Fostering Tomorrow's Innovators since 2009

Live Virtual Workshops

We are excited to take our professional development virtual! You can earn CEUs in multiple ways while learning a range of topics to help you plan for instruction, whether remote, in person, or somewhere in between.


  • Baxter Box @ Home
    Join us for a virtual workshop and receive materials and equipment to test out labs in your own home. By applying to this program, you will have an chance to plan with a community of educators to creatively design ways of bringing back engaging science experiences to your virtual, hybrid, or in-person classroom! (Learn More)

  • Science Course Meetups
    Let’s get together virtually and plan! We know teachers work best when they work together. Since teachers don’t always have a course team to work with we’re providing the space and resources for teachers across the Chicago area to get together and talk about teaching this fall. Topics include Biotech, Forensics & Criminology, and Middle School Science. (Learn More)

  • Science Talks
    We’ve heard over and over from teachers that they love hearing about cutting edge research because it reinvigorates their love for science. To keep that passion going, once a month we will invite a scientist or educational researcher to speak with us about something from their field. A short talk will be followed with Q&A. (Learn More)

On Demand Virtual Workshops

Earn continuing education credits (in IL) for watching bite-sized professional learning videos on your own time! Here’s how it works:


  1. Watch the video.
  2. Write and submit a reflection on how what you watched could be used with your students.
  3. Complete and submit an ISBE evaluation!
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Baxter Box Program


Introducing Baxter Box Demo Kits

If you have ever attended a workshop with us, you are eligible to borrow a demo version of our Baxter Boxes. You will receive a single set of equipment (e.g. 1 of each size pipette, 1 gel box, 1 thermocycler) and an entire classroom set of lab reagents (e.g. PCR supplies for 8 lab groups) to play around with at home.

Learn More

Our Work in the Chicagoland Area

2198
Total teachers trained
1200
Baxter Box lab kits distributed
1187
Chicago Public School teachers trained
since 2009
164,000
estimated students reached
340
Total schools reached
127
Total workshops
The BCSE allows teachers to stay up to date with the advancement of technology in science. By helping the teachers stay up to date and by providing activities that can be implanted into the classroom, it allows the future generation to have exposure to new developments in biotechnology at a young age. This hopefully will inspire the students to pursue careers in science.
Neshell Graham
Teacher @ Curie Metropolitan High School
The BCSE helps out teachers who teach at schools with limited resources get the resources and instructive know how they otherwise would not be able to obtain.
Jason Holmes
Teacher @ Roberto Clemente High School
Holy moly, this center is GREAT! I appreciate your outreach, enthusiasm, and expertise. It is really amazing to have this kind of access to a research institution and you are all so helpful in making this type of science accessible to our students.
Aparna Puppala
Teacher @ Glenbrook South High School

Our Team

Emily Ferrin, Ph.D.

Program Director & Resident Scientist

Baxter Center for Science Education

Ashley Walter, M.S.

Program & Partnership Coordinator

Baxter Center for Science Education

Natalie Bueno, B.S.

Program & Partnership Coordinator

Baxter Center for Science Education

Amy D. Pratt, Ph.D.

Assistant Dean for Community Education Partnerships

School of Education and Social Policy

Sachin Pradhan M.S.

Software Developer

Office of Community Education Partnerships

Emily DePalma, M.Ed.

Manager of Programs and Operations

Office of Community Education Partnerships

Jennifer Richards Ph.D.

Research Assistant Professor

School of Education and Social Policy

Natalie Turner

Administrative Aid

Office of Community Education Partnerships