Session 1

During our first workshop, what did you find meaningful for your own learning purposes?
Wow, I sure learned a lot. I was totally blown away by our first session together. I especially liked having Dr. Alex come to talk to us about his research - it's amazing what kind of research is being done at the molecular level to solve heart failure, down to one specific membrane channel! I also loved visiting the vivarium to see the mice and the ultrasound machine. It was amazing to hear about actual cutting edge research being done - using bubbles to carry genes into target tissues - wow, who would have thought that possible?

Do you think that all secondary science teachers should go through some type of laboratory experience like the one you are participating in?
Most definitely YES - basic safety training and intro to molecular lab techniques at the least. The non-biology teachers may be overwhelmed by the content covered, but could really benefit from the lab practical experiences. This is a great way for teachers to stay connected to the "real world" and learn about new technologies that are really being used by scientists. It is helping me catch up with cutting edge techniques. It's really hard to know the "latest" in research when we're so caught up in the classroom. I really appreciate the opportunity to stay "current".