From Waterwheels to Waterways:
Engineering Design and Environmental Science in the Lowell Mills

A 3-Day Hybrid Professional Development Institute for Grades 6-12 Educators

Dates: (in-person dates) Week of July 13th, 2026

Location: Online via Zoom, and 2 in-person days in Lowell, MA

In this 3-day hybrid institute, participants will explore the Lowell and Merrimack River Watershed through hands-on, inquiry-based learning that connects history, engineering, and environmental science. With guidance from local experts and partners, educators will investigate the industrial legacy of Lowell, examine its environmental recovery, and collaborate to design a working model of the city’s historic mill-and-canal system.

Awareness Inspires Conservation: From Data to Action

A 4-Day Professional Development Institute for Grades 3-8 Educators

Dates: July 20th-24th, 2026

Location: Cape Cod, MA (Eastham, MA/Chatham, MA)

This four-day Summer Institute immerses educators in real-world conservation challenges, from species recovery to human-wildlife interactions, through authentic research, data analysis, and field investigations. In collaboration with the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy and the Center for Coastal Studies, participants will engage in hands-on activities such as shark dissection, coastal exploration, and data mapping, with an optional fifth day featuring a “Science in the Harbor” tour in Provincetown, MA.

Resilient Coasts: Using Local Phenomena to Understand Climate Solutions

A 3-Day Professional Development Institute for Grades 6-12 Educators

Dates: July 28th-30th, 2026

Location: Crane Beach, Trustees of Reservations (Ipswich, MA)

This multi-day summer Institute offers educators a place-based professional learning experience in coastal science and conservation at Crane Beach, combining hands-on fieldwork with collaboration alongside scientists. Through authentic data analysis and exploration of restoration projects, participants will gain tools and strategies to connect local environmental change to broader science concepts and classroom inquiry.

Educators can learn more about these Institutes at www.wadeinstitutema.org, and more info, including registration details, will be available soon!