Centers

Center for Teaching and Learning

Illinois is fortunate to be one of a handful of states in the U.S. to have an institution for advanced study in mathematics, science and technology, serving secondary school students in its residential program AND Illinois teachers and elementary and middle school students through outreach programs.

Through work with IMSA students, staff and faculty, and our partnerships with preeminent scientific and educational institutions, we are able to unite the best knowledge of how people learn with input from the greatest minds in mathematics, science and technology. All this helps to make Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® a leader and exemplar in mathematics and science teaching and learning; we focus on enabling learners to acquire, generate, and use knowledge for the world.

But if all of this knowledge that we are acquiring about teaching and learning mathematics and science was not shared throughout Illinois and beyond, IMSA would not be satisfying its promise nor its possibilities for all teachers and students of our state. Our goal in outreach is to share instructional models and mathematics and science programs that inspire teachers and students and have practical applications for Illinois classrooms.

Get Help from Our Specialists

Our team is here to help teachers and parents with any questions from how do I help with math problems, to e-learning tools, to where can I find resources for my student to much more. Use the schedule now button below to reserve a live video appointment with any of our Specialists.

IMSA Snack Boxes

The Snack Box is designed for teachers and parents to provide STEM focused lesson or activity by grade level band. New Snack Boxes will be posted each week.


Center for Innovation and Inquiry

The Steve and Jamie Chen Center for Innovation and Inquiry is a leading center for innovative and entrepreneurial thinking and applied STEM learning for youth and adult development. We turn ideas into impact.

Located at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) the center provides award-winning programs, experiences, and mentoring for student and adult projects in applied STEM fields. The Center’s mission is to empower students and adults through world-leading applied, collaborative, and culturally responsive experiences that inspire innovative and entrepreneurial thinking; and the launch of breakthrough projects into the world. The center offers programs in the areas of design thinking, business and entrepreneurship, maker and makerspace design, STEM pathways, film studies, robotics, and software engineering amongst others.

Connect to the IMSA Innovation Community today, and join a vibrant network of innovators, designers, and entrepreneurs who are sharing ideas, testing inventions, taking risks, launching businesses and along the way are turning their ideas into impact.

Program Areas