Engineering, the "E" in "STEM" education, is becoming a part of public school education for the first time, and teachers are scrambling to find appropriate, engaging ways to teach this important discipline. And what can better convey the complexity of principles such as aerodynamics, suspension, or fuel efficiency than, say, a dragonfly crossing the Gulf of Mexico on "one tank" of fuel? Biomimicry is increasingly being looked to as an important model for STEM. In this session, some leading educators from K-12 and higher education environments explore how biomimicry can inspire creativity, engage a high percentage of girls in STEM, and foster greater respect for the natural world. With: Tiffany Roberts, highly experienced multi-disciplinary teacher and biomimicry educator, currently at Rohnert Park’s groundbreaking Credo High School; Sayuri Yamanaka, co-founder of the sustainability consultancy, Punto Verde; Timothy Bingham & Emily Liebenberg, teachers in San Diego’s Kearny High’s School of Engineering, Innovation and Design; Hosted by Megan Schuknecht, Director of Design Challenges, Biomimicry Institute.
