Reimagining Science Education

Access to information is no longer the challenge; the challenge is judging what—and who—to trust. As AI accelerates both discovery and misinformation, science education must prepare students and the public to evaluate claims, defend conclusions with evidence, and communicate complex ideas clearly.

This panel explores investment trends, funder priorities, and how policy shapes innovation in higher education. We will examine how colleges and universities can align with funders to scale immersive and experiential approaches that prepare science learners for a workforce with rapidly changing skill requirements.

We are focused on preparing scientists who can learn continuously, think computationally, and communicate across disciplines. This panel explores the interdisciplinary skillset future scientists need—specifically computational thinking, adaptability, and the critical evaluation of AI outputs.

How should we approach education moving forward? As immersive technologies, open science, and AI transform the ecosystem, how do we ensure that learning remains at the center of the experience? This session addresses methods for assessing learning and evaluating readiness in a rapidly changing landscape.

Human interaction—through collaboration and engagement with real-world data—is key to shaping the scientists of tomorrow. To scale immersive education, it is essential to leverage tools like virtual reality and simulations. Because research supports failure-driven, project-based learning, this session examines how to credibly measure the deeper understanding and innovation these methods foster.