ATE Project Talks: Dual Credit High School DNA Sequencing and Biotechnician Education at the Wistar Institute

Welcome to the InnovATEBIO 2024 series of virtual ATE project talks.  This series features leaders in biotechnology workforce education from across the US sharing their work on exciting projects funded by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education (ATE) program.  The ATE program supports the education of technicians for the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy.

Each talk will be 20 minutes, followed by 15 minutes for questions and discussion.

View the whole series of InnovATEBIO 2024 ATE project talks.

Talk 1:  Final Outcomes of Dual Credit High School-Community College DNA Sequencing and Genomics Project, NSF-ATE Award #2055607 & International Opportunities for Biotechnology Education from Japan, Spain, and Iceland

Description: The first part of this talk will review the final outcomes of the Dual Credit High School-Community College DNA Sequencing and Genomics Project, NSF-ATE Award #2055607 which is providing research-based, hands-on, and real-world workforce experience for two-year community college and dual credit high school biotechnology students by providing training on industry-level DNA sequencing technology. The second part of this talk will give an overview of International Opportunities for Biotechnology Education from Japan, Spain, and Iceland.

Speakers:  Joseph Oleniczak (PI), Kissaou Tchedre (Co-PI), Lassa High School and Austin Community College, TX

Learn more about the Dual Credit High School-Community College DNA Sequencing and Genomics ATE project.

Learn about Oleniczak's travels to learn about biotechnology in Spain and learn about marine and agbiotech in Iceland.

Be sure to check out Oleniczak's Canvas modules on biotechnology in Spain and Iceland.

Talk 2:  Expansion, Curriculum Evolution and Enhancement during BioTechnician Training (ExCEEd BTT)

Description: The Wistar Institute developed a Biomedical Technician Training (BTT) Program in 2000 to prepare students from the Community College of Philadelphia (CCP) for laboratory positions. Our NSF ATE Project, Expansion, Curriculum Evolution, and Enhancement during BioTechnician Training (ExCEEd BTT) has three primary goals: 1) include more students from new community college partners in the region, 2) develop a novel curriculum based on Wistar research that effectively engages underrepresented students, and 3) redesign the program as a one-summer pre-apprenticeship with internships in academic and industry labs. Updated outcomes from this project as well as other education and workforce initiatives at Wistar will be shared.

Speaker:  Kristy Shuda McGuire, M.S., Ph.D. (PI), The Wistar Institute, PA

Learn more about the Expansion, Curriculum Evolution, and Enhancement of Biotechnician Training ATE project.