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Although Lila’s mother was a scientist, it was her father, who worked in the movie industry, who sparked her love of science. He believed that humans have a responsibility to learn about other species, so when Lila was six, he brought home a microscope he had found in a pawn shop. Together they spent afternoons in the park collecting pond samples to examine. By middle school, Lila had won a science award and proudly declared again and again in her Spanish class that she wanted to become a científica. In graduate school, she joined a lab that studied herpes viruses that infect children. She became fascinated by the way the virus evolves alongside the human immune system, a curiosity that ultimately inspired her to pursue a career in infectious diseases.

Lila is a microbiologist and immunologist who Lila enjoys translating complex scientific ideas into hands-on learning. She has taught both college-level biology courses and interactive science programs in local elementary schools, where she relishes the opportunity to connect with younger learners and spark curiosity. She has authored 16 peer-reviewed scientific publications. She earned her Ph.D. at Oregon Health and Science University. She later completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

Sedona’s earliest passions were creative writing and math. But everything changed in high school, when an inspiring chemistry teacher revealed the beauty and wonder of science. Her psychology class captivated her even more—especially the study of how mental illnesses shape identity and cause profound suffering. She wanted to understand these conditions deeply and contribute to meaningful solutions. That curiosity grew into a calling, and she now dedicates her life to advancing neuroscience.

Sedona has conducted neuroscience research at the University of Washington, Stanford University, and the École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne in Switzerland. At Stanford, she taught university students and led outreach programs for middle schoolers, sharing her love of science with the next generation.

She holds a B.S. in Neurobiology and Biochemistry from the University of Washington and a Ph.D. in Neuroscience from Stanford University.

Jazmine brings extensive experience designing and facilitating STEAM based instruction for elementary, middle, and high school students in both summer enrichment and after school settings. Her teaching approach emphasizes inquiry, experimentation, and real world connections, with a strong commitment to engaging diverse learners and supporting varied learning styles.

She is currently an Extended Learning Instructor at The New School in San Francisco, where she creates developmentally appropriate lessons that integrate early scientific thinking, problem solving, literacy, and motor skill development. Across all her roles, she consistently prioritizes interactive learning, student voice, and fostering confidence and curiosity in young scientists.

Jazmine earned her B.A. in Data Science from the University of California, Berkeley.

Brian’s love for geology began early, and by high school he was already competing in science competitions that deepened his fascination with Earth systems. As the National Event Supervisor for tectonics, glaciology, and hydrology in the Science Olympiad, he has written the official rules and tests for these events, shaping how thousands of students engage with Earth science nationwide.
He has also served for three years as a counselor at the U.S. Earth Science Organization training camp, where he mentors students and helps them grow through hands on exploration and conceptual depth rather than relying solely on traditional lecture based instruction.

Brian earned his B.S. with honors in Geophysics, his M.S. in Computer Science with a specialization in Artificial Intelligence, and his Ph.D. in Earth and Planetary Science from Stanford University.

Kim has spent many years teaching ecology, environmental systems, and sustainability through hands on, place based learning. She is deeply motivated to help students develop curiosity and wonder about the natural world and to empower them to see science as something they can actively explore. Her teaching emphasizes observation, questioning, creativity, and a strong connection to place. She loves working with children who are eager to ask questions and think deeply, and she strives to create learning environments that are joyful, inclusive, and intellectually stimulating.
Kim is currently a garden and environmental educator at Growing Healthy Kids. She also teaches as an instructor and lecturer at Cal Poly, Merritt College, and Foothill College.
She earned her M.A. in Geography and her Ph.D. in Geography (Ecology & Landscape Design) from the University of California, Davis.

At the age of three, Shraddha held her first “art exhibit” on the walls of her family’s living room. She excelled academically, but her teachers often told her parents that she preferred art over engineering or medicine—despite her clear potential in those fields. Shraddha, however, knew exactly what she wanted. She wanted to make art, and her parents wholeheartedly supported her path.

Today, Shraddha is a filmmaker, puppeteer, and traditional Indian artist whose work has been exhibited in New York, Georgia, Thailand, and Taiwan. Before moving to the Bay Area, she spent many years as a camp director and teaching artist, sharing her creativity with young learners.

She earned her B.A. in Digital Media Arts and Animation Filmmaking from the Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and her MFA in Digital Arts from the renowned Pratt Institute in New York.

Faith’s strong passion for the environment and technology is evident in her research at the university and in her work with youth at nature summer camps and at Morro State Bay Park.

She earned her B.S. in Anthropology and Geography, with a concentration in environmental studies and sustainability from California Polytechnic State University – San Luis Obispo.

With the help of his father and brother, Michael built his first tree house at the age of 6.  Mounted 7 feet off the ground, the tree house was complete with real roof, a couch, a TV and is still standing tall to this day.  Since then he has been helping his dad in his woodshop building cabinets and other fun projects.

Michael previously co-taught at Celsius in the Architecture camp.

Michael was the captain of the basketball and track teams in High School.  He is currently an economics major at San Francisco State University. He is planning on becoming a firefighter so that he can save houses and treehouses from fire.

Throughout her career, Gayatri acted as an Associate Designer, Designer, Visual Merchandiser, and fashion entrepreneur. She earned many awards for her work and designs.

Gayatri earned her B. A in Fashion Design at the National Institute of Fashion Technology in India, M.A in Fashion Design at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco, and a Clo 3D Visual Fashion Design Certificate from The New School, Parsons, New York.

Jae was born with a passion for Engineering and LEGO. In elementary school, he participated in FIRST League Robotics competitions, and in high school and through college, he has been teaching LEGO Robotics at Celsius and Beyond. His Celsius and Beyond teams won numerous awards over the years including several first places. This year we are celebrating Jae’s 10th year teaching at Celsius and Beyond!

Jae has a B.A. in international economics and an M.A. in international management.

Ezra has been passionate about building with LEGO from a very young age. Inspired by his brother Jared, a long-time robotics instructor at Celsius and Beyond for six years, Ezra has constructed numerous creative models and designed his own innovative creations. With experience in LEGO Mindstorms, he is a dedicated member of the Lowell High School FRC Robotics team. Ezra’s keen interest in understanding how the world works and solving problems through technology fuels his enthusiasm. He particularly enjoys his AP physics and math classes. This year marks Ezra’s fourth year at Celsius and Beyond, where his skills and knowledge continue to grow.

Kit Schulte is a chef and an art consultant based in Berlin. After spending over 16 years in San Francisco, she continues to travel to the U.S., enriching her bi-cultural perspective and creative endeavors. As a nature lover and art enthusiast, Kit gathers diverse individuals around her Berlin salon’s table to celebrate and explore the significance of food. For her, meaningful conversations paired with delicious meals sourced locally are a natural way to find joy, inspiration, and beauty in life. Kit is passionate about fostering dialogue among people, leading to positive exchanges accompanied by good food. She believes this is an essential lesson for both children and adults in creating a better world.

Kit is the author of the cookbooks “Modern German Food from a Berlin Kitchen” and “The Art of Hosting.” She holds a B.A. in Film and Photographic Arts from Konrad Wolf Film and Television, in Babelsberg, Germany.

https://www.kitschulte.com/table.html

Deeply caring for the health of our planet, Lena began her professional life studying Environmental Studies and Public Health.  But after a few years in the field, her love for nourishing others led her to change careers and become a professional private chef and a vegan-food tester.

Lena holds a B.A. in Environmental Studies and Public Health Policy from Ithaca College and her diploma in Culinary Arts from the Institute of Culinary Education.  She holds a ServSafe food handler certification with honors.