Penn Engineering
Xplorlabs Educator Fellowship is a yearlong professional learning experience designed for middle and high school educators ready to reimagine STEM. Through a dynamic partnership between UL Research Institutes and Penn Engineering, fellows step inside leading research labs, connect with scientists and faculty, and join a powerful regional network of innovators.
Participants explore data science, artificial intelligence, and safety science using the award-winning Xplorlabs platform, translating real-world research into classroom-ready lessons. With mentorship, community, and university affiliation, educators gain tools and confidence to lead students in solving local and global challenges. Discover what’s possible—and apply. Shape the future of STEM education.
Program Dates (Tentative):
Penn Engineering Team
Chanda Jefferson – Director of Community Engagement and Outreach Dominique Thomas – Manager of Community Engagement and Outreach Kyle Kacala – Manager of Fife – Penn STEM & CS Academy Kayan Mohamed – STEM Coordinator Luyando Kwenda – STEM Coordinator
ULRI Team
Megan O’Keeffe – Xplorlabs Educator Fellowship Lead Dr. Amy Gilbert – Xplorlabs Facilitator Kara Reeder – Xplorlabs Facilitator
Faculty Guests and Facilitators
Dr. Robert Ghrist Dr. Chris Callison-Burch Dr. Rachel Holladay Dr. CJ Taylor Dr. Laura Stubbs
Community Partners
Philadelphia Fire Department – Carl Randolph Sr., 1st Deputy Fire Commissioner
“Through my journey with Xplorlabs, I have gained valuable insights into making science education more engaging and impactful. The combination of hands-on investigations, real-world applications, and student-driven projects transformed my classroom into a space where learning is dynamic and meaningful. By connecting science to everyday experiences like cellphone usage, students develop a deeper appreciation for STEM and its role in shaping their lives.”
“…the multifaceted and collaborative community that ASU, Penn Engineering, and Xplorlabs put together for the Xplorlabs Educator Fellowship created an environment that is truly inspirational, from both a teaching and a leadership perspective. Our minds came together to learn and create our vision of safety science and how we can bring meaningful experiences back to our students in order to invoke curiosity, agency, and science identity. I entered this fellowship as a novel learner of all things safety science and built connections across multiple states with an incredible group of diverse teachers and learners.”