobroff (Diné/Lakota). Kara will uplift a bold 10-year plan to restore language vitality across the U.S. and introduce elements of Indigenous Learning Ecosystems that empower students, families, tribes, and innovation.

Alongside the Keynote and Featured Sessions, SXSW EDU expands previously announced sessions with an array of additional speakers. Founder of Virtual Human Economy and AI pioneer, Natalie Monbiot, joins AI & the Future of Education and Senior Vice President and General Manager at PBS KIDS, Sara DeWitt, joins You Belong in Libraries. Meanwhile, Three Innovators Discuss Books, Media & Entrepreneurship adds actor, young adult author, and producer Raegan Revord; Founder and CEO of The LiTEArary Society, Rania Zuri; and Alexandra Brown Chang, author and founder of The Zeitgeist to its panel; and Essential Skills for Cultivating Healthy Student Achievement welcomes Jean-Claude Brizard, president and CEO of Digital Promise Global.

SXSW EDU also continues to build out its 2025 networking program with the unveiling of the Mentor Program. More than 70 one-on-one mentors and over 50 roundtable mentors will participate in discussions designed to share personalized insights, advice, and the opportunity to collaborate more closely on career advancement and other goals.

For the full programming overview, including 20+ Meet Ups and 50+ new sessions in addition to the ones announced above, visit schedule.sxswedu.com.

For more information on all announced Keynote and Featured Speakers, visit sxswedu.com/speakers.

Press Credentials:
To register, please go to sxswedu.com/press/accreditation.

About SXSW EDU:
Now in its 15th year, the SXSW EDU® Conference & Festival reflects the world's most critical social issues as seen through the lens of education. This year's event will bring together the learner, the practitioner, the entrepreneur, and the visionary to share their groundbreaking stories, tackle complex issues, and build reimagined paths forward. As a community of diverse people who are united around a like-minded vision for the future, SXSW EDU serves as a place for attendees to renew their purpose in practice from both a personal and professional perspective. It is a place to reinforce the core principles of teaching and learning as well as an opportunity to express your creativity and passion for education. Join the passionate and innovative community at SXSW EDU, March 3-6, 2025.

For more information, please visit sxswedu.com.

Contact:
Liz Stein
SXSW EDU Press & Publicity
press@sxswedu.com
240-461-3053

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