News

Sarah Clemente

AmeriCorps Member Sarah Clemente Joins ISB as Systems Thinkers in STEM Ambassador Coordinator

Sarah Clemente recently joined ISB as a Systems Thinkers in STEM Ambassador Coordinator, and is the third AmeriCorps member to work with us. In this Q&A, Clemente shares what drew her to ISB, what she hopes to accomplish over the next year, and more. 

AmeriCorps Member Sara Calder Joins ISB as Systems Health and STEM Coordinator

Sara Calder recently joined ISB as Systems Health and STEM Coordinator, and is our second-ever AmeriCorps member. In this Q&A, Calder shares her education journey, her future plans, and much more.

Drs. Serdar Turkarslan and Christian Diener

ISB Honors Researchers Who Give Back to STEM Education

This year, two deserving scientists were bestowed recognition for giving back to STEM education. Dr. Serdar Turkarslan is the recipient of the JoAnn Chrisman Award for Distinguished Service to STEM Education, and Dr. Christian Diener was awarded the Dr. Christine Schaeffer Award for Exemplary Service to STEM Education. 

Bringing DNA Sequencing to the High School Classroom

Christopher Lausted and Dr. Danielle Vermaak were featured guests of an ISB Research Roundtable presentation. The husband-and-wife team detailed the planning and rollout of a DNA sequencing curriculum project that was tested in Vermaak’s Lincoln High School science classroom in Seattle.

Spotlight on ISB Education graphic

Archive: 2021-22 School Year ISB Education Highlights

In this robust roundup from the 2021-22 academic year, we highlight the top projects the team worked on by month.

Dr. Temple Grandin and the Importance of Getting Kids Outside

Dr. Temple Grandin was the featured guest of the latest ISB-Town Hall Seattle Science Series. Grandin discussed her new book – “The Outdoor Scientist: The Wonder of Observing the Natural World” – and a variety of other topics. Following her talk, she joined ISB President Dr. Jim Heath for a wide ranging Q&A discussion. 

ISB Education virtual

ISB Education Takes Virtual Road Trips to Offer Skills, Experience for Teachers

Since October, 50 high school teachers representing several school districts across Washington have participated in a series of ISB workshops. “We quickly realized we were in a unique position to help educators pivot into remote teaching,” said Caroline Kiehle.

Eastern Washington Teachers Investigate Systems

High School teachers from Eastern Washington started the new year off with a bang! On January 5th they joined Dr. Anne Thompson, a Research Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Portland State University to learn more about her research. In the coming weeks, the teachers will work with ISB Education and the Eastern Washington Educational Service Districts to dive into the Invisible Forest classroom module.

Central Dogma

The Power of Touchscreens: ISB Researchers Develop Game to Help Students Learn Molecular Biology

Pop quiz: What’s the difference between DNA, RNA and proteins? ISB researchers have created a video game that teaches secondary students (grades 6-12) the key tenets of molecular biology in a fun, interactive and engaging way, and can be used by teachers as a supplemental aide to assist with complex lessons.

Knatokie Ford and Jim Heath

Dr. Knatokie Ford Shares STEM Journey, Learnings and Advice in ISB-Town Hall Seattle Livestream

Dr. Knatokie Ford was the featured speaker of a virtual event hosted by ISB and Town Hall Seattle, and shared many of the experiences that helped pave her way to become a leading voice in STEM policy and advocacy, and identified several ways parents and teachers can encourage kids to become tomorrow’s STEM professionals.

Reshaping STEM Education Toward a More Equitable Future for Students

ISB Assistant Professor Dr. Sean Gibbons recently participated in a virtual event titled “Reshaping STEM Education Toward Equitable Futures for Washington Students.” Panelists shared their insights about how to leverage this complex moment to reshape STEM education toward equity, sustainability, and prosperity for Washington state’s students — especially those furthest from opportunity.

learning amid pandemic

ISB Education Prepares Teachers for New Realities of K-12 Learning Amid Pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic has had a drastic impact on K-12 education. In response, ISB Education stepped up with a series of virtual workshops to provide much-needed support for student learning. Since March, more than 500 teachers and principals representing every educational district across Washington state have attended our “Systems Are Everywhere” workshops.

WA STEM banner image

Re-shaping STEM Education Toward Equitable Futures for Washington Students

How can we leverage the current public health crisis to re-shape STEM education toward a more equitable future for Washington students? ISB Education worked with Washington State LASER and Washington STEM to bring together a panel, including ISB Assistant Professor Sean Gibbons, to discuss these issues and more.

climetime conference

ISB Education Presents at ClimeTime’s Virtual Conference

ISB Education’s Dr. Jen Eklund spoke alongside Dr. Claudia Ludwig & Dr. Anne Thompson at the 2020 ClimeTime Virtual Conference on the topic of their Invisible Forest Curriculum which uses STEAM to investigate the invisible world of phytoplankton. The two-day virtual conference was hosted by OSPI and ClimeTime and was in support of Climate Science Learning.

Education resources

During Coronavirus Outbreak, Free Online Resources for Stuck-At-Home K-12 Students

ISB Education is continually working to identify effective resources to support student learning. In response to the coronavirus outbreak and the closure of K-12 schools across the nation, we recognize that many schools and families are looking for resources to meet the needs of students.

Washington STEM Summit 2019

ISB Education’s Caroline Kiehle, Jennifer Eklund, Dick Sander and Becky Howsmon spoke on “Strenghtening the ‘S’ in STEM” at Washington STEM’s 2019 Summit. This session will provided a first-hand exploration of a high-quality, equitable high school science experience aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards.

Valerie Logan Luncheon emcee Heather Logan

‘Innovation to Impact:’ 8th Annual Valerie Logan Luncheon Shines Light on ISB Education

The 8th Annual Valerie Logan Luncheon celebrated ISB Education’s mission of engaging entire school systems — from principals and administrators to teachers and students — to ensure all students are STEM literate. Nearly 100 people attended the event at ISB, and generously gave more than $100,000 for ISB Education.

ISB Unveils New Brand Ahead of 20th Anniversary

We created a new brand identity — including logo and tag line — to reflect ISB’s evolution since our inception in 2000, and ahead of our 20th anniversary. ISB is proud to be a part of the vibrant research community in Seattle, and is committed to translational and collaborative science.