Through the exploration of real career skills, EXPLR provides students with the means to discover and prepare for diverse careers in science, as well as flex their scientific creativity by participating in the National STEM Festival.

LabXchange is excited to welcome EXPLR and the National STEM Festival as a collaborator and to add their learning resources to our library! Below, hear from Jenny Buccos, CEO of EXPLR and co-director of the National STEM Festival, to learn more about their work and content.

What do EXPLR and the National STEM Festival do?

EXPLR is a digital learning platform for students in grades 6–12. We help students build real-world skills, discover career paths, and learn from professionals working in science and tech. At the core of our work is the National STEM Festival—a year-round program where students take on challenges, share their ideas, innovations, and inventions, and connect with experts through live events, hands-on activities, and on-demand content.

What's one fun fact that LabXchange users should know about your organization?

At the 2024 and 2025 National STEM Festivals, over 100 students from 47 states and 4 U.S. territories traveled to Washington, D.C. to present their projects. Some came from more than 7,000 miles away to take part.

What motivates you to work in science education?

I didn’t grow up thinking I’d work in science—I studied theatre. But I’ve spent over 20 years helping young people tell stories that matter, and again and again, those stories led me back to science. Climate. Health. Food. Technology. STEM shows up in every part of our lives. What motivates me now is helping students connect the dots—between what they’re curious about and the problems they might one day help solve. And just as importantly, I want them to learn how to explain it—to their communities, to companies, and to people who may never step into a lab.

Which content are you most proud of?

• Our Office Hours series: where students ask real scientists and engineers about their work
• Our Festival project library: real student submissions about everything from AI to climate to clean energy

How can learners and educators best use your content?

Start with our on-demand Office Hours—they’re in depth, real conversations with scientists, engineers, and creators about their work and how they got there. It’s a simple way to explore career paths and trends in STEM. Everything is free and open to everyone.

Students can also submit a project to the next National STEM Festival (opens in October), designing solutions around real-world themes like future food, tech for good, or powering the planet.

What does your organization have planned for the future?

We’re working with some of the world’s leading companies on a new way to help students grow the skills they need to go further in STEM. We’ll have more to share soon.

Submissions for the next National STEM Festival open this autumn. And, in 2026 we will help launch student STEM festivals in a few other countries, using what we’ve learned here in the U.S.

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Check out EXPLR in the LabXchange library:

• Algae Adventures (teaching guide)
• Droid Engineering 101: Building Circuits Fit For a Galaxy Far, Far Away (teaching guide)
• STEAM Star: Kari Byron (video)
• Office Hours with Meteorologist Jacob Wycoff (video)