Ben Smith is a physics teacher and technology resource instructor at Red Lion Area Senior High School in Pennsylvania. He is also a doctoral student in instructional technology at Towson University, and is an ISTE Consultant and a PK-12 representative to the ISTE Board of Directors. With over a decade of professional development experience, Smith works through EdTEchinnovators to provide educators with resources to help them successfully infuse technology into their classrooms. As well as providing strategies and templates for teachers and students to facilitate the shift to the digital age classroom, he has created step-by-step tutorials on tool use, assisted educational organizations in planning technology purchases, and helped school districts and organizations develop a philosophy or vision for technology use. Along with Jared Mader, Smith serves as the Science Curriculum Specialists for Learning and Leading, ISTE’s flagship journal. Together, they recently worked with NASA to develop an iBook for teachers to complement the MMS Mission Launch student activities. Smith took time from his busy schedule to join ISTE for a 2016 Conference Ignite session—a rapid-fire event where multiple presenters get just five minutes and 20 slides each to inspire audience members. In his presentation, The Culture and Climate of an Authentic STEM Classroom, he speaks about how classroom climate and culture can lead students to the excitement of STEM projects, relying on each other and building a sense of themselves as learners. His classroom model is an inspiration for educators.

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