Headwaters Science Institute

Help Headwaters foster curiosity through science!

Join Us LIVE! Big Day of Giving Guest Speaker: Dr. Emily Meineke

Please join us LIVE for an engaging guest talk and Q&A discussion with Dr. Emily Meineke, Assistant Professor of Urban Landscape Entomology at UC Davis. The Meineke Lab investigates how human-caused global change affects plant-insect interactions. Along with an impressive list of publications in top research journals, the Meineke Lab has been featured across The New York Times, Boston Globe, National Geographic, and The Atlantic.

Register HERE to watch the Live Stream --> Thursday, May 2nd, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm PST

About Dr. Emily Meineke & the Meineke Lab:

Insects have eaten plants for around 400 million years. These interactions have given rise to most terrestrial biodiversity. Over the past 12,000 years, humans have disrupted plant-herbivore relationships by building cities, domesticating crops, and changing the global climate. Emily investigates these disruptions, focusing on species that are of cultural importance, such as street trees, crops, crop wild relatives, and plants that support rare insect species. Emily's work combines experiments, observations, citizen science, and biological collections to address key hypotheses in ecology.

Headwaters Science Institute

Who We Are: 

We're a team of professional scientists, graduate students, parents, and caring community members dedicated to inspiring hands-on science education. Through personal experience in our own educational journeys, we know that experiential learning can change a student's academic future and life opportunities for the better.

Fostering Curiosity Through Science: 

We bring experiential science education to as many students as we can access and help their teachers implement our research-based learning. We tap into students’ natural curiosity by teaching them how to ask scientific questions, design research methods, problem solve, collect data, present their research, and author research papers. Through our programs, students learn to think critically and develop increased confidence in independent decision-making. These skills help them not only in future science classes, but as they move into the world. Our students are better prepared to access high-level science careers and more ready to become well-informed community contributors. 

Our Programs: 

- School Programs - We customize school programs of various lengths to bring to schools, teaching students how to ask questions, plan and conduct research, and present their findings. Programs often bring students out into the field, connecting them with the environment around them. 

- Digital Research Experience -  This semester-long extracurricular program allows high school students to design, create, and execute an original research project mentored by a professional scientist.

- Lunch with a Scientist -  A library of 30-45 minute science talks showcasing the research of various scientists. These presentations, delivered by STEM professionals, provide students the opportunity to learn about careers in science and the lives of professionals. These include a free investigation for teachers to incorporate into their curriculum.

- Professional Development -  We help teachers plan student-driven research in their classrooms, giving them tools to facilitate science projects. Teachers gain insight into teaching high-quality scientific inquiry projects in just three to five days. We provide virtual, in-person, and hybrid program options. 

- Summer Camps and Field Days -  We give students the opportunity to explore nature with a host of hands-on science camps and field days designed to couple fun with exploring the unique ecology of the site. We offer some sessions specifically for girls interested in STEM and students looking for an introduction to research.

Vision Statement:

Our vision is to create informed citizens who not only pursue science careers, but blossom when faced with opportunities to positively impact society through engagement, curiosity, and applications of the scientific method.