Citizen Science Lab

CREATING SCIENCE PIPELINES FOR DIVERSE AND MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES THROUGH LIFE CHANGING HANDS-ON STEM EXPERIENCES.

THE ABE PROGRAM IS A 4-WEEK INTENSIVE TRAINING THAT PROVIDES MIDDLE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY CONCEPTS TO YOUR CLASSROOM, HANDS-ON, INSTRUCTIONAL BIOTECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM, AND PERSONALIZED MENTORING SO THAT TEACHERS CAN PREPARE STUDENTS FOR STEM CAREERS WHICH BOLSTER THE COUNTRY'S STEM-RELATED ECONOMIES. TEACHERS WILL BE PROVIDED WITH AN "ABE CLASSROOM KIT" FILLED WITH LAB-GRADE EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES, AS WELL AS ONGOING TECHNICAL SUPPORT FROM THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB. ALL TRAINING, MATERIALS, AND SUPPORT ARE PROVIDED AT NO CHARGE.

THE DRONE ACADEMY IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO TEACH YOUTH IN GRADES 9-12 FLYING LESSONS TO SAFELY FLY THEIR OWN DRONES. FOR STUDENTS THAT ARE 16 AND OLDER, WE WILL TAKE THE TIME TO ORGANIZE STUDY AND TESTING SESSIONS TO PREPARE STUDENTS TO PASS THEIR 14 CFR 107.71 EXAM. IN IGEM, STUDENTS PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY BY TACKLING EVERYDAY ISSUES FACING THE WORLD SUCH AS TURNING AGRICULTURAL WASTE INTO BIOFUELS AND WORKING TO CURE ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE. THE IGEM COMPETITION IS AN ANNUAL WORLD-WIDE SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY COMPETITION WITH TEAMS REPRESENTING THE UNITED STATES, CHILE, KAZAKHSTAN, SOUTH KOREA, EGYPT, SOUTH AFRICA, MEXICO, GERMANY, AND AUSTRALIAAMONG OTHERS. THESE MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAMS WORK THROUGHOUT THE SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL TO BUILD GENETICALLY ENGINEERED SYSTEMS FOR THE COMPETITION. STUDENTS PARTICIPATING ON THE CSL'S TEAMWORK WITH CSL STAFF MENTORS TO TRAIN AND FINE-TUNE THEIR ESSENTIAL LAB SKILLS IN ORDER TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPETE IN THE IGEM WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP JAMBOREE, HELD ANNUALLY IN BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. WORKSHOPS (HOMESCHOOL & WEEKEND WORKSHOPS) - THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S HOME SCHOOL AND WEEKEND WORKSHOPS ARE HANDS-ON, AGE-APPROPRIATE STEM LESSONS THAT INSPIRE CURIOSITY, DISCOVERY & EXPLORATION OF LIFE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING DISCIPLINES SUBJECTS INCLUDE: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, PHYSICS, AND CHEMISTRY. CLASSES: FIELD TRIPS (TO LAB AND OUT OF LAB) - WE OFFER STUDENTS A ONE-OF- A-KIND LABORATORY EXPERIENCE. SCHEDULE A FIELD TRIP AT ONE OF THE CITIZEN SCIENCE LAB'S LOCATIONS. SUMMER CAMPS - WE OFFER FUN, HANDS-ON CAMPS FOR GRADES 4 THROUGH 12. WITH A FULL RANGE OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ADVENTURES, INCLUDING ROBOTICS, OUTER SPACE, ZOOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY, DNA, AND DRONES. THERE'S SURE TO BE SOMETHING THAT EXCITES AND INSPIRES THE BUDDING SCIENTIST IN YOUR HOME.

THE AQUAPONICS & SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM SUPPORTS PUBLIC SCHOOL CLASSROOMS BY PROVIDING CURRICULA, AQUAPONICS SYSTEMS, AND A STAFF SUPPORT DURING WEEKLY LESSONS. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES CONCEPTS OF BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND SUSTAINABILITY, INVITING STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN SYSTEMS THINKING AND EXPLORING HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT INTERACTION. DURING THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS ARE GIVEN THE TASKS OF CARING FOR FISH, PLANTING SEEDS, AND MONITORING THEIR AQUAPONICS SYSTEM. THROUGHOUT THEIR EXPERIENCE, STUDENTS GAIN CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND A SENSE OF OWNERSHIP OVER THEIR CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT AS THEY LITERALLY WATCH THEIR WORK GROW.

SEAPERCH IS AN INNOVATIVE UNDERWATER ROBOTICS PROGRAM THAT EQUIPS STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED TO BUILD AN UNDERWATER REMOTELY OPERATED VEHICLE (ROV) IN AN IN-SCHOOL OR OUT-OF-SCHOOL SETTING. STUDENTS BUILD THE ROV FROM A KIT COMPRISED OF LOW-COST, EASILY ACCESSIBLE PARTS, FOLLOWING A CURRICULUM THAT TEACHES BASIC ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE CONCEPTS WITH A MARINE ENGINEERING THEME.THE SEAPERCH PROGRAM PROVIDES STUDENTS WITH THE OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN ABOUT ROBOTICS, ENGINEERING, SCIENCE, AND MATHEMATICS (STEM) WHILE BUILDING AN UNDERWATER ROV AS PART OF A SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM. THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT, STUDENTS WILL LEARN ENGINEERING CONCEPTS, PROBLEM-SOLVING, TEAMWORK, AND TECHNICAL APPLICATIONS.