Team:William and Mary/Human Practices/Thermofisher Scientific
Thermofisher Scientific
Students learn best when they are able to relate what they learned in the class to a hands on experience. Thus, laboratory experiments are ideal for establishing and building upon foundational knowledge. However, our lab cannot invite or visit all 29,000 students in our own district. As the Standards of Learnings are updated and more teachers begin incorporating synthetic biology into their classrooms, we are working to support them with the help of corporate partnerships.
This year, we connected with Jennifer Daugherty, the Regional Sales Manager for Maryland and Virginia, with Thermofisher Scientific to create a large scale program. The goal of this initiative is to improve student access to hands on synthetic biology experiences. We are currently working with Thermofisher and our community partners to create a program that will have the largest possible impact on the most students. Some program options create protective equipment kits including gloves, goggles, aprons etc. which would be distributed to students around the district. The other two programs connect researchers and iGEM members with students for a day of hands on experiences and challenges. The potential programs are outlined in this presentation.
We are in the early phases of this partnership, but the development of this program will benefit both the students who receive educational support, and the employees who have the opportunity to enjoy a day with science students in their community.