 |
 Biotechnology Institute News Digest
The News Digest looks at the world of biotechnology education, with Institute news, links to recent articles and a schedule of upcoming events. The News Digest is published by the Biotechnology Institute, the national organization dedicated to biotechnology education. In this issue:
Last Call for Education Conference Applications The 2006 Biotechnology Institute Annual Education Conference, which will be held in Chicago, April 6-9, integrates the Institute’s core programs into a unique conference that focuses on best practices, competitions, hands-on professional development sessions linked to education and skill standards and introduces students to the biotechnology industry.Application deadlines are imminent. Apply before the below dates!
For information about the Education Conference and to download program applications, visit http://www.biotechinstitute.org/events/annualconference/annual_conference.html
Professional Development Sessions Presented Around the Nation As part of its National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Program, the Institute is continuing to build awareness and understanding of biotechnology education among teachers and students through professional development sessions at major education meetings. In November and December, the Institute presented professional development sessions to approximately 700 teachers at the Midwestern Area National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Convention in Chicago, IL; the Virginia Association of Science Teachers Annual Professional Development Institute in Roanoke, VA; the 2005 Biotechnology Workshop at Lycoming College in Williamsport, PA; the Southern Area NSTA Convention in Nashville, TN; and Pfizer Professional Development at HealthSpace Cleveland, OH. For more about the National Biotechnology Teacher-Leader Program, visit the Biotechnology Institute website. Institute Conference Focuses on Workforce Development On December 2, the Biotechnology Institute held a conferencein San Diego that focused on partnerships between the San Diego biotechnology community and area community colleges. Community Colleges and the California Biotechnology Industry: Workforce Development Conference 2005 brought together industry and community college stakeholders to discuss ways to develop a robust biotechnology workforce.Held atthe Burnham Institute,more than 60 participants heardspeakers from San Diego area community colleges and companies such as Invitrogen, Genentech, Alexion Antibody Technologies and Cibus. Particularly useful were the views of biotechnology students and recent graduates who offered insight on putting newly acquired skills to work. The conference highlighted the growing workforce demands of the vibrant San Diego biotechnology industry and its need for employees with training and skills on a faster turnaround than a traditional undergraduate education typically offers. For more about the Workforce Development Initiative and the Workforce Development 2005 Conference, visit the Biotechnology Institute website.
New sanofi-aventis BioGENEius Regional Coordinators The Southeast Regional BioGENEius Challenge has a new coordinator. Terry Copeland of Atomic Science, Inc., will oversee the regional challenge, which will be hosted in Oak Ridge, TN, on March 4. Jerry Collins of Vanderbilt University will be the Tennessee state representative and will hold the Tennessee Challenge in conjunction with the Tennessee Biotechnology Conference in February. MdBio will coordinate a statewide BioGENEius Challenge in Maryland. Janelle Kawamoto, MdBio’s manager of education programs, will direct the effort to recognize outstanding biotechnology student research in the state. MdBio will sponsor the two winning student teams from Maryland in the Northeast BioGENEius Challenge on March 4 at Monmouth University. For more about the BioGENEius Challenge, visit the Biotechnology Institute website. Genzyme-Invitrogen Educator Award DeadlineCorrection Institute Seeking Bulletin Board Moderator The Biotechnology Institute seeks an online Bulletin Board Moderator to help launch a planned “E-Community” section on its website. The successful candidate will have comprehensive experience in biotechnology education, computer literacy, and a minimum of one year’s experience moderating discussion lists and/or bulletin boards. This is a paid, part-time position that allows for working from home with own equipment. E-mail resume to Jeff Ghannam, Director of Communications, at jghannam@biotechinstitute.org. Institute People in the News The Biotechnology Institute recently hired Scott May as Vice-President for Systems and Curriculum. May oversees a new initiative that promotes interest in biotechnology education, state by state, at the school system level. He will work with local leaders to encourage the infusion of biotechnology into standards and curriculum as well as teacher professional development and assessment. For more about the Institute’s staff, see http://www.biotechinstitute.org/about/staff.html
Teacher-Leaders Fe Dumapias of Phoenix and Xan Simonson of Mesa were recognized by the Arizona Biotechnology Association for their participation in the Biotechnology Institute’s Teacher-Leader Program. The educators were recognized at an association breakfast ceremony and in an update to the Arizona state legislature. Xan Simonson was the third-place recipient of the Biotechnology Institute’s 2005 Genzyme-Invitrogen Biotech Educator Award. The Phoenix biotechnology education community has also been recognized by local and regional media. See articles from the Nov. 22 Arizona Republic and the Dec. 5 Phoenix Business Journal. Michael Palladino, Northeast BioGENEius Regional Director, was recognized by the New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research with its Caring Heart Award. An associate professor of biology at Monmouth University, Palladino was also named the university’s 2005 Distinguished Teacher of the Year. For more about the BioGENEius Challenge, visit the Biotechnology Institute website. Biotechnology Education News Headlines Below is recent biotechnology education news. See more news at http://www.biotechinstitute.org/news/. School Board Rescinds 'Intelligent Design' Policy. Dover, Pa.'s much-maligned school policy of presenting "intelligent design" as an alternative to evolution was officially relegated to the history books Tuesday night. On a voice vote, and with no discussion beforehand, the newly elected Dover (Pa.)Area School Board unanimously rescinded the policy. Two weeks earlier, a judge ruled the policy unconstitutional. (Associated Press, 1/4/06.) Biotech Boom in New Hampshire Based on Biotech Education. As the director of the New Hampshire Biotechnology Education and Training Center at the Pease campus of New Hampshire Community Technical College, Sonia Wallman has overseen the steady emergence of one of the most innovative bio-manufacturing educational centers in the country. (Portsmouth Herald, 12/17/05.)
Iowa Mobile Lab Takes Biotechnology on the Road. The Science Education Mobile Instruction lab travel to 11 central Iowa counties and assists teachers with biotechnology instruction. It contains laptop computers, equipment for working with DNA, electronic devices and other advanced science tools. The lab was paid for by many private industries and universities throughout the state. (Des Moines Register, 12/8/05.) Innovative New York High School to Offer Biotechnology. Because the Albany, New York, community wants to build a reputation as New York's "Tech Valley," the education community in the region plans to establish an innovative high school to prepare students in a seven-county area for careers in technology. Areas of study will include nanotechnology, biotechnology and information technology. (New York Teacher, 12/8/05.) Upcoming Events Below are upcoming biotechnology education events. See http://www.biotechinstitute.org/events/event_list.php for more events and information.
· Genome Teacher-Leader Professional Development Session (February 4, San Diego, CA) The Biotechnology Institute, with funding from the Pfizer Foundation, is conducting a one-day Teacher-Leader Professional Development Session to accompany the traveling museum exhibit, Genome: The Secret of How Life Works, funded by Pfizer, Inc. The Institute is seeking teachers and science museum educators to attend this session on the genome exhibit, which is now at the San Diego Natural History Museum. Applications deadline: January 27. Click here to download the application. If you enjoy the News Digest, please forward a copy to friends and colleagues. To unsubscribe from this mailing, please send an email to communications@biotechinstitute.org with the subject line “unsubscribe.” For more about the News Digest and to sign up for a free subscription, visit http://www.biotechinstitute.org/news/news_dig.html. . |
|
|
© 2005, Biotechnology Institute, all rights reserved. Privacy Statement Terms & Conditions | Contact Us |