Dr. Christopher Emdin

Dr. Christopher Emdin is an internationally recognized scholar, author, speaker, creative strategist and educator whose work has transformed the global conversation around teaching, learning, culture, creativity and innovation. He is the Maxine Greene Chair for Distinguished Contributions to Education and Professor of Science Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also serves as program director for science education. Emdin also serves as director of Creativity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship for the STEAM Dream IdeaLab, where he leads initiatives that bring together science, technology, engineering, the arts, design thinking, entrepreneurship and radical imagination. Through this work, he has become a leading voice in helping schools and organizations rethink creativity as essential to human flourishing, innovation and transformation. Known for bridging the worlds of hip hop, science, spirituality, pedagogy, design and social justice, Emdin challenges audiences to reimagine what education, leadership and creativity can look like in the modern world. His groundbreaking work on reality pedagogy, culturally sustaining education and creative engagement has influenced the education field internationally. Emdin is the author of numerous influential books, including the New York Times bestselling “For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood…and the Rest of Y’all Too.”