On Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, from 12pm - 1pm in the Holman Biotech Commons' Collaborative Classroom, please join the Penn Libraries and the Environmental Innovations Initiative in welcoming Shirley Posey along with some of her student ambassadors to learn more about their STEM Ambassador Program. We'll hear what the program has meant to students, the communities they've interacted with, and their ambitions for the future.

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“We have to prepare students for a world that doesn’t yet exist.”

That’s the philosophy that drives Shirley Posey’s work as a STEM educator and community leader.

As Director of STEM at Imhotep Institute Charter High School in Philadelphia, and Founder of Future Shift, Posey combines STEM, culture, and emerging tech to give students the tools to solve real problems—locally and globally.

She’s built three STEM labs that serve more than 2,000 students, offering hands-on experience with clean water systems, hydroponics, and sustainable food production. Her students have even engineered water filters from recycled plastics, thus tackling real-world issues like water safety and food insecurity.

Through the STEM Ambassador Program she created, students learn advanced skills—like 3D printing, digital design, and environmental engineering—and apply them to tangible projects to improve communities. From Jackson, Mississippi to Ghana, Kenya, Sapelo Island, and neighborhoods across Philadelphia, they’re not just learning—they’re making an impact.

Posey also serves as Chair of the Education Committee for the Global Water Alliance, sits on the Board of the United Nations Association of Pennsylvania, and continues to push for equity, ethics, and justice in every aspect of STEM.

Her work has earned her recognition from the National Coalition of 100 Black Women (Madam C.J. Walker Educator of the Year), a feature TEDx Talk, and the Philadelphia Eagles Tri-State STEM Educator of the Year Award.

For more information about this event, please contact Director of the Holman Biotech Commons, Manuel de la Cruz Gutiérrez (dmanuel@pobox.upenn.edu).