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Reception with MLK, Jr. Keynote Speaker Dr. Christopher Emdin, who will share his personal journey in dedicating his scholarship towards urban education and youth empowerment.

Dr. Christopher Emdin is a social critic, public intellectual, and science advocate whose commentary on issues of race, culture, inequality, and education have appeared in dozens of influential periodicals, including The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Forbes, and Atlanta Journal Constitution.

He is an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also serves as director of Secondary School Initiatives at the Urban Science Education Center.

Dr. Emdin is an expert on improving urban education, the intersection of hip-hop and education, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education, politics, race, class, diversity, and youth empowerment. He is also an advisor to numerous international organizations, school districts, and schools where he delivers speeches and holds workshops/professional development sessions for students, teachers, policy makers, and other education stakeholders within the public and private sector.

Dr. Emdin writes the provocative “Emdin 5” series on a number of contemporary social issues for The Huffington Post and draws on his extensive experience as a former physics and chemistry teacher, school administrator, and urban education researcher to write about topics that range from school bullying and student protests to parental involvement and the political landscape of urban America. He is the author of the recently released, award-winning book Urban Science Education for the Hip-Hop Generation.

Christopher Emdin holds a PhD in urban education with a concentration in mathematics, science, and technology; master’s degrees in both natural sciences and education administration; and bachelor’s degrees in physical anthropology, biology, and chemistry.