The Baxter Center Symposium 2026
Fall into the Enchanted Forest: Fostering the STEMs of Education
Tuesday, October 27, 2026 from 8-3:30pm
The Symposium is the BCSE’s signature annual day of learning where we welcome science educators and leaders for a day filled with presentations and activities led by talented speakers. In doing so, we hope that educators will feel empowered to utilize the new tools they learned to enrich student experiences. We heard your feedback and are excited to return to the Chicago Botanic Garden and add a little magic to the 2026-2027 school year with a Fall Symposium on Tuesday, October 27th, 2026! The goal is to get you excited to bring activities back to your classroom earlier in the school year with a restorative day of learning and connection. We know attendance fills up quickly, so please be sure to check out our timeline for registration. With the generous support of the Baxter Foundation, we're able to cover registration fees for teachers so that you can attend the symposium for FREE! Curious about what the day looks like? Check out programs from prior years!
Registration has reached capacity. We encourage folks to join the waitlist!
Theme
This year, we are excited to announce our theme of "Fall into the Enchanted Forest: Fostering the STEMs of Education." We encourage folks to embrace the theme as much or as little as they would like- whether that means incorporating it into your presenter proposal or dressing up day-of (fairy wings🧚♀️are optional). Prepare to be surrounded by LOTS of mushrooms 🍄 (they're fun-ghi to be with)! Who gnomes what else you might find. 😉
Attendees have the chance to...
- Hear from our keynote speaker.
- Explore hands-on lab activities, share best practices for classroom pedagogy, and more!
- Meet other science teachers from greater Chicagoland.
- Receive science goody bags for attending and a chance to receive fun giveaways!
- Earn ISBE professional development hours for attendance.
General FAQ
- Does it cost anything to attend? Due to the generous support of the Baxter Foundation, we're able to cover registration fees for teachers so that you can attend the symposium for FREE!
- How do I get to the event? Directions to the Chicago Botanic Garden can be found here!
- How much does parking cost? Nothing! Attendees will not need to pay for parking.
- What if transportation is a barrier to attending the event? We understand that our event may not be centrally located for everyone, and transportation could be a concern. If you need assistance with transportation to attend, please reach out to us at bcse@northwestern.edu. We are committed to making the event as accessible as possible and are happy to help in any way we can!
- What time should I get there? Registration and breakfast begin at 8am. It takes a little time to park and 5-10 minutes to walk to the event space.
- Will there be food? Yes! Light breakfast, lunch, and refreshments will be provided.
- Do I get ISBE PD Hours? Yes! Illinois teachers will receive up to 6 ISBE PD hours for attendance. Please be sure to follow the instructions in your registration email prior to the event.
- I love the theme! Can I dress up? Absolutely! The BCSE Team is guaranteed to dress up! Just note that glitter is prohibited (womp womp).
- Uh-oh, now I can't make it? What do I do now? We only have a limited number of seats for this event, so if you can't make it, please let us know and we will give your place to another! You can either update your reservation status on your account or email us at bcse@northwestern.edu to let us know you can't make it.
- What should I bring? Feel free to bring a water bottle and something to take notes. Comfortable walking shoes are encouraged!