Science is Cool

Turning crisis into innovation, I designed game-changing virtual unconferences for an EdTech start-up, turning a canceled conference into digital lemonade gold.

Within two years “Science is Cool” events reached over 140,000 educators in 204 countries...

Science is Cool logo for seventh free virtual unconference for cool teachers
Science is Cool logo for eighth free virtual unconference for cool teachers
Science is Cool logo for ninth free virtual unconference for cool teachers
Science is Cool logo for fourth free virtual unconference for cool teachers
Science is Cool logo for second free virtual unconference for cool teachers
Science is Cool logo for third free virtual unconference for cool teachers
Science is Cool logo for fifth free virtual unconference for cool teachers

…because science is cool.

  • “This should be in Fast Company. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

    Ed Metz - Department of Education, Small Business Innovation

How it began and why teachers love it.

Video promo featuring ScIC1, ScIC2, and ScIC3.

How we did it and why it worked.

“Science is Cool” by PocketLab

Free Virtual Unconferences for Cool Teachers

I joined the PocketLab start-up as a Creative Director tasked with developing a marketing strategy and creating a team. Just days later, amidst a global pandemic and uncertain what marketing should look like when the world seems to have shut down, we saw a unique opportunity to host a virtual conference. We thought that this would at least unite the science community we’d miss from canceled conferences.

On April 1, 2020, we launched our first "Science is Cool" (ScIC) event. We anticipated perhaps a hundred participants and were thrilled to receive over 3,000 registrations, with an attendance rate surpassing 75%. Since the first conference, we have hosted ten large virtual events that attract ten thousand teachers each, twenty ScIC and PocketLab webinars, and created dozens of invaluable partnerships for PocketLab. 

We brought together influential science celebrities like Neil deGrasse Tyson from StarTalk, Ira Flatow from Science Friday, and Miles O’Brien from PBS NewsHour. Teachers were drawn to these speakers, and also strongly responded to chatting with EdTech professionals they already use in their classroom, such as Bozeman Science, Kesler Science, Hooked on Science, and PhET Interactive Simulations. 

Within two years, Science is Cool is now the largest STEM community on the planet. New partnerships position PocketLab as a science industry leader and a superstar for educators around the globe, and created a brand new business model resulting in unprecedented and exponential growth.

  • Miles O'Brien

    PBS NEWSHOUR

  • Neil deGrasse Tyson

    COSMOS, STARTALK

  • Constance Steinkuehler

    U.C. IRVINE

  • Ira Flatow

    SCIENCE FRIDAY

  • “This is the best thing I have ever been to. Why aren't all conferences like this?”

  • “Until your conference, I was going to quit my job. Thank you for the inspiration to keep going.”

  • “This chat conversation and the speakers are giving me life and making my STEM heart smile.”

  • “Yay, I love being a cool science teacher surrounded by other cool people!”

  • “ScIC has been one of the funnest things during this pandemic. Amazing productions, people!”

  • “I really enjoyed the conference. I could not tell that I sat in front of my computer for seven hours.”

  • “Beats any live conference I have attended.”

  • “For a scientist community (weird and cool people), we deserve a place like this! It is soooooo cooool and helpful.”

  • “I LOVE these Unconferences and how you keep it personal even though there are thousands of participants all over the world.”

  • “I loved every minute of this. A fantastic smorgasbord of resources, ideas, innovation and motivation. Thanks a million!”

  • “I was not feeling as enthusiastic about teaching (35 years) but I was so impressed with ScIC, I'm telling all my colleagues. Sharing the vibe and feeling the old mojo back.”

  • “You do such a great job with a great mix. Thank you for making something for everyone!”

  • “I really enjoyed all the content and learned a lot of things to apply in my lab and classroom. StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson was a once in a lifetime experience.”

  • “ScIC has expanded my knowledge and awakened my imagination.”

  • “Thank you for offering this. It is seriously beneficial.”

    Description goes here
  • “I so appreciate all of the work you all put into this to help educators learn about such valuable resources!”

    Description goes here
  • “Very, very informative, done with lots of love, and well organized.”

    Description goes here
  • “Thank you so much for your support to science teachers.”

  • “You guys rock.”

Timeline of Events

March 2020 - March 2022

MARCH 9, 2020

Joined the PocketLab Team

APRIL 1, 2020

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC

FOR TEACHERS, BY TEACHERS

An unprecedented pandemic just canceled everything. What can teachers do?

KEYNOTE: Dr Robert Siegel, Stanford University Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, Killer Snails, Argument-Driven Inquiry, Green Ninja, PocketLab, Tyto Online, Vidcode, Estes Rockets, Brown Dog Gadgets, Bozeman Science, TeacherGeek

May 21, 2020

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC2

DISTANCE STEM LEARNING

KEYNOTE: StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice, PocketLab, The Wonder of Science, PhET, TeacherGeek, Hooked On Science, Exploratorium, Argument-Driven Inquiry, Future Engineers, Nasco, Parametric Studios

PocketLab Thermo

PRODUCT LAUNCH

Blue Sky Zero

CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT

July 8, 2020

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC3

REMOTE CONTROL

KEYNOTE: StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice, Director of the ISS International Space Station, Smithsonian, Science Friday, Walt Disney Imagineering, National Geographic, NASA, Lego Education.

October 24, 2020

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC4

IN THE CLASSROOM AND BEYOND

KEYNOTE: StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Chuck Nice, PocketLab, Lego Education, The Wonder of Science, Estes Rockets, SciShow, Smithsonian Science Education Center, Green Ninja, Biomimicry Institute, SciStarter, NASA & Future Engineers

ScIC and StarTalk LIVE

CLIMATE WEEK NYC

Hosted StarTalk LIVE at Climate Week NYC

10,000 Teachers

EVENT BY CHUCK NICE FROM STARTALK

Presented with PocketLab and inspired by ScIC2, which attracted 10k educators.

Webinar: Break Room Series

Weather Balloons

Webinar: Break Room Series

Mr. Science Holiday STEM 2020

JANUARY - MARCH 2021

PocketLab Website

BRAND STORYTELLING REDESIGN

Long overdue, we carved out time between events to redevelop the PocketLab website.

April 1, 2021

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC5

CITIZEN SCIENCE AND STORYTELLING

KEYNOTE: StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Activate, Walt Disney Imagineering, Exploratorium, PocketLab, Kesler Science, PhET, International Space Station, NGen, NatGeo, Science Friday, SciStarter

Webinar

PocketLab Notebook

Webinar: Break Room Series

Education in Action

Webinar: Break Room Series

PhET Interactive Simulations

July 29, 2021 

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC6 DAY 1

GAME CHANGER

KEYNOTE: Constance Steinkuehler, faculty lead for the UCI Esports Research Lab, Tammie Schrader, Garden State Esports, Robbie Melton, StarTalk, Twitch, Highschool.GG, Epic Games, Minecraft, First Global & Filament Games, Science Friday

AUGUST 5, 2021 

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC6 DAY 2

SUMMIT: LET’S FIX STEM

STEM Coordinators and Administrators discuss how to fix common STEM education issues. K-5 STEM, Women in STEM, Integration, Esports/Games, 21st Century Skills, DEI, Local Phenomena

Webinar: Break Room Series

UrbanHeat ATL

Webinar: Break Room Series

Games & Esports

Webinar: Break Room Series

Women in STEM

PocketLab G-Force

PRODUCT LAUNCH

“A science lab on wheels.”

October 28, 2021

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC7

INNOVATION IN THE SCIENCE CLASSROOM

KEYNOTE: Ira Flatow with Science Friday, OpenSciEd, Vernier, Conceptual Academy, Chris Rush Town Hall, SEL from WestEd, Wow in the World, Donors Choose, NSF National Science Foundation

Webinar: Break Room Series

G-Force Fighter Pilot

Webinar

Mr. Science Holiday STEM

February 28, 2022

SCIENCE IS COOL · ScIC8

ACTION + IMPACT

KEYNOTE: Miles O’Brien with PBS NewsHour, UrbanHeat ATL, Georgia Tech, Maynard Okereke, Future Engineers, NASA, STEM Panel

ScIC Unplugged

SCIENCE IS COOL PODCAST

ScIC Unconferences

Keystone events for ScIC occurred every few months, structured as one eight-hour long stream with five-minute breaks. Hosting on Zoom made people feel like they were “right there with us.”

Webinars

Special events were hosted by ScIC and PocketLab, in association with new partnerships. We tested these events with our large audience for reach depending on the host, style of event, and timing.

Product Launches

PocketLab designs and manufactures multi-purpose science lab sensors. Marketing efforts coordinated with the manufacturing team for these launches to sync with large events and attention.

Event Registrations
140,000 Educators

Global Reach
204 Countries

“ScIC by PocketLab” Facebook Group
12,300 Members

“PocketLab” Facebook Page
7,400 Likes and 8,300 Followers

“ScIC Science is Cool Unconference” Facebook Page
16,000 Likes and 18,000 Followers

In March 2020, PocketLab was a company of seven people with part-time marketing help.

Fast forward two years, boosted by our 'Science is Cool' events and a dedicated marketing team of three, we've significantly expanded our leads, forged standout product partnerships, and established ourselves as global thought leaders in the education industry.

Starting with ~800 social media followers and a handful of partnerships, the statistics and partnerships prove its impact.

  • “I really think the incredibly positive reactions we are seeing are due to just how human the whole day was. No pretense, even from international celebrities, just a bunch of folks... working at helping teachers do science. You all showed that making mistakes while trying to move an agenda forward is part of success.”

    Chris B., STEM Educator

The Plan

  • TARGET AND TUNE

    PocketLab, created by teachers for teachers, understands the challenges educators face, especially during the pandemic. We first connected with classroom teachers, hearing their struggles with virtual teaching, shifting standards, low pay, and burnout.

    Seeing a bigger opportunity, we reached out to STEM Coordinators and Administrators—key decision-makers who oversee large groups of teachers. By bridging this gap, we’ve fostered better collaboration and stronger support.

    "Science is Cool" celebrates the bravery and uniqueness of science educators, recognizing them as superstars and offering a unifying message during a tough time.

  • DESIGN YOUR STORY

    The PocketLab team understands educators because many of us come from teaching. That’s why we host Think Tanks with teachers and STEM Coordinators to shape our events around real needs.

    Instead of traditional conferences, we chose an "unconference" approach—where teachers, not vendors or administrators, set the agenda. Using Zoom keeps it personal and accessible, while full-day sessions fit busy schedules with no slides, minimal disruptions, and engaging, to-the-point presentations.

  • CLARIFY YOUR PROMISE

    At PocketLab, we make professional development accessible with free or low-cost sessions, PD certificates, and practical solutions—helping teachers feel valued and connected. Our unconferences offer ready-to-use lesson plans and free video content to support daily teaching.

    Through partnerships with leaders like StarTalk and the Smithsonian, our digital app, Notebook, provides trusted, innovative resources that bring science to life.

  • ITERATE AND OPTIMIZE

    PocketLab has expanded from small in-person meetings to large virtual events, growing from 300 leads to 140,000 educators in 204 countries. This shift boosted our reach and positioned us as a leader in EdTech.

    By integrating our tools into events and refining our website, we’ve built stronger connections with teachers and STEM coordinators. Our platform fosters a support network where educators share challenges and solutions, making a real impact in the community.

  • “Science is Cool events are lightning in a bottle.”

    Dave Bakker - PocketLab CEO

Want to explore game-changing lead generation for your business?

Book a free 20-minute Discovery Call.