The Baxter Center Symposium 2025
Registration has closed. We hope to see you at our other workshops!
Monday, May 12, 2025 from 8-3:30pm
All guests are cordially invited to a post-Symposium 15-year celebration from 3:30-5pm.
This year we will be holding the Symposium on Monday, May 12, 2025 from 8-3:30pm at the Chicago Botanic Garden, with a fun celebration after. We are excited to host registrants for a day of learning with presentations and activities led by talented speakers to bring back to the classroom. In doing so, we hope that educators will feel empowered to bring the new tools they learned back into the classroom to enrich student experiences. Check out previous programs here!
We're excited to see you May 12th! Check out this year's schedule below to plan your day.
Schedule
| 8:00 - 9:00am |
Check-in & Breakfast Nichols Hall |
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9:00 - 10:15am |
Opening Remarks & Keynote Address: Science and Metabolic Mixology: Accelerating Industrial Biotechnology Dr. Ashty S. Karim, Assistant professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University Nichols Hall |
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10:15 - 10:30am |
Break | ||||
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Session 1 10:30 - 11:30am |
Forces of Nature: Uncovering the Stories of Trees Chris Baker & Marjorie Baker, Chicago Botanic Garden & Round Lake Area Schools Alsdorf Auditorium |
Grab Your Suitcase! Transformative Strategies for Teaching Science to Multilingual Learners Nicole McRee & Ania Kopacz, Kildeer Countryside District #96 Pullman Room |
Mary Clark, Whitney M. Young Magnet High School Linnaeus Room |
Nina Hike, George Westinghouse College Prep Burnstein Hall |
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11:30am - 12:30pm |
Lunch Nichols Hall |
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Session 2 12:30-1:30pm |
Rebecca Ammann & Taran Lichtenberger, Chicago Botanic Garden Alsdorf Auditorium |
Bringing Science to Life: Culturally Relevant Teaching in the Science Classroom Michael Dixon, Dewey Elementary School of Excellence Pullman Room |
Construct Your Knowledge of Molecular Genetics Marnina Thompson, Schaumburg High School Linnaeus Room |
Carbon Connections: A Multi-Disciplinary Dive into Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration Marjorie Baker, Jenifer Sprague, Morgan Mateling (Gamble) & Alexandra Fausett, Round Lake Area Schools Burnstein Hall |
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1:30 - 1:45pm |
Break |
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Session 3 1:45 - 2:45pm |
Erin O'Shaughnessey & Janice Coleman-Mathus, Lindblom Math and Science Academy & Parkside STEAM Community Academy Alsdorf Auditorium |
Using Authentic Data in Your Science Classroom Kerrie Rovito, Waters Elementary Pullman Room |
Empowering Chicagoland Communities: Understanding Water Quality Through Biology-Based Home Testing Siyuan Feng, Dylan Brown & Vanessa Bly, Northwestern University Linnaeus Room |
Building Bridges: Restorative Circles for Classroom Connection Kaleigh Dolan, Lyons Township High School Burnstein Hall |
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2:45 - 3:00pm |
Surveys & Break |
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| 3:00 - 3:30pm |
Closing Remarks and Give-Aways Nichols Hall |
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3:30 - 5:00pm |
Post-Symposium 15-Year Celebration Nichols Hall |
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FAQ
- Does it cost anything to attend? Due to the generous support of the Baxter International 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 Credits? Yes! Illinois teachers will receive up to 5 ISBE PD credits for attendance. Please be sure to follow the instructions in your registration email prior to the event.
- Uh-oh, now I can't make it? What do I do now? We only have a limited 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 of 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!