"When I first started teaching fifth grade in Vermont, I quickly found that my students didn't know their math facts," says MathFactLab creator and company owner Mike Kenny.

That discovery would ultimately lead him to designing his online strategy-based math fact fluency application.

Mike, who teaches fifth grade at Thomas Fleming Elementary School in Essex Junction, Vermont, first responded to the challenge by researching ways to help his students learn math more easily.

Designing a revolutionary system

But everything he found was based on memorization--which wasn't working.

Instead, Mike began creating a system that would help students understand multiplication, division, addition and subtraction. Initially, that system was flash card-based, but eventually, Mike found a developer and evolved it into an online program.

MathFactLab is highly visual: math facts are displayed through multiple models, including beads, dice, clock faces and bar graphs.

For students using the program, learning math become a discovery process, that's all about reasoning and thinking with numbers, and identifying patterns.

"It's much easier to apply patterns, than it is to rely on memory,"," Mike says.

Starting with certainty

Also, he explains, students explore what they already know, to learn new math facts.

For example, with a student who says they can't do division, Mike will ask if they can multiple a simple number, such as three times eight. Then, he has that student consider that they already understand how to divide, if they can multiply!

"Division is simply 'unmultiplication',"he says.

And the approach of discovering new facts, and learning visually, is highly effective, as students learn, rather than simply recite, facts.

"If they can get there themselves, then they own (that knowledge), and they appreciate it all the more, and remember it," Mike says.

Mike shared the story of creating MathFactLab, offered a closer look at some of the principles teachers can use in their classroom, and discussed what's next with the program.

"...Sixty-five percent of kids...entering school today will end up (in) jobs that currently do not exist," explained Nanit Robotics Founder Vlad Konov, during our 2023 conversation.

Since then, that statement has only become more relevant.

Vlad, who introduced his Nanit ed-tech to the U.S. in the Eureka Park® startup area of CES®2023, has a long track record of innovation.

An engineer, entrepreneur and educator, he is also the founder and CEO of RoboHouse, Ukraine’s international laboratory of robotics, electronics and programming.

In addition, he is the creator of a first-of-its-kind robotics school in Ukraine.

Our discussion, following CES®2023, explored the ways his user-friendly kit, for all ages, made robotics accessible to all.

Vlad's innovation sprang from his discoveries of the limited learning resources for adults, as he began his journey, in adulthood, as a self-taught roboticist.

While STEM opportunities for children are abundant, he says, he found very few learning possibilities for beginning adult learners.

However, he did see a real need for upskilling.

"...Now, market need is to change your professional orientation. It's OK to change your professional orientation at least three times in your lifetime," Vlad says.

And as he became proficient in robotics, he began thinking of ways to fill that gap.

"We don't have enough STEM education for adults, and I want to solve this problem," he says.

"I have a lot of success right now (with robotics). Can you imagine if (I'd started) at 12 or 13?"

His experience would ultimately lead him to create the Nanit Robotics kit--from which users of all ages can build, literally, 100 robots!

But he didn't stop there.

Growing the inspiration

Today, according to Nanit Robotics' website, that innovation has grown into an online engineering course: "Nanit Master", which is getting A pluses, in feedback, from previous students!

"Our mission of the project is to create engineers," explains the website.

"The company's products are not used as weapons, they have only an educational STEM character."

Another exciting note? Since our conversation, Nanit has also begun offering smart home products on Amazon!

A quick check of their listings reveals several different types of baby monitors, including a wearable which tracks breathing motion, and a wi-fi camera with sleep tracking and two-way audio.

"This is the future," Vlad says.

Vlad shared the story of Nanit Robotics, explained some of the ways the kit can be used and offered a closer look at a future in which robotics can facilitate bringing ideas to life.

"If you can learn the planets, you can learn the microbes--if you have the tools," says MedMicroMaps CEO and Co-Founder Dr. Jane Harrington.

"...I will do anything to meet the learner where they are."

And that's exactly what she has done, by drawing on her background as a professor of microbiology, at multiple universities, as well as her time spent serving as Course Director in the area of medical microbiology, both in the Caribbean and, more recently, at Rocky Vista University in Billings, Montana.

Dr. Jane uses technology, both to put microbiology into relatable terms, and to engage visual learners in a fun experience.

Analogies through VR

Her virtual-reality game, MedMicroMaps, replaces the "intimidation" factor with fun--even as it provides a highly-effective tool for visual learning.

The gamer enters a world where they see actual bacteria before them--and interact with them, in the course of their experience. And these are realistic bacteria.

"It's based on real science," Dr. Jane explains.

"So (many) VR applications right now, they're very 'cartoony'."

"(Our representation says,) 'This is a bacteria phage. This is actually what it looks like.'"

Meanwhile, players are discovering parallels between the science behind the virtual bacteria in the game, and their own experiences.

(For example, Dr. Jane says, one person mentioned that a bacteria phage looks like an octopus!)

The world of bacteria in VR

MedMicroMaps players are assisted by a mascot/study buddy named Phage.i. He's a bacteria phage, designed with AI to begin at a learner’s starting point, for microbiology, and help them “grow” from there.

He's also there to make microbiology accessible. Phage.i is a whimsical character with a high voice: Dr. Jane says that, upon seeing him, most people comment on his “cuteness”!

The game is pure fun. In addition to a "detective"-style puzzle to solve, there's a "whack-a-microbe" feature.

Directions for learning

In addition, MedMicroMaps incorporates a revolutionary "map" and compass.

These are a patented design which allows user to learn the effects of the different types of microbes both visually and geographically.

"...An upper-respiratory tract infection, that's the northern coordinate," Dr. Jane explains.

"Versus, if I have something in my lungs, and it's pneumonia, that's the south."

2025 saw Dr. Jane and her husband and MedMicroMaps co-founder, Ian Holyoak, roll out the beta version of MedMicroMaps. Their ultimate goal: several different editions: for high-school students, medical students and institutions of higher learning.

Dr. Jane talked about creating MedMicroMaps, explained how her game works and offered a closer look at the compass system!

When Pasadena's 137th Tournament of Roses® Parade happens on New Year's Day, the students of Cal Poly Universities will be upholding a long-standing New Year's Day tradition.

However,they'll also be showcasing cutting-edge innovation, as their 77th Rose Parade®float, "Jungle Jumpstart', goes by.

This particular float is both a whimsical story, in accordance with the 2026 parade theme, "The Magic in Teamwork", and a reflection of the various skills and talents of the students on two separate campuses.

Unique to the parade

Since 1949, Cal Poly Universities students have built and entered a float in the Rose Parade®. Not only is theirs the only student-built entry--their organization is one of only six noncommercial groups, or "self-builts", participating in the parade.

Cal Poly Universities' float's chassis is created by students on the Pomona and San Luis Obispo campus. Then, in October, the San Luis Obispo team drive their half down to the Pomona campus, where the two halves are joined.

And from there, the two teams work as one.

Because the students are learning by doing, their freedom to experiment often results in some unprecedented innovations.

A 1968 hydraulic-powered animation system and a 2017 engineering system which changed colors of flowers, are among their inventions.

And on New Year's Day 2026, parade viewers will again get to see some unprecedented technological use, on "Jungle Jumpstart"!

Introducing: 2026

Aubrey Goings is President of Cal Poly Rose Float, San Luis Obispo, and Amelia Atwell is President of Cal Poly Rose Float, Pomona. Both Aubrey and Amelia are architecture students, using their passion for design to create something magical.

Aubrey and Amelia talked about their experiences with Cal Poly Rose Float, their work so far on "Jungle Jumpstart" and the lessons they've learned from their experience.

(Would you like to support the Cal Poly Universities students as they craft "Jungle Jumpstart"? Here are links to their Amazon wish lists, for both decorations and operations!)

Artist and technologist Dulce Baerga empowers others in the metaverse.

One of her current projects, Avatar Gods, uses artificial intelligence to generate avatars which reflect each user's individuality. These will be platform-agnostic, extending that person's presence across multiple metaverse platforms.

In addition, Dulce says, her avatars will retain a user's individuality, when they're not on the platforms!

As a pioneer in mixed reality, augmented reality, and immersive technologies, Dulce has created multiple . XR experiences. She is the CEO of creative technology studio Dulce Dotcom, and has more than 25 years' experience in blending creativity with technical expertise to take XR innovation beyond its current boundaries.

Dulce says Avatar Gods is currently in prototype stage, and a matter of months from its first release, pending funding.

The artist as mentor

In addition to Avatar Gods, Dulce is currently building, and preparing to launch, her Dulce XR Creator Lab! This is a hybrid AI/WebXR education program, which will teach creatives how to build immersive experiences using the pipelines she has developed.

She also builds worlds for her clients, and consults on avatars and immersive projects.

And expect her to break new ground, in the process.

"in 2018, I really focused in on WebXR and have been really passionate about it ever since, and pushed its boundaries as much as I can," Dulce explains.

Dulce talked about her creative journey, explained how Avatar Gods will work and offered a preview of what's next!

"We are so not ready," says anthropologist, futurist, AI ethicist, broadcaster and educator Dr. Lollie Mancey.

She's discussing AI--and the challenges its high-speed adoption is presenting to society.

Dr. Mancey, who is Programme Director at University College Dublin’s Innovation Academy, sees multiple problems with the way AI is infiltrating our lives. Among them: the ways artificial intelligence excludes some segments of the population; the perception that it will make humans "obsolete"; and a general blind acceptance, without questioning, of the ways it's being presented by technology companies.

Since AI is inevitable in all aspects of life and future industry, she adds, we need to explore, experiment and ask questions. And most of all, see it as a supplement to our talents, as opposed to supplanting them.

"You can play with it as a tool, but it must never replace us," she says.

The challenge--and the "why"

As an award-winning storyteller and keynote speaker, Dr. Mancey likes to challenge her listeners to explore new ideas. Within the next three to five years, she says, ninety percent of us may have agentic AI involved in our lives. Consequently, she explains, all of us need to imagine the ways we can have “a place at the table” as artificial intelligence evolves.

Dr. Mancey talked about her background, some of her research in AI and the directions she recommends everyone take, to stay proactive and collaborative with artificial intelligence in education and the future workplace.

Most people don't put the words "engineering" and "fun" together in the same sentence.

But for Air Rocket Works Co-Founders Rick Schertle and Keith Violette, the two always go together.

With a shared passion for creating rockets and launchers, they first connected over some articles Rick wrote for Make Magazine.

Keith wound up sending Rick a working prototype of his compressed-air rocket launcher, which Rick describes as "the coolest thing ever".

The rest is history.

Rick and Keith, who live in California and New Hampshire, respectively, have only seen each other in-person a handful of times: at maker fairs! But their small business, Air Rocket Works, has been capturing the imagination of kids and "big kids" since its founding in 2014.

And their air rockets, compressed-air launchers and free templates--including four contributed by NASA!--continue to be a hit.

"I've always wanted to include the fun side of engineering, and keep things interesting," Keith says.

While their products have a sense of joy built right into them, Air Rocket Works' launchers and templates are also teaching kids--and "big kids"--a lot about science, technology, engineering, art and math.

Both Rick, who teaches at Steindorf STEAM Magnet School, and Keith, a mechanical engineer by profession, have implemented maker fairs at their local schools.

For Rick, a long-held dream of hosting a school maker fair ultimately led him to evolve the school's traditional open house to a mini-maker event. With music, a rocket launch and maker stations, the event was a huge success, and grew proportionately. Rick says he thinks 2025 will mark their fourth year!

(Like to give a favorite maker or rocket enthusiast a gift they'll enjoy? Here’s a link to Rick’s book “Planes, Gliders and Paper Rockets: Simple Flying Things Anyone Can Make” on Amazon!)

Meanwhile, while his own son and daughter were in school, Keith volunteered to teach engineering sessions. These involved building water rockets and doing rocket launches. After meeting other parents with similar engineering background, he and his wife Tanya organized a three-hour maker fair, with fifty exhibits, at the local high school, for students from first grade through high school.

"(We made) all kinds of just really fun hands-on things, to show that science, engineering and the arts all work well together," he explains.

And both Rick and Keith want to keep right on creating cool "flying things", teaching and inspiring kids (as well as big kids!) to explore, be confident and see themselves as makers.

Rick and Keith shared the story of Air Rocket Works, talked about some of their favorite experiences and discussed what they'd like to do next!

Would you like to help an incredible community uphold a tradition of more than a century?

And in the process, have a lot of fun, and help to create a work of art?

If you're in the Southern California area, that's the invitation which South Pasadena Tournament of Roses would like to extend to you.

South Pasadena Tournament of Roses President Ed Donnelly and his team are building their 2026 float, "The Great Picnic Heist", for Pasadena's 137th Rose Parade® on New Year's Day--and they need volunteers from now through December.

"There's plenty to do, for any skill set," Ed says.

1893 history, 2026 creativity

South Pasadena Tournament of Roses' "The Great Picnic Heist", a whimsical depiction of a snoozing bear whose picnic has "grown legs", is likely to evoke smiles, laughter--and a considerable sense of pride in their legacy.

That's because South Pasadena Tournament of Roses is the oldest "self-built", or noncommercial independent float builder, in the parade. They've been participating in the Rose Parade since 1893--and Ed says they've had a float in the parade, continuously, since 1911!

Ed, who is a professional musician and audio engineer, sees considerable creative parallels between performing live music, and building award-winning Rose Parade floats.

"We're creating art," he explains, of both experiences.

"If you look at the Rose Parade floats, they're works of art.

"...How are we connecting with people? What does this say? What will they think when they see this?

"...It's very much the same sort of approach and philosophy." (Check out Ed's website for his recording studio, Barber's Basement, to hear a demo of some great Americana, country and folk music!)

Additional opportunities

In addition to the volunteer opportunities, South Pasadena Tournament of Roses invites you to their "Crunch Time Party and Auction", happening December 29th.

And if you don't happen to be in the Southern California area, but would like to support them, there are several ways.

You can donate directly on their website, purchase a raffle ticket or souvenir merchandise or check out their Amazon wish list, for "The Great Picnic Heist"!

Ed talked about his background, offered a closer look at "The Great Picnic Heist", and shared some of his favorite stories of working with South Pasadena Tournament of Roses.