[1][2][3] In 2013, Bertha Vazquez, TIES director and middle school science teacher in Miami, met Richard Dawkins at the University of Miami and discussed evolution education with him and a number of science professors.

The discussion surrounded the issue of teachers feeling unprepared to teach evolution.

Dawkins eventually asked Vazquez if she would be willing to take her workshop project nationwide.

[4][5] The first TIES workshop was in April 2015 in collaboration with the Miami Science Museum.

[4][7] In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, TIES moved its workshops online and produced guided lessons in English and Spanish that students can work through on their own.