Project Results

About This Project

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

The goal of this project is to acquire supplemental funding for high school student participation in the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (ASBMB) conference in Boston, MA in late April, and preparation and participation in the 3rd high school iGEM Jamboree in Greenfield, IN in late June.

What is the significance of this project?

Providing authentic experiences for students who have chosen to explore the world of science is important in helping them grow their passion and get a glimpse of their potential future career.

Participation in the ASBMB conference provides one such authentic experience that is generally reserved for principal investigators, post-docs, graduate and undergraduate students. As part of the SMART Team program, run by the Center for BioMolecular Modeling at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, we have been invited to present scientific posters associated with our work with a bacterial Chaperone protein (important in protein folding) and the G-protein transducin (important in communicating information from photoreceptor in the eye). Basic science underlies all medical breakthroughs.

Participation in the 3rd high school iGEM, outside Indianapolis, is equally, if not more, important in this regards because students will be presenting work that is representative of work as it is conducted in scientific research laboratories. Although, students have not finalized their specific research project for this year, their work will involve the use of recently developed biological engineering philosophies and techniques for manipulating bacteria to perform novel and relevant tasks. One project idea that is being considered is to work on developing bacteria that could withstand the environmental context of a Marsian world.

Here is a link to our "under construction" iGEM wiki: http://2013hs.igem.org/Team:BV_CAPS_Kansas

What are the goals of the project?

The educational program that my students are members of is currently 3 years old. For the past three school years, approximately 50 students per year have reached outside their comfort zone, transitioning from their home high school for 1/2 of their day, for the experience that we have to offer. We are happy to report that next year our numbers will be doubling.

Undoubtedly, marketing efforts showcasing our previous participation in events like those you will be helping to support, have facilitated more students in becoming aware of the opportunities that we have to offer. Your funding in support of this year's participation in the ASBMB conference and high school iGEM, will further accelerate participation in our program.

You have my word that our program will continue to grow and ultimately become a national model for authentic bioscience education.