educator steps up the fun for STEM

Pieter Verduijn is a STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) teacher and EdTech coordinator at the International School of Aruba. Originally from the Netherlands, he speaks Dutch, English and Papiamento—the official language of Aruba.

And in the classroom, he speaks to his students through creativity-fueled lessons.

“I believe in the power of out-of-the-box thinking,” Verduijn said. “I always like it when students show me what they’ve created and are super proud of it.”

In addition to his school duties, Verduijn creates special maker projects for kids. One is the Art Toy Design curriculum, which helps students learn how to sketch, design and fabricate their own collectible pop art figurines.

His passion for his work led his peers to urge Verduijn to apply for the Chevron Fab STEM Fellowship. He was awarded the fellowship, a one-year discovery program designed to help educators to learn and co-create new STEM education practices.

The innovative and inclusive program is meant to engage K–12 students in STEM and help build the future STEM workforce.

Verduijn’s $10,000 stipend enabled him to visit two Fab Labs—fabrication labs that foster learning, innovation and invention—of his choice. It also allows such fellows to collaborate and share best practices with Fab Labs serving the communities where Chevron operates.

Verduijn’s stipend covered materials for experiments and creative projects, travel and lodging, and podcast equipment.

During his visits, Verduijn partnered with other makers and STEM educators.

The Chevron Fab STEM Fellowship is meant to empower STEM educators to develop engaging lessons and foster a new generation of creative thinkers.

It created an opportunity for Verduijn to collaborate with other makers and STEM educators. The program also allowed him to observe a variety of teaching styles and strategies, which he is adapting for use in his classroom.

In 2014, Chevron and The Fab Foundation opened the first 10 Fab Labs in communities where Chevron operates. There are now more than 20 Chevron-funded labs.

In 2024, Chevron launched the first two company-sponsored Fab Labs at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in Florida and Georgia.

While the 2023–2024 fellowship awarded two recipients with stipends, the 2024–2025 round will recognize four fellows. More than 75 educators from around the world applied.

As for Verduijn, he was able to prepare for this school year with new ideas for lessons.

“This whole experience was truly eye-opening, and I learned so much,” he said. “I’m excited to use what I learned to continue my own work in STEM education.”