A3 science teacher Katie Ryan selected for prestigious fellowship to Antarctica

Katie Ryan, a science teacher at the Academy of Arts and Academics (A3), will be voyaging to the extremes of the earth to help students in Springfield. Ryan was selected for the 2026 Grosvenor Teacher Fellowship, a highlight competitive professional learning opportunity administered by the National Geographic Society in partnership with Lindblad Expeditions.

Ryan was chosen from more than 700 applicants as one of 36 educators from across North America. The fellowship supports pre-K-12 teachers in expanding their global perspective through field-based experiences in some of the world’s most remote and ecologically significant regions.

Now in its 20th year, the program is funded through the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund and aims to strengthen educators’ ability to connect classroom learning with real-world environmental and scientific systems.

Ryan applied as part of her ongoing professional development and interest in experiential learning. She was selected for her top-choice destination: Antarctica.

“So much of my teaching centers on helping student connect local experiences to global systems, and this felt like a powerful and interesting way to do that,” said Ryan. “Antarctica was at the top of my list and I feel so honored to be chosen for such an amazing expedition. The space represents both scientific discovery and urgency. It is a place where you can see climate systems in action, where research is actively shaping our understanding of global change.”

During her journey and while stationed at Antarctica, Ryan will have access and receive lessons from different types of scientists, including experts on climate change, environmental science, ice, and marine biology, including orcas. While Ryan does not consider herself a NatGeo Explorer yet, she is excited to start doing all the hard work to officially become one.

“I am hoping to learn directly from scientists and naturalists who are actively engaged in polar systems,” said Ryan. “What I bring back will hopefully not just be content, but stories, data, and ways of thinking. I want my students to engage in current global understandings and see science as something that is ongoing and evolving. The hope is that this will lead to them feeling empowered to ask critical questions about the world around them.”

Ryan will be traveling on an expedition in December 2026, aboard the National Geographic Endurance; an exploration vessel that is also an ice-breaker. The fellowship also includes a preparation before the expedition and continued work afterwards. The post-expedition work will be focused around developing resources and Ryan will be sharing her experiences with other educators and the broader Springfield community.

Students, parents and staff are encouraged to follow along Ryan’s journey on Instagram, @wildlabswithkatie.

Through this extraordinary travel experience, Ryan and the teachers in the cohort will deepen their geographic knowledge through immersive, field-based experiences they will bring back to their classrooms, communities and professional networks to ignite curiosity about the world. They will also take on a two-year commitment to support National Geographic's education initiatives and may be asked to conduct webinars, co-design resources, participate in meetups, and mentor other educators.

Visit National Geographic to learn more on how to become a Grosvenor Teacher Fellow.