Tuesday, June 24

8:00 AM-9:00 PM (PST)

PBL World 2025 Keynote Speaker

We are proud to announce that Dr. Christopher Emdin, will be our keynote speaker at PBL World 2025.

Dr. Christopher Emdin is the Maxine Greene Chair for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and Director of the STEAM DREAM & IdeaLab. He is also the creator of the HipHopEd social media movement, Science Genius B.A.T.T.L.E.S. (Bringing Attention to Transforming, Teaching and Learning Science), a competition where high school students create and perform raps about scientific concepts, and the CREATE Accelerator, an initiative that funds non-profits focused on culture and education.

He is the author of numerous award-winning books, including the “Urban Science Education for the Hip-hop Generation” and the New York Times bestseller, “For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood and the Rest of Y’all too.” His books also include “STEM STEAM, Make Dream” and “Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Success.” He is co-editor of the 2024 book “From White Folks who Teach in the Hood: Reflections on Race, Culture and Identity” which includes a contribution from PBLWorks National Faculty member, Jim Bentley.

In addition, Emdin is an alumni fellow at the Hip-hop Archive and Hutchins Center at Harvard University and a former Scholar in Residence at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. He has also served as a STEAM Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State and Minorities in Energy Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy.

Wednesday, June 25

8:00 AM-9:00 PM (PST)

PBL World 2025 Alumni Student Panel Keynote Session

This year, we are thrilled to host our first-ever Alumni Student Panel at PBL World, featuring three distinguished graduates from the International School of the Americas: Annah Sanchez (Class of 2017), Bianca Garza, and Daniela Hernandez (Class of 2016). 

Over the past decade, they have applied the skills they gained from Project Based Learning in diverse and impactful ways. Like advocating for workers' rights to state legislators, working on environmental engineering projects along the Texas/Mexico border, or serving on presidential campaigns, these alumni have made their mark across various professional and academic fields. 

During the panel, they will reflect on how their learning experiences shaped their careers and community engagement. They will share how PBL influenced their lives, the aspects of their education with the most lasting impact, and the insights they wish to share with today’s educators. This discussion will offer valuable perspectives on how PBL continues to shape leadership and decision-making long after graduation, inspiring both current students and educators.