Launching in 2026, the NIIMBL eXperience for Educators is an immersive program designed to introduce K-12 STEM teachers and counselors to the biopharmaceutical industry. Through hands-on activities, industry engagement, and networking, participants will gain valuable insights into biopharmaceutical career opportunities and educational pathways.
The program aims to expand the industry’s talent pipelines by providing educators with the knowledge and resources to share with their students.
The NIIMBL eXperience for Educators will take place in six locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico this summer.
Keck Graduate Institute (KGI) will host a two-day, in-person NIIMBL eXperience for Educators program designed to immerse 20 local high school STEM educators in the biopharmaceutical manufacturing ecosystem. Hosted on KGI’s Claremont, California campus, the program leverages KGI’s applied life sciences expertise, industry partnerships, and state-of-the-art Amgen Bioprocessing Center to provide educators with authentic exposure to biomanufacturing science, operations, and career pathways.
Participants will engage in interactive workshops led by KGI faculty, hands-on upstream and downstream bioprocessing laboratory training, and structured industry engagement with biopharma professionals representing manufacturing, quality, process development, and regulatory functions. Educators will gain practical experience with CHO cell culture, monoclonal antibody purification, and industry-standard analytical tools, along with classroom-ready instructional materials and laboratory guides.
The program also emphasizes workforce awareness and student advising, connecting educators to regional and national education-to-career pathways in biopharmaceutical manufacturing. By strengthening educator understanding of biopharma careers and training pipelines, the KGI-hosted NIIMBL eXperience for Educators program supports the development of a future workforce for biomanufacturing.
MassBioEd is excited to host the NIIMBL eXperience for Educators, a two-day immersive professional learning opportunity on August 10-11, 2026. This program is designed for educators and school counselors to deepen their understanding of careers and career pathways in the biopharmaceutical field with the goal of inspiring and informing students in grades 8-12. Through hands-on activities, industry engagement, and networking, participants will gain valuable insight into the biopharma sector, including how biological organisms are manipulated to produce products and the critical roles of drug discovery, clinical development, manufacturing, and regulatory affairs.
Educators teaching science, general biology, AP biology and biotechnology and high school counselors and guidance staff are being encouraged to apply. Over the two days, participants will explore the distinct biopharma career families, the types of roles within each, and the education and training programs that prepare students for these careers.
Multiple sessions will include: an overview of the biopharma industry, the science behind the industry, laboratory demonstrations and hands-on activities, career panels with Q&A, and an exploration of skills-based credentialing with the opportunity to earn a microcredential from the Bioscience Core Skills Institute (BCSI). The program will be held at Northeastern University’s Biopharmaceutical Analysis Training Laboratory (BATL) where participants will engage in hands-on activities they can adapt for use in their own classrooms. Industry representatives from Millipore Sigma, AstraZeneca, Amgen, Pfizer, Collegium, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Sarepta Therapeutics, and Sanofi will join throughout the program for networking discussion. MassBioEd’s NIIMBL eXperience for Educators will provide a comprehensive overview of current biopharma career pathways and equip participants with invaluable resources and experiences they can share with their students.
Montgomery County Community College is pleased to welcome regional high school STEM educators to the NIIMBL eXperience for Educators, a professional development program designed to introduce participants to the biomanufacturing industry and its associated career pathways.
This two-day immersive experience, to be held in July 2026, will begin with on-campus programming at MCCC, featuring expert-led lectures, career and educational panels, and hands-on, industry-relevant laboratory activities. At least one laboratory module will be intentionally designed for easy adaptation and implementation in participants’ own classrooms.
On the second day, participants will gain firsthand exposure to biomanufacturing operations through guided tours of a regional biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility, including Merck’s nearby vaccine manufacturing site. Educators will engage directly with industry professionals and attend career-focused presentations led by practicing scientists, providing valuable insight into the breadth of career paths and opportunities within the biomanufacturing sector.
The Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center (BTEC) at North Carolina State University will provide educators with a robust and in-depth introduction into biomanufacturing while simultaneously preparing them to share the information in the classroom during the two-day NIIMBL eXperience for Educators @ BTEC NC State University.
Educators such as teachers, guidance counselors, academic program coordinators, etc. will gain a thorough understanding of the various career opportunities in the biopharmaceutical field through a company site visit including a facility tour, career pathways presentation and panel of company employees. Participants will also be guided through classroom-friendly upstream and downstream bioprocessing activities with the goal of implementing the activities in the classroom. Through science educators, the NIIMBL eXperience for Educators @ BTEC NC State University aims to nurture a diverse set of talent to enter into the local, regional, and national biomanufacturing workforce.
Application submissions will open in February and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. Upon successful completion of the workshop, participants will receive a stipend, daily meals/parking pass, 3-months access to online learning modules, a take-home kit to be used in the classroom and other teaching resources. Overnight accommodations are not provided, and transportation reimbursement may be available upon request. For the latest information, visit btec.ncsu.edu or contact Leslie Lewis at [email protected].
The NIIMBL eXperience for Educators @ PRSTRT is an exclusive, fully funded, two-day immersion program designed to connect high school STEM educators with Puerto Rico’s thriving biomanufacturing sector. This premier experience bridges the gap between classroom instruction and real-world industry practice by providing educators with direct exposure to biomanufacturing environments, hands-on learning activities, and meaningful engagement with industry professionals.
Participants will explore career and educational pathways in biomanufacturing through interactive sessions and exclusive site visits to a leading biopharmaceutical company such as Amgen, Eli Lilly, AbbVie, or Bristol Myers Squibb. By the end of the program, educator—primarily representing Puerto Rico’s seven public educational regions—will gain a deeper understanding of biomanufacturing processes and learn how to translate complex industry concepts into accessible, classroom-ready lessons.
The program is hosted at the Science City of the Puerto Rico Science, Technology, and Research Trust (PRSTRT), a central hub for research, innovation, and workforce development in the Caribbean. Puerto Rico’s strategic role within global biopharmaceutical supply chains provides a contextual framework for examining the technical, economic, and societal dimensions of biomanufacturing.
All program-related expenses—including travel, lodging, meals, and instructional materials—are fully covered, and participants receive a $500 stipend. To support sustained classroom implementation, educators receive a bilingual Classroom Activity Toolkit that includes lesson plans, case studies, career pathway maps, and applied demonstration activities aligned with industry practices.
The NIIMBL eXperience for Educators @ PRSTRT advances national and regional workforce development priorities by positioning educators as key multipliers who foster student awareness, preparedness, and interest in biomanufacturing careers.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL Lafayette) introduces an immersive professional development program designed to bridge the gap between the classroom and the biopharmaceutical industry in the Acadiana region. Targeting K–12 science educators from Lafayette, Iberia, and St. Landry parishes, this initiative prepares teachers to become STEM ambassadors for their students.
Participants will engage in a comprehensive ‘day in the life’ experience hosted at the New Iberia Research Center (NIRC). The agenda includes interactive career panels with industrial partners, a hands-on biomanufacturing simulation, and a tour of advanced research facilities at NIRC. By providing educators with industry-aligned knowledge and resources, UL Lafayette aims to motivate the next generation of biotech talent in Louisiana for the industries in the region and the country.
For questions regarding the NIIMBL eXperience for Educators, please contact us at [email protected].
We offer a variety of membership options that give you the flexibility to choose your organization’s level of engagement based on technology interests and priorities.
