In the May/June installment of the 2024-25 academic year roundup, we highlight recent funding news affecting the ISB Education team, as well as how our programs have affected students, teachers, and principals.
ISB is deeply saddened to share the passing of Valerie Logan Hood, beloved wife of ISB Co-founder and Professor Dr. Lee Hood. Her lifelong dedication to K-12 education helped create and shape ISB’s programs, and her influence will be felt for generations to come.
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.
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.
In this robust roundup from the 2021-22 academic year, we highlight the top projects the team worked on by month.
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.
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.
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.