2025

2025 Keynote Speakers

Headshot of Jack Horner

Jack Horner

Jack Horner is a severely dyslexic, dinosaur paleontologist! He attended the University of Montana for 14 semesters without receiving a degree. He has since received four honorary doctorates, and a plethora of awards including a MacArthur Fellowship and the Romer-Simpson Medal, the highest honor granted by the Society of Vertebrate Paleontology. Jack was Curator and Regent’s Professor of Paleontology at Montana State University in Bozeman, Montana for 34 years. He has more than 300 publications including 11 books. He was the technical advisor for the first 6 Jurassic Park/ Jurassic World movies. Jack currently teaches in the Honors Program at Chapman University in Orange, California.

2025 Keynote

Jack Horner’s Jurassic Journey

Join Jack Horner, a world-renowned paleontologist, as he shares his journey of navigating severe dyslexia and academic challenges while transforming our understanding of dinosaurs. Despite lifelong struggles with reading, Jack pursued his passion, earning honorary doctorates and serving as the scientific advisor for the Jurassic Park and Jurassic World films, as well as the inspiration for Dr. Alan Grant. His story is a powerful testament to resilience, creativity, and embracing one’s strengths. This captivating talk will inspire everyone to forge their own unique paths and persist in pursuing their passions, no matter the obstacles.

Headshot of Shavana Clarke

Shavana Clarke

A distinguished professor of animal science at Colorado State University, Temple has designed facilities for handling livestock used by companies around the world and been instrumental in implementing animal welfare auditing programs used by McDonalds, Wendy’s, Whole Foods, and other corporations. She will be discussing the ways people think and how they bring different approaches to problem solving.

2025 Keynote

Igniting Resilience: Overcoming Stigma and Embracing Possibilities

Shavana Clarke shares her inspiring journey as a Jamaican American, LGBTQ+ leader, and mental health advocate, reflecting on the power of resilience, passion, and self-acceptance. Aligned with the WISH to Ignite: Passion, Resilience, and Boundless Possibilities theme, she highlights how breaking barriers in mental health and identity fosters empowerment, growth, and limitless potential. Through her story, she encourages individuals to embrace their unique paths and ignite change.

2025 Reed Fellow

The Reed Fellow plays a vital role in the development of WISHfest and participates in a fireside chat with our keynote speaker(s).

Headshot of Sally Reis

Sally M. Reis, Ph.D.

Sally Reis is a Board of Trustees Distinguished Professor and previously held the Letitia Neag Morgan Chair in Educational Psychology in the Neag School of Education at UConn.. Her research interests relate to talent development, enrichment pedagogy, twice exceptional students, as well as talented girls and women. She has authored over 300 articles, books, book chapters, technical reports and worked a research team that has generated over 50 million dollars during the last few decades.

2025 Address

Using Strength-Based Pedagogy to Engage and Challenge Twice Exceptional Students

Using the pedagogy of gifted and talented education enables teachers to develop strengths, interests, and talents in a broad range of students, including those with disabilities. Enrichment pedagogy helps teachers differentiate instruction, reduce underachievement, and enable students to develop their strengths, while reducing a focus on deficits. This session will briefly highlight this pedagogy and describe how it can be implemented to help students identify and develop their interests and strengths.

2025 Exhibits

Waterbury Promise’s mission is to increase college aspirations, reduce financial barriers, and inspire every student in Waterbury toward post-secondary education and completion.

Committed to building a library that connects with our community of learners, invests in our skills and expertise, and uses resources to promote the creative exchange of ideas at UConn and beyond.

We would highlight opportunities for UConn Waterbury students and faculty to lead the way to climate action and social change by engaging with community energy efficiency audits and opportunities for campus decarbonization, learning about climate justice educations and topics, and exploring funding opportunities for campus projects. Come meet our sustainability leaders and interns at UConn Waterbury campus!

The CAHNR Fellow Program would like to share with students the unique benefits of our program. Our students will share insights into the program’s offerings, including tuition support, and about the value of the internship program and how it has helped them.

Come grab a UConn Newspaper and see what’s new in the world of the University of Connecticut!

Students race against the clock to throw the football in the end zone. They can win various prizes depending on how many successful throws they have, and the difficulty of the hole. We will also give them information on CAPS and RISE and strategies to successfully make it to the endzone in college!

In this station, students will learn basic knowledge about the human brain and how scientists investigate the human brain with real tissue models and neuroimaging tools. Students will see and perform sheep brain dissections as well as learn about the human brain through MRI images. Lastly, students can also create their “fancy brain model” with Play-Doh!

Join The Hubbell Difference Foundation with Hopeville: How to Win the Reading Wars and dive into the impactful documentary filmwork of Seedling.tv. Witness real stories of success and how film can inspire and drive change in literacy education. Be part of the movement to empower communities and make a difference through the power of documentary filmmaking!

Discover sustainable farming and organic produce with Chanticleer Acres! Learn about regenerative agriculture, seed saving, and community food security. Enjoy fresh samples and explore partnerships for a healthier future. Join the green movement with Chanticleer Acres!

Meet the clubs of UConn Waterbury – learn who they are, the activities they host, and have some popcorn!

Our Healthcare Regional Sector Partnershuo hosts a Career Expo via immersive virtual reality, allowing students to undergo virtual healthcare training in five exiciting simulations.

Come and represent UConn Waterbury by getting free swag in the main lobby!

Hug the machine and receive a complimentary Coca-Cola beverage!

Measure your blood pressure and practice CPR skills with students and faculty from Allied Health Sciences.

Take our fun, interactive surveys to discover the endless career possibilities with an English major. Which path best matches your skills, interests, and passions?

Providing meaning services to our great community! City of Waterbury offers a variety of opportunities within each department

Access Rehab Centers, LLC provides physical, occupational, and sppech therapy services in the greater Waterbury area.

Website Design, Digital Marketing/SEO, AI Strategy, Software Development

Dr. Dave Wanik, Academic Director, will give an overview of the exciting developments in the BDA major which is exclusively available at the UConn Regional Campuses. Learn about how businesses are using data science to solve real-world problems! Live code demos.

Spin the wheel, test your knowledge, and discover how public health connects to your everyday choices! From fun trivia to our What’s On Your Plate? activity, you’ll walk away with prizes, practical tips, and a fresh perspective on nutrition and community health!

Explore the effects of cannabis and tobacco on the brain through interactive demos. Learn how nicotine and THC impact the brain’s feel-good chemicals, like dopamine and serotonin, and discover their real influence on mental health and well-being.

Observe a live EEG demonstration; see real-time changes in brain waves, including the brain on TikTok.

Experience the future of science and healing with Virtual Reality our immersive booth, where cutting-edge technology transforms addiction treatment, anxiety relief, and pain management. Step in to see how Virtual Reality creates calming, controlled environments for a safe, drug-free approach to well-being!

How does what we pay attention to shape what we know about our world? Come visit this Psychology booth hosted by Dr. Treadwell’s research lab to try out your skills in attention! Also find out about research happening at the Waterbury campus and how undergraduates are involved.

The virtual dissection of the human body will be demonstrated using the Anatomage.

Initial assessment of any patient begins with the C-ABC assessment and intervention. Demonstration and hands on experience to Stop the Bleed, perform Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and manage an airway through Intubation.

NSF NRT TRANSCEND Fellows and faculty members sit down with partners from the Neurodiversity Alliance and The Odyssey School, and Keynote Speaker, Jack Horner, to discuss the future of educating neurodiverse students and the role that educational neuroscience can play.

Come by our table to explore the inner work of an early childhood classroom (Infants, Toddlers, and Preschool), explore developmental materials and developmental screenings.

Join us at our interactive booth, where we explore the vital role that communities play in shaping families and development. We invite you to reflect on and share the community influences that have had the biggest impact on your family and personal growth. By adding your response to our Community Corkboard, you’ll contribute to a visual display that illustrates the collective strength, support, and resilience of the Waterbury community.