Get a sneak peek into a professional development training for educators hosted by the Biomimicry Institute, Bioneers, and Ten Strands in December 2019. Hear from participants and instructors and see how biomimicry offers an effective, engaging, and inspiring framework for STEAM education while empowering the next generation of problem-solvers to think differently about nature, engineering, and a sustainable future.
From an evaporative cooling system inspired by the Texas Horned Lizard to protecting coral reefs with a solution inspired by tree canopies and Orb Weaver Spiders, this year’s YDC champions are worthy of celebration for their curiosity, ingenuity, and creative problem-solving.
What if we take this moment in time to imagine how we could redesign – or metamorphose – our world? Could we use this as a global opportunity to reevaluate our priorities and our possibilities? What if we weren’t complacent in our return to “normal”? Instead of hastily reassembling the old building blocks, we instead set about rebuilding our world based on nature’s principles that have stood the test of time and continue to thrive on this planet.
If you haven’t traveled to Indiana, you likely haven’t heard about the Indiana Dunes. Along the shores of Lake Michigan there lies an unusual, natural sand dune, created by a glacier that retreated over 12,000 years ago. Filled with rich biodiversity, the Dunes make a perfect place for learners at any age to find inspiration from nature’s resilient adaptability.
In 2019, a team of high school students from Larkspur, California wanted to create a more efficient underwater energy generator to take on one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gasses: electricity production. Inspired by the winged seeds of the Javan cucumber (alsomitra macrocarpa), they devised a passive control system for tidal kites, which “float / fly” in ocean currents to generate energy.
Are you a youth educator using biomimicry in your programs? If so, a group of biomimicry educators working in partnership with the Biomimicry Institute is interested in hearing about your experience through the Biomimicry Educators Experience Survey.
Contact us at hello(at)biomimicry.org!