High School Outreach

[http://www.phoenixunion.org/education/school/school.php?sectiondetailid=16413&linkid=nav-menu-container-4-25577 Bioscience High School]

June 1, 2011

• ASU iGEM decided to participate in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering Summer Intern Program by hosting a high school senior, Juan Padilla, from Bioscience High School.
• The team mentored Juan throughout the summer as he helped contribute to our team project.
• Juan was able to gain a strong handle on molecular biology lab techniques and gain a solid foundation on the CRISPR-Cas system.
• At the end of the summer, Juan gave a presentation detailing his experience with ASU iGEM to the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering.

August 12, 2011:

• First outreach meeting with Bioscience High School, our first high school partner.
• We presented our Exploring Synthetic Biology curriculum to a Biotechnology class and encouraged them to start their own iGEM team.
• Bioscience High School has started their own high school iGEM team for the high school division!

September 12, 2011:

• Bioscience High School has decided their iGEM project for the year!

September 26, 2011:

• Second meeting with Bioscience High School.
• Met with their iGEM team and advisor and introduced more basics of synthetic biology, the [http://partsregistry.org/Main_Page Registry of Standard Biological Parts], and restriction and ligation techniques.
• Gave the team advice and feedback on their project and introduced resources they can use to get started.

[http://chs.vail.k12.az.us/ Cienega High School]

September 17, 2011:

• First outreach meeting with an Honors and AP Biology class at Cienega High School in Tucson!
• Introduction to Synthetic Biology and its applications, bacterial genetics, and basic lab techniques.

[http://www.mychandlerschools.org/hhs/site/default.asp Hamilton High School]

July 25, 2011

• Discussion with Biotechnology staff at Hamilton High School about setting up an iGEM team at HHS.

September 27, 2011

• Set up official collaboration between ASU iGEM and Hamilton High School Biotechnology.

Other ASU iGEM High School Partners

• [http://www.mpsaz.org/mesa/departments/biotech/ Mesa Biotechnology Academy]
• [http://www.gilbertschools.net/Domain/8 Campo Verde High School]
• [http://www.chandler.k12.az.us/bhs/site/default.asp Basha High School]
• Corona Del Sol High School
• [http://desertvista.schoolfusion.us/ Desert Vista High School]
• [http://www.mpsaz.org/dobson Dobson High School]

Other Initiatives

Our Vision for the High School Division of iGEM

• We believe that the high school division of iGEM has vast potential to revolutionize current approaches to biological sciences education in high school.
• Currently,

[http://azmesa.arizona.edu/ Arizona MESA]

• MESA is now working with ASU iGEM to support MESA in central Arizona!
• Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) is a university-based outreach program operating in 8 states. In Arizona, MESA strives to provide an opportunity for ethnic minority, low income, and first generation college-bound students to explore college majors and career interests with a group of peers interested in attending college.
• MESA promotes a strong academic foundation in mathematics and science as the key to college admission and success. Hands-on activities and team competitions focused on mathematics, engineering, and science are highlighted in order to increase students’ confidence in these areas.