WI Teachers Selected for Embedded Teacher Program

November 12, 2025

🌟 Congratulations to Our Embedded Teacher Program Participants!

We are thrilled to announce that Dr. Amber Bakkum and Kevin Erickson have been selected as two of just ten educators nationwide to participate in the prestigious 2025–26 Space for Teachers Embedded Teacher Program (ETP).

The ETP provides K–12 teachers with hands-on experience in microgravity science and space-based experimentation, culminating in the development of classroom projects and a parabolic flight experiment scheduled for 2026. Participants will attend an immersive workshop at the Center for Space Research at the University of Texas at Austin this November, exploring how to integrate cutting-edge space research into their teaching.

The Wisconsin Space Grant Consortium (WSGC) is proud to support Dr. Bakkum and Mr. Erickson’s participation in both the Austin microgravity workshop and the upcoming parabolic flight experience. This investment helps ensure that Wisconsin educators continue to lead in space science education and inspire the next generation of STEM innovators.

Dr. Amber Bakkum teaches physics, materials science, and science research at the University School of Milwaukee. Beyond the classroom, she serves on the board of the Wisconsin Science and Engineering Fair and volunteers with the STEM Center at Milwaukee School of Engineering and the UWM College of Engineering and Applied Science.

Kevin Erickson is an award-winning educational leader and technology innovator in the Kettle Moraine School District, where he teaches instrumental music and serves as the Founder and Director of the Kettle Moraine School for Arts and Performance (KM Perform). With expertise bridging education and technology, he also consults nationally through My Learning Collaborative, helping schools design effective competency-based learning systems.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Bakkum and Mr. Erickson on this outstanding achievement! Their creativity, dedication, and passion for experiential learning will help inspire the next generation of innovators—both in the classroom and beyond our atmosphere.