Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Rebecca Brokaw has a diverse range of work experience. Rebecca started their career at the Madison Mallards Baseball Club as a Cashier from May 2012 to August 2014. In 2015, they worked as a Kids' Garden Intern and later as a Day Camp Garden Educator at Community GroundWorks at Troy Gardens. In 2016, they were a Food for Thought Assistant at DePaul University. The following year, they became a Forestry Intern at Openlands and a Catholic Small Groups Coordinator at DePaul University. Their most recent role is as an Education Programs Coordinator and Camp Director at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, starting in September 2018. Rebecca also held the position of Day Camp Head Counselor at the same museum.
Rebecca Brokaw obtained their Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Food Studies from DePaul University. This educational journey spanned from 2014 to 2018.
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.