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FREE Summer Workshop for High School Science and CTE Teachers

Submitted by admin on Mon, 06/10/2013 - 14:41
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Have you ever wondered…

  • ...what’s happening in current research labs?
  • ...what systems biology really is?
  • ...what STEM professionals do?
  • ...how people become STEM professionals?

Have you ever wondered how you can EASILY incorporate…

  • ...interdisciplinary, hands-on science in your high school classroom?
  • ...systems science AND systems thinking into your high school curriculum?

Then this workshop is for you!

We invite you to join us for 5 days to: Learn about systems biology from today’s leading scientists

Learn easy ways to implement systems science in your classroom.  

Topics will include: Building and Using Networks in the Lab, the Interplay between the Environment and Genes, Using Model Organisms, Ocean Acidification, and Designing Innovative Technology. You will receive all needed curriculum and all consummables to begin teaching these lessons.

Build your own spectorophotometer to keep

Enjoy the bustling South Lake Union Biotech community

When: Monday, July 29 - Friday, August 2, 2013, 8:00 am - 4:00 pm

Where: Institute for Systems Biology, 401 Terry Avenue N, Seattle, WA 98109

How: Contact Claudia Ludwig to RSVP - cludwig@systemsbiology.org, 206-732-1453

Please RSVP quickly - we are accepting only 24 participants to ensure a high quality hands-on experience! Clock hours will be available.

Flyer:

 

Baliga Lab Receives Two MJ Murdock Awards

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The Baliga Lab at the Institute for Systems Biology (ISB) is the winner of two grants in the amounts of $15,000 each from the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust for its 2013 Partners In Science Program. 

Each of these two year grants will enable two high school teachers to collaborate with scientists in conducting research projects in ISB‘s laboratories.   ISB’s faculty and research scientists will work in tandem with the teachers and mentor them as they conduct their respective projects. 
 
The mission of the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust is to enhance teachers’ experience as researchers and to hone their skills in using laboratory equipment and experimental protocols. The goal is to transfer this understanding to their science students and awaken a passion for science.  The teachers who participate in these grants will implement plans for facilitating future student-teacher-institution collaborations, thereby furthering science education programs.  The teachers will also contribute to the publication of their research results.
 
We are pleased to announce that Jennifer Duncan-Taylor of Port Angeles High School in Port Angeles, WA and Tamara Caraballo of Glacier Peak High School in Snohomish, WA are the two high school teachers ISB will be working with.  Jennifer Duncan-Taylor’s research will utilize a systems biology approach to characterize diatom response to ocean acidification, climate change and nitrogen availability.  Tamara Caraballo’s area of study will entail employing systems models to accurately predict the biological consequences of sequence variation and small 3D structural changes in proteins.  ISBers Nitin Baliga, Justin Ashworth, Christopher Lausted, Monica Orellana and Claudia Ludwig will work with these talented teachers.
 
These MJ Murdock Partners in Science Program awards will help each of these high school teachers further their laboratory bench skills and learn new protocols and technologies as classroom lab teachers.  ISB’s partnering with them will allow ISB to extend its research and further communicate its science.  We are excited about this mutually beneficial collaboration and experience!

 

2012 - A Busy Year for SEE!

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2012 was a busy year for Systems Education Experiences!
Through our four curriculum modules, internships, and many professional development activities, we are proud to announce that during the 2012 year,
  • 220 teachers have been involved in our program
  • 3,800 high school students have been involved in our program
  • 319 days contained SEE related activities for our participants
  • over 8,000 people have viewed our training videos
These numbers include only those participants we know about.  If you have used our online curriculum, please let us know.  We'd love to hear from you.   Thank you everyone, especially NSF and the Center through NIH/NIGMS for making 2012 a great year.
 

Continuation of Dynamic DNA Course

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 Exploring Biological Systems and Genetic Testing - "Dynamic DNA"

The course that began with WA Network for Innovative Careers, DigiPen Institute of Technology, Northwest Association for BioMedical Research and Systems Education Experiences in the Baliga Lab will continue in 2013.
Due to the success and high demand for this 10th-12th grade course in 2011 and 2012, the course will continue in 2013.  Students will again have the opportunity to act as collaborative scientists, to complete their own extended investigations, and to gain practical job and thinking skills.  While integrating science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students will grapple with current scientific questions to extend their scientific learning, master techniques and to learn about possible career paths. 
 
Course Description: Knowing how genes work requires an understanding of both biological systems and the tools scientists use to make sense of complex data. In this course students explore different topics and tools related to biological systems and genetic research, including: how microorganisms respond to their environment, how mutations in genes can cause cancer, and how studying DNA can help us learn about evolution. Laboratory and interactive experiences include microbiology, systems biology, DNA purification, and DNA sequencing. The course also includes a field trip to multiple research labs in the South Lake Union Biotech Hub.
 
For more information and to apply, visit the Washington Network for Innovative Careers at http://wanic.org/. Click "Apply Here" from the left menu, and then select "Click Here to Apply & View Courses." Dynamic DNA is listed under the "Summer" programs. This 90 hour workshop earns students 0.5 Occupational Education credits and takes place the end of June through mid-July each summer.  See also this link for post-course information.

Student Workshop with DigiPen, NWABR and the Baliga Lab

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Exploring Biological Systems and Genetic Testing - "Dynamic DNA"
DigiPen Institute of Technology, Northwest Association for BioMedical Research and the Baliga Lab present a workshop for 10-12th graders.

Knowing how genes work requires an understanding of both biological systems and the tools scientists use to make sense of complex data. In this course students explore different topics and tools related to biological systems and genetic research, including: how microorganisms respond to their environment, how mutations in genes can cause cancer, and how studying DNA can help us learn about evolution. Laboratory and interactive experiences include microbiology, systems biology, DNA purification, and DNA sequencing.

For more information and to apply, visit the Washington Network for Innovative Careers at http://wanic.org/. Click "Apply Here" from the left menu, and then select "Click Here to Apply & View Courses." Dynamic DNA is listed under the "Summer" programs.  This 90 hour workshop earns students 0.5 Occupational Education credits and takes place June 28th - July 15th, 2011.   

See also this online brochure about the workshop (PDF) and this link for post-course information.

Baliga Lab and Ballard High School Astronomy Club Head to Space

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The Baliga Lab is working with Ballard High School students and teachers to send an experiment aboard the next, and perhaps final, space shuttle mission.

To read more on this story: 

http://ballard.komonews.com/content/ballard-high-school-students-sending...

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014093824_spaceshuttle3...

http://www.invisiblemoose.org/eric/space_shuttle_experiment.html

http://ssep.ncesse.org/

 

 

Summer Systems Education Group Presents their Work to ISB

Submitted by cludwig on Thu, 11/11/2010 - 12:05
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2010 Baliga Lab Interns Alexis Valauri-Orton, Aisha McKee, Danny Thomson and Goodwin Gibbins are no strangers to the stage.  With Aisha and Lexi's singing and performance backgrounds, Danny's top notch baseball pitching skills, and Goody's keen ability to communicate internationally with diverse audiences, presenting their summer work to the Institute for Systems Biology was a natural activity at the end of their summer internship. 

In addition to working with the Baliga Lab, these interns also worked with Ballard High School science teacher Eric Muhs and Lynden High School science teacher Mari Knutson Herbert to help develop systems education experiences for classrooms and tools to be used in the lab.  For more information, please view their presentation in three parts on YouTube.

Science Scope

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August 2008

Ludwig, Claudia and Nitin S. Baliga. 2008.

Systems Concepts Effectively Taught Using Systems Practices. Science Scope 31(9):16-20.

High School Learning:Investigating Ecological Disturbances

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Washington Science Teachers´ Journal (Volume 48, No. 3) --
"High School Learning: Investigating Ecological Disturbances."
(Using New Scientific Practices in Classrooms to Investigate an Ecological Disturbance)

LASER Certifies High School Science Kit Developed in ISB's Baliga Lab

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ISB´s mission stresses educational innovation that increases young students´ interest and achievement in science and math. Assistant Professor Nitin Baliga, PhD. is a prime example of this leadership. Taking a hands-on approach to science education, Baliga and colleagues have developed inquiry and systems-based science kits that engage students and facilitate their use of research tools used by scientists today.  

The Ecological Networks kit, which introduces the concept of biological networks through exercises involving cellular phone networks and a case study, was recently certified by Washington State Leadership for Assistance in Education Reform (LASER). The educational kit is now featured in a science curriculum database and in the LASER Instructional Materials Showcase, which presents exemplary, researched-based instructional materials developed under meticulous guidelines.  You can learn more about the kit and about LASER by going to the following websites.  
http://baliga.systemsbiology.net/drupal/education/?q=content/descriptions-education-modules
http://www.wastatelaser.org/

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