A week long Biomimicry Expert Teacher Summer Academy in Czechia in July 2026
– by Yuma Soares Langenbach
What if you could show your students that nature is smart, wonderful, and cool — all through the curriculum you already teach?
The subject matter that STEAM subjects (science, technology, engineering, art, mathematics) consist of was originally meant to help us understand nature. However, modern education makes these subjects feel abstract and disconnected from it. And then, the links to sustainability are always focused on what is going dreadfully wrong in our world. What if, instead of overwhelming students with despair about climate change, we could as teachers offer an inspiring alternative?
Biomimicry can do that! By seeing the array of life we share this planet with as the models, measures, and mentors we need to create sustainable regenerative solutions, we can inspire pupils to design a better future. Biomimicry restores that real-world bridge, not only by reconnecting us and our education back to nature, but also leveraging nature’s genius to solve the greatest social and environmental challenges we face.
During the week-long Biomimicry Expert Teacher Summer Academy in Czechia in July 2026, educators from five countries came together to co-create hands-on, biomimicry activities for the classroom. From making invisible UV photosynthesis visible (a technique NASA uses to monitor plant health) to demonstrating how bird flocks distribute wind for efficient flying, to how spider webs structures distribute tension, these teachers demonstrated how to bring STEAM back to life.
Highlights
- Hands-on Experience: Teachers participated in practical design challenges, creating ready-to-use lesson modules like the Bio-Inspired Egg Drop and Spaghetti Towers.
- Expert Mentorship: Certified professionals provided feedback, workshops, and tools to help educators refine their biomimicry practice.
- International Collaboration: Participants from Czechia, Hungary, the Netherlands, Türkiye, and Slovakia shared subject-specific activities, citing cross-border collaboration as the most inspiring part of the experience.
What Is a Biomimicry Expert Teacher?
A Biomimicry Expert Teacher is a facilitator, mentor, and advocate of biomimicry. They integrate natural phenomena into their curriculum to engage pupils in bio-inspired innovation and problem-solving. All while building a supportive international network. Our Dutch Biomimicry Expert Teachers have created classes in their fields like:
- Chemistry: “The Silent Factory” makes learning photosynthesis into an interactive and fun game.
- Art: “See like nature” lets students view the world through monochromatic, stereoscopic, or UV spectrum lenses, to create multiple sensory perception experiences that enrich our understanding and perspective of the world.
- Engineering & Design: “Dream House Challenge” gets students to design climate-resilient homes that manage heat and water inspired by champion organisms like the cactus or mangroves.
Want to become a biomimicry teacher?
- Start Learning: Download our introductory eBook to master biomimicry basics.
- Explore Activities: Visit the BioLearn platform for ready-to-use classroom modules.
- Join the next training: Send an email to Yuma: yuma@biomimicrynl.org.
“It is not beyond our power to create a world in which all children have access to a good education. Those who do not believe this have small imaginations.”
– Nelson mandela
