Education & Outreach
At the Danforth Center, our Education and Outreach programs are dedicated to cultivating curiosity, confidence, and career pathways in plant science. Through STEAM+Ag curriculum for schools and partners we bring hands-on plant science learning to K–12 students and provide teachers with tools and resources to inspire the next generation of scientists. For undergraduate and graduate students, and early career scientists, we offer mentoring and research experiences to build technical skills and a strong scientific identity. And for professionals seeking a new direction, our Pivot2Plants Fellows program opens doors to careers in plant and data science. Our programs are designed to foster collaboration, community, and lifelong engagement in plant science.
Research & Outreach
K-12 STEAM+Ag®
Our grades K-12 STEAM+Ag® programs create opportunities for students to explore science, technology, engineering and mathematics concepts (STEM), plus agriculture. By equipping teachers and students with the tools and opportunities to engage with science, we can foster the future generation of plant scientists and create a more diverse and inclusive science community. All of our programs are based on cutting-edge education research questions with robust and validated measures of impact evaluation.
Education Technology Program
The Education Technology Program uses cutting-edge technology to engage and inspire students to pursue STEAM careers. Immersive educational experiences are offered through augmented and virtual reality, 3D modeling, computer gaming, and more, making science accessible to all.
Authentic Research Experiences and CURES
Authentic Research Experiences (AREs) and Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs) engage student scientists in foundational research happening at the Danforth Center. AREs include Plants Fight Back, Mutant Millets, Genotype to Phenotype, Discovering Volvox Development, and most can be scaled for grade levels from middle school through college. The CUREs, Data Science and Transposable Elements and Thermotolerance, are designed for undergraduates. Â
Research Internships
Immersive lab experiences and strong mentors are essential to fostering the next generation of plant scientists. Our summer internship program exposes students to all aspects of modern scientific research, from design to experimentation to reporting. By pairing each intern with a faculty mentor, students gain unique insight into the process and training involved in becoming a scientist, and the broader impact of scientific discovery.Â
Graduate Education
We partner with local universities to offer graduate students an opportunity to participate in the cutting-edge research taking place at the Danforth Center. Our faculty have affiliations with many different universities and accept graduate students through their respective universities. At the Danforth Center, students can see how their research will be applied to real-world solutions across the globe.
