Robert Henley appointed Associate Director of EXSEED

Robert Henley has been appointed Associate Director of EXSEED.

Robert Henley is an educator and leader in STEM education with an impressive track record in designing, launching, and implementing innovation in the classroom.

Spurred by his desire to provide his children with an authentic Fourth Industrial Revolution Education and the declining number of US graduates pursuing careers in STEM, he devised a program at Forest Lake Academy that introduced STEM-influenced education in elementary school--starting with concepts encouraging curiosity and exploration--through high school, where students are tasked with projects that have real-word applications.

Using Forest Lake Academy as a model, Henley’s innovation initiative expanded to include all 30 schools in the Florida Conference. In his time as Director of Innovation for the Florida Conference Office of Education and Director at the Florida Conference Innovation Lab at Forest Lake Academy, he has worked tirelessly to bring the future to today’s classrooms. Students are guided by leaders in science and tech industries and are often putting into practice concepts that are just being introduced to graduate students. The student-centered education engages students in problem solving, teamwork, time management, and resilience, all critical skills needed beyond the classroom.

Robert Henley is pursuing a doctorate in Leadership and Innovation at Andrews University. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Oakwood University, and a masters in Teaching from Andrews University. In addition to his work at the Innovation Lab, he is CEO and Founder of STEMCubator and an professor at the School of Education at Southern Adventist University.

This new role will formalize a yearslong partnership between Robert Henley and EXSEED that began in 2019, when students from the Florida Conference Innovation Lab participated in the Biomechatronics Collaboratium held at Loma Linda University. Now, as Associate Director, he will extend EXSEED’s focus on design thinking to include both educators and students. To that end, this summer will see an expansion to EXSEED’s yearly conference. With the theme “Design Thinking,” the first week will feature lectures and hands-on learning for educators. This will be followed by a pilot week for a small group of students from England, the Southern Union, and those local to LLU. These students will have the option to follow one of two tracks: one following Robert Henley’s Biomechatronics program or another focusing on the STEM of healthcare.

For further Information about the 2024 Summer Conference and other EXSEED initiatives, visit http://llu.edu/exseed.