2023 NMAEA Conference

As many of you know, NMAEA tries to outreach to our members in many different parts of the state by hosting our conference at various locations, showcasing different regions strengths, and sharing our resources. In the southeast Portales, NM is home to Eastern NM University (ENMU) who has been very supportive of our NM Scholastics Art Awards program. They have also developed a degree program for art education that streamlines required courses for licensure. 

ENMU houses a renowned Science Fiction Library because ... 

While Jules Vern is considered the father of Science Fiction, Jack Williamson is often referred to as the Dean.

Born in Arizona Territory in 1908, he arrived in New Mexico in a covered wagon in 1915. His first story was published in 1928 and he was one of the most popular SF writers of the 1930's. He received a Ph.D. in 1950's and was an English professor at Eastern New Mexico University for many years. Over the years he wrote 52 novels and over 100 shorter stories. See his autobiography, Wonder's Child: My Life in Science Fiction, for more details. (Internet Speculative Fiction Database)

The term "genetic engineering" was first coined by Jack Williamson in his science fiction novel Dragon's Island, published in 1951 – one year before DNA's role in heredity was confirmed by Alfred Hershey and Martha Chase, and two years before James Watson and Francis Crick showed that the DNA molecule has a double helix. (Wikipedia)

For details from The New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/14/obituaries/14williamson.html 

ENMU houses a Star Trek artifact because ...

The distinctive Clovis Spear Point was discovered at a nearby archeological site close to  Clovis, NM. It was so scientifically influential that is was featured in a Star Trek episode.

Over most of North America, 12,000 to 13,000 years ago, ancestral Indigenous people were making distinctive fluted projectile points known as “Clovis points.” Clovis points are easily recognized because of their large size, their exquisite craftsmanship, and the beautiful stones toolmakers chose for them. (archeologysouthwest.org)

They are highly prized due to their rarity and ancient provenance – it is estimated there are only around 10,000 of them in existence.(vipartfair.com)

But wait, there's more ... A Star Trek fan, George Agogino wrote Desilu Studios in Hollywood if they would donate the spears used in a January 1967 episode titled “The Galileo Seven” for display at the newly built Blackwater Draw Museum.  In this episode, Folsom-like spear points were being thrown by cavemen-like creatures at Spock and his crew after they had crash-land on a hostile planet. Robert H. Justman, Associate Producer of Star Trek wrote back saying that they would donate two of the 15-foot spears at the cost of shipping. The spears are displayed periodically at the Blackwater Draw Museum between Portales and Clovis, New Mexico, under the direction of  the Paleo-Indian Institute at Eastern New Mexico University. Dr. George Agogino was the founding director of the Paleo-Indian Institute at Eastern New Mexico University. (best.berkeley.edu)

And even more: https://theclovissite.wordpress.com/2012/02/29/from-the-log-of-the-starship-enterprise/

Set a course for Portales! Expect best practices, support, resources, and skill development via workshops, studios, and keynote speakers, through discussions and presentations on contemporary topics such as Educational Technologies, ED&I issues and solutions, and AI implications in instruction. 

Enjoy the annual Professional Awards Ceremony where we recognize colleagues in our membership community for their dedication, service and expertise. 

Celebrate a Comic Con style Sci Fi costume party, and compete for prizes in the 'Trek to Portales' Selfie Scavenger Hunt!

ATTEND:

Registration is open! Near the top of this page is the planet Saturn. Click to launch!

We'll begin10:00 Friday through about 12:00 Sunday, Oct 27-29. 

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SLEEP:

Reserve your hotel at one of three locations (USE Group Name for discounts): 

Super 8 by Wyndham Portales
1805 W 2nd St
US Hwy 70

Portales, New Mexico

575-356-8518

Contact: Marcy Diaz

Discount Expired Group name: New Mexico Art Education Association Conference

$79 Single/Double

$89 Suite

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Holiday Inn Express

1901 W. 2nd Street

Portales, NM 88130

575-356-4723

Contact: Anna Hansen

Discount Expired Group name: NMA

$119 King or Double 

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Best Western Plus – Portales Inn

223 W. 2nd Street, Portales NM 88130

575-226-3996

800-528-12345

Contact: Jesa Casillas

Discount Expired Group name: NMAEA

$105 King Single/Double