Professional development for middle school educators

Are you a middle school educator in New York City who...
...wants to incorporate more neuroscience into your classroom?
...finds your students seeking scientific evidence as they discuss current events?

If so, join the Teacher Institute for Neuroscience and Society! Applications are open for our Fall 2026 program. Click here for the application, which is due July 1, 2026. Applications received after this priority deadline will be considered as space allows.

The Fall 2026 program will focus on the following topic at the intersection of neuroscience, ethics, and society: neuroscience and climate change. We invite middle school teachers to examine the dual systems of how climate change can affect the brain, and how the brain can also impact climate change. How might increased heat, drought, and pollution impact brain development? And what are the neural or cognitive processes that give rise to behaviors that protect or harm the environment?  By understanding the links between neuroscience and climate, we will explore how the brain makes sense of complex global challenges. Teachers will create lessons that strengthen students’ critical thinking and sense of agency around climate change, as well as communication skills transferable to other multi-faceted topics.

The Fall 2026 program will take place during four Tuesday evening workshops (4:30 - 7pm) on October 6, 13, 20, and 27 and a day-long summit (10am - 4pm) on Saturday, December 5. 

As a Teacher Institute Fellow, you will:
• Strengthen your knowledge on neuroscience research
• Explore strategies for teaching multi-faceted topics at the intersection of neuroscience, ethics, and society
• Design interactive, evidence-based materials for your own classroom to promote critical thinking and the application of neuroscience principles in real-world contexts
• Create a community of practice with educators from middle schools across New York City
• Share your lesson materials and student work with current and alum Teacher Institute Fellows at a Summit on December 5, 2026
• Earn a stipend of $400 and up to 16 CTLE credits 

In the workshops, Fellows will explore a topic at the intersection of neuroscience and society over the course of four evenings. Fellows will participate in interactive exercises to dissect and digest the topic, develop lesson materials inspired by the topic, and share their ideas, feedback, and potential activities to engage future classes of students. Fellows will be dedicated time, space, and access to experts in order to prepare themselves and their students for informed and thoughtful discourse. 

The Teacher Institute for Neuroscience and Society is free, and Fellows who complete all four evenings of the workshop will earn a stipend of $400 and up to 10 CTLE credit hours. Fellows who attend the summit will earn an additional 6 CTLE credit hours

Program Details - Fall 2026

When: 4:30 - 7pm on 4 Tuesday evenings in October 2026, and an all-day Summit on Saturday, December 5, 2026.  Food will be provided.
• Workshops: Tuesdays, October 6, 13, 20, and 27
• Summit: Teacher Institute Fellows reconvene 10am-4pm on Saturday, December 5, 2026 to present lesson plans, share experiences from classroom implementation, and showcase student work

Where: This program will take place at Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute (Jerome L. Greene Science Center, 3227 Broadway, New York, NY 10027).

Facilitators:
• Dr. Diana Li, Associate Director of Education & Training Initiatives, Columbia’s Zuckerman Institute
• Stephen Kos, M.S.Ed., STEM Special Education Learning Specialist, The Computer School (M.S. 245)
• Various guest experts who are Columbia University faculty, postdoctoral scholars, and graduate students

Eligibility

This professional development opportunity is open to all classroom educational staff who work directly with middle school students (ie. grades 6-8) in New York City schools. This includes middle school teachers and teaching assistants/paraprofessionals. We seek to admit a cohort of 24 educators for the 2026 Fall Teacher Institute for Neuroscience and Society. 

Due to Zuckerman’s Institute commitment to achieving the goal of helping to reduce socioeconomic disparities in the STEM, preference will be given to individuals who meet one or more of the following criteria:
• Title 1 Eligible School
• Upper Manhattan/South Bronx schools
• Teachers in STEM subjects and/or STEM-focused schools
• Teachers who see themselves directly using this material in their classroom

Selection for the program will be determined first by these preference criteria. Because of limited workshop capacity, our team will let you know by July 20, 2026 if you have secured a spot in the Fall 2026 program. Any spots that remain open after that date will be filled as applications are received on a rolling basis.

If you have any questions, you can email: [email protected]

Testimonials from past Teacher Institute Fellows

"I enjoyed the workshop for the 4 days. The topics were relevant and applicable to my work in my classroom."

"Learning about these topics can empower my students to think more critically about how technology and their environment are shaping their brain development, how they feel about that, and what they can do to learn more about it or advocate for change."

“I thought this program was very eye opening and made me aware of a lot of things I did not know. I learned a lot and feel like every teacher should learn this!"

"I LOVED THIS SO MUCH!"

Want to know more about what it's like to participate in the program and the impact it can have on your teaching? Read news features from the Zuckerman Institute here and from the Dana Foundation here, here, and here!

This program began in 2024 and was formerly known as the Neuroethics Teacher Institute.

We thank the Dana Foundation for their generous support through a grant that makes this program possible.

This program began in 2024 and was formerly known as the Neuroethics Teacher Institute.

We thank the Dana Foundation for their generous support through a grant that makes this program possible.