Each year, our GK-12 Project co-leads a Summer Science Institute for the KBS K-12 Partnership teachers. This year the Institute took place from June 20-24th. 10 GK-12 Fellows conceived of, organized, and led (along with their Partner Teachers) concurrent sessions based on either the Fellow’s own research or research that our KBS K-12 Partnership teachers will conduct alongside their students as participants in the BEST (BioEnergy SusTainability) Research Network. The Summer Science Institute is the first opportunity for Fellows and their Partner Teachers to bond through the creation of concurrent sessions which they will lead all Partnership teachers through the following week – it’s a major team-building experience! Fellows new to our program this year designed sessions that bridged their own thesis or dissertation research with Michigan Grade Level Content Expectations and took teachers to visit their research sites at places like the KBS Dairy, Lux Arbor, and The Bird Sanctuary. Returning fellows led sessions related to our three BEST Research Network “themes”, which are Biomass and Biodiversity, Soil Composition and Chemistry, and Landscape-Level Patterns. For more information about the KBS K-12 Partnership or the KBS Summer Science Institute, contact Robin Tinghitella at hibbsr@msu.edu. Enjoy the pictures!