Research
Symposium for Teachers

The Research Symposium for Teachers is an annual symposium open to K-12 teachers, instructional staff, and administrators. The symposium seeks to bridge ongoing research with the K-12 classroom, making STEM research accessible. Current interns taking part in Research Experience for Teachers (RET) present their findings and how their specific projects can be incorporated into the classroom.

The symposium also includes notable guest speakers and workshop sessions to give attendees opportunities to experience K-12 level lessons based on research conducted by RETs during their fellowship.

2025 Research Symposium for Teachers

The 2025 Research Symposium for Teachers is open to K-12 teachers, instructional staff, and administrators interested in bringing engineering research concepts into their schools. Participants will hear from guest speakers and learn about current RET research projects. There will also be engineering workshop breakout sessions during the symposium. Participants will be asked to select which workshops they plan to attend at the time of registration.

This event has a $30 registration fee to attend; tickets are non-refundable.
* A $3.00 processing fee will apply at checkout.

Register Here

Dates and Time

July 22, 2025
9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Rice University Ley Student Center
6100 Main St, Houston, TX 77005

This event will take place in person at Rice University.

Tentative Schedule

8:30 AM - 9:00 AM | Arrival/Check -In
9:00 AM - 9:45 AM | Welcome & Guest Speaker
9:45 AM - 10:00 AM | Break
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM | Breakout Sessions
11:00 AM - 11:15 AM | Break
11:15 AM - 12:15 PM | Poster Session 1
12:15 PM - 12:45 PM | Lunch
12:45 PM - 1:45 PM | Poster Session 2
1:45 PM - 2:00 PM | Closing/ Door Prizes

Guest Speakers

Eugene Chung

Eugene Chung is a bioengineering Ph.D. student at Rice University committed to expanding access to biotechnology—from classrooms to the factory floor. His research in the Lu Lab explores protein-based tools that simplify and reduce the cost of biomanufacturing. At the same time, his outreach work focuses on developing and distributing educational kits that introduce high school students to emerging applications of biotechnology. He will graduate this year to lead Lift Biolabs, a startup company developing next-generation purification technologies to make biomanufactured products more scalable and affordable.

Workshops

Select to attend one of the breakout sessions below:

Bayou Design Challenge:
Participants will design and build a model of a bayou that reduces sediment transport. Through this hands-on activity, participants will explore the importance of managing sediment movement to protect and preserve bayou ecosystems.

How Sweet Are You?:
This workshop engages participants to experience a hands-on STEM lesson. I will present the concept of machine learning via inquiry-based learning and real-world application. Participants will gain practical experience with machine learning tools and receive a ready-to-use lesson they can implement in their classrooms. Please bring your own device so that you can fully engage in the experience.

What Color Am I? Creating Color-Changing Sensors with pH Indicators:
In this workshop, participants will explore how pH indicators can detect acidity or alkalinity in household substances. Participants will create and test their plant-based pH indicators using natural sources like cabbage, carrots, and beans. By the end, participants will use color changes to estimate the acid produced in a simple reaction.

Enzymes: Protein Modification and the Future of Biotechnology:
This workshop will explore how scientific research leads to innovative solutions in biotechnology, focusing on enzymes. Participants will examine enzyme structure, function, specificity, and the factors influencing enzyme activity using relatable, everyday phenomena. Through hands-on investigations, participants will learn how enzymes can be modified and applied in real-world contexts.

Symposium Administration

If you have any questions about the Research Symposium for Teachers, you may contact the program leads.

Isaias Cerda
Associate Director for Science Education & English Language Learners
713-348-3197 | ic19@rice.edu

Mariana Quinn
Associate Director for Science Education
713-348-8266 | mq10@rice.edu

Brittany Templeton
Assistant Director for Computer Science and Mathematics
713-348-8218 | bt36@rice.edu

^{This work was supported by NSF awards #EEC1449500 and #EEC1406885. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.}