Practical Experience at the Core of the PDP

A cornerstone of the Professional Development Program (PDP) is a practical experience in designing and facilitating STEM learning. Every participant engages in this central activity—collaboratively creating and teaching an inclusive STEM learning experience. This real-world application of instructional design and teaching is a hallmark of the PDP, equipping participants with essential skills for academic and professional success.

Participants work in teams of 3–4 to design and facilitate a STEM learning module for an undergraduate or higher-level audience. These modules—typically 3–6 hours in length—are implemented in a variety of authentic settings, including:

• Undergraduate STEM programs
• Summer schools and intensive workshops
• Laboratory courses

These learning experiences go beyond content delivery. They emphasize authentic STEM practices such as evidence-based reasoning, using models, and designing within requirements. Participants are coached to foster inclusive, student-centered environments, where instruction is more like mentoring than giving directions to students, as is typical in lab courses. Through their high quality STEM learning experiences, PDP participants have positively impacted thousands of undergraduates, increasing student motivation, empowerment, and retention in STEM fields.

In the process of designing and teaching, participants also gain significant experience in collaborative problem-solving and project management. Each team must work efficiently and effectively to reach their shared goal. Along the way, they receive training in collaboration, communication, and group facilitation—skills highly transferable to research groups, academic departments, and STEM organizations.

Alumni frequently cite this teamwork experience as one of the most professionally valuable aspects of the PDP.

Participants who return for a second year often take on the role of design team leader. In this role, they engage in a practical, research-informed leadership experience: earning trust, leveraging team strengths, facilitating meetings, making decisions, and resolving conflicts.

This opportunity provides a rare, hands-on leadership experience in a STEM context—preparing early-career scientists and engineers to lead research teams, manage projects, and contribute to inclusive institutional cultures. Many participants intentionally return to the PDP to build these leadership capacities.

​Contact Us

Lisa Hunter,
ISEE Director

lhunter@ucsc.edu