Mary Baker is the director of SMARTspace@NIU, which provides free standards-aligned online STEAM learning opportunities for K-12 learners. Mary promotes student creativity through problem-based learning opportunities to help learners collaborate, engage in STEAM activities, develop innovative solutions to authentic problems, and make connections across multiple disciplines. Formerly, an art and technology specialist in Louisiana, Mary made her way north to Chicagoland. She has a B.FA., M.Ed., M.FA., Ed.S., and is currently working on her doctorate.