Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Maddie Fernandez is an experienced professional in environmental education and science, currently serving as the Education Programs and Bilingual Spanish Specialist at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum since March 2024. Prior roles include Environmental Scientist at EPS Environmental Services, Inc., where Maddie developed environmental reports and ensured regulatory compliance. Experience as a Part-Time Educator at Lincoln Park Zoo involved leading school groups in science-based investigations, while earlier positions included Camp Counselor and After Care Educator. Maddie has also contributed to various research and educational initiatives, including at The Morton Arboretum and DePaul University, where a focus on the conservation of endangered species and mentoring was prominent. Maddie holds a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from DePaul University, complemented by minors in Geography and Industrial Design.
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Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
The Chicago Academy of Sciences/Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum serves as an urban gateway to the world of nature and science. The mission of the Academy and its Museum is to create a positive relationship between people and nature through collaborations, education, research and collections, exhibits, and public forums that foster urban connections to our region’s nature and science. Our vision is to be the leading voice on urban ecology and sustainability as it relates to the Midwest/Great Lakes region. Established in 1857, the Chicago Academy of Sciences has been educating the public about nature and science for over 159 years, making us Chicago’s oldest Museum. In 1999, the Academy established the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum to serve as its new permanent home, amidst the abundant urban wildlife of Lincoln Park and the shore of Lake Michigan. Since its opening, the Nature Museum has had more than two million visitors, including over 308,000 in 2015, allowing us to maintain our place as the 6th largest museum in Chicago. The Chicago Academy of Sciences has a rich history of leading science education through outreach, exhibits, and conservation initiatives, and the Nature Museum proudly continues that tradition of leadership. Each year, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum provides over 76,000 educational contact hours through K-12 science education programs reaching students, primarily from underserved schools and communities. Through our outreach programs and on-site workshops, the Museum also provides teacher professional development to more than 1,700 teachers annually, as well as teacher training, curriculum, and material support to the schools and communities with the greatest need.