Conferences challenge attendees with new information, and ISTE 2016 in Denver won’t disappoint. We’ve lined up five provocative mini-keynote speakers who will take the stage for EdTekTalks to share knowledge from their respective fields. From inventors and researchers to social entrepreneurs, these speakers will open new worlds for your classrooms.

Ayah Bdeir: Engineer and interactive artist Ayah Bdeir shares her quest to advance open source hardware to make education more accessible to everyone. This founder of littleBits open source library is a TED Senior Fellow and was named one of Business Insider’s 26 Most Powerful Women Engineers.

Amelia Rose Earhart: True to her name, Amelia Rose Earhart was the first woman to fly around the world in a single-engine aircraft. A former news anchor in Denver and Los Angeles who flew the network’s helicopter, today she heads up a foundation that awards flight-training scholarships to young women.

Marley Dias and Dr. Janice Johnson Dias: This mother-and-daughter team is successfully introducing books with relatable female characters to students’ libraries around the United States. Look for hashtag #1000BlackGirlBooks!

Caleb Harper: As principal investigator and director of the Open Agriculture Initiative (OpenAG) at the MIT Media Lab, he leads a group of engineers, architects, urban planners, economists and plant scientists to discover future food systems. He enjoys sharing how he finds delicious answers to unsavory situations.

Dr. Alex Thornton and Dr. Lindsay Shaw Thornton: A team on many levels, the Thorntons are part of RTSG Neuroscience, a consulting business that uses exercise to improve group interaction. As a classroom teacher for seven years, Alex sees exciting ways exercise can change school cultures and optimize student learning.

Attending ISTE 2016 in Denver? Don't miss these compelling ed EdTekTalks!