As the bioeconomy grows, so does the need for innovative and inclusive life science education. The BioBuilder Educational Foundation is a nonprofit founded at MIT that aims to meet this challenge by equipping high school students and teachers with engaging, project-based synthetic biology and biotechnology curricula. Since 2011, BioBuilder has reached over 87,000 students and teachers across 50 U.S. states and 80 countries.
This talk will explore how BioBuilder addresses key chokepoints in the education-to-workforce pipeline: increasing student engagement in science, supporting educators with high-quality resources, and building partnerships with industry and community colleges. Early data from longitudinal studies and program impact assessments will highlight BioBuilder’s scalable contributions to STEM learning and job readiness. Designed for educators, researchers, and students alike, this session offers a model for how biological engineering can be taught in ways that are both rigorous and inclusive—broadening participation in the workforce and empowering students to pursue meaningful, well-paying careers—with or without a traditional four-year degree.
Speakers:
Dr. Natalie Kuldell
Charlene (Char) Montgomery
- Speaker
- Bio and Chemical Technologies
