Ignited

On June 18, we had the opportunity to visit International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) with a group of teachers from our Summer Fellowship and Experience Week programs!

A global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences, IFF is driving sustainable innovations that power everyday products. We had the privilege of taking an inside look at the development process of enzymes that improve our lives through products like laundry and dishwater detergents, from initial lab discovery to pilot-scale production.

We also heard from an inspiring career panel that highlighted the importance of collaboration and mentorship—key pillars of IFF’s innovative and highly experimental work environment.

Many thanks to the IFF team—including Jeffrey Munos, Jimmy Chan, Kirstin Crotty, Jeff Pucci, and Jared Thomson—for welcoming us and sharing their expertise!

How do water and power shape daily life, neighborhoods, and the future of a city?

During our Science in the City Week, 16 SFUSD educators spent five days exploring the hidden infrastructure, science, and careers behind San Francisco’s public utilities—using the city itself as a living classroom.

Highlights from the week include:

🚰City Distribution Division - systems for maintaining potable water
🏙️Southeast Community Center - environmental justice
🏞️Twin Peaks Reservoir - watershed walk, ecological bingo, and archaeology
🏝️Treasure Island - wastewater treatment, seismology, and engineering
♻️Exploratorium - green building design
🎵San Francisco Symphony - green rooftop, solar, and clean energy
💧SFPUC - power and solar, filtration activity
🏛️City Hall - career pathways with the City and County of San Francisco - Government
🌊India Basin - climate adaptations

Educators are leaving not only with deeper content knowledge, but also with ready-to-use lesson plans and up to $500 in classroom supplies to bring these real-world connections to life for their students!

We want to extend a special thank you to Nancy Barnes and Carmen Maya Iton for their partnership, dedication, and passion in bringing this week together!

This transformative week was made possible thanks to funding from Stantec, PCL Construction, and HDR, with additional support from SF Water, Power, Sewer (SFPUC) and San Francisco Unified School District's Office of College and Career Readiness.

Some of the most important public works systems are the ones we rarely see—but rely on every single day.

This National Public Works Week, we're recognizing the water and wastewater agencies that protect public health and keep our communities flowing.

Since 2016, we’ve partnered with water utilities to connect educators to this essential industry—equipping them to inspire and prepare California's next generation water workforce.

From exploring urban water infrastructure with SF Water, Power, Sewer (SFPUC), to learning about water reuse in the Inland Empire with Eastern Municipal Water District, our teachers gain firsthand insight into the complexity, innovation, and impact of this critical work.

This , join us in celebrating our public works professionals!

On Earth Day, we brought our Learning Community together for a panel conversation on Navigating Professional Growth in the EV Ecosystem, featuring experts from three powerhouse companies: Anderson Wang (Lucid Motors), Hope Bovenzi (Amazon.com), and Bruce Edwards (Rivian).

The panelists—each at a different stage of their career—shared candid insights into how they entered the EV space, the skills they’ve built along the way, and how their roles have evolved alongside a rapidly changing industry.

A key theme throughout the conversation was adaptability. Panelists emphasized the value of strong technical foundations paired with an openness to continuously learn new tools and ways of working.

Thank you to Electrify America for supporting this Learning Community, and to Anderson, Hope, and Bruce for sharing their career journeys with Ignited educators!

Couldn't attend? Watch the recording here: https://join.igniteducation.org/resources/navigating-professional-growth-ev-ecosystem-panel-discussion

After his fellowship at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) last summer, Conor Carroll put his Ignited Fund for Innovation award into action—bringing 10 teachers and 2 district science coordinators to Berkeley Lab for hands-on professional learning.

Teachers explored cutting-edge research, toured the Advanced Light Source facility, and learned how to use EcoFABs to collect scientific samples. Faith Dukes, Berkeley Lab's Director of STEM Education and Workforce Development Programs, also led participants through a data analysis workshop.

One teacher remarked: "I was in an environment where 'real science' is happening. It's a bit awe-inspiring and also hopeful to think of students who may one day work there, doing great things!"

Thank you to the Ignited Board of Directors, whose generous funding made this professional learning possible, and to Conor and Berkeley Lab for creating such an engaging experience!