Scholastic partners trained in Stan-X laboratory practice through Discover Now
Discover Now participant C. Cain in action at the December 2021, Stanford session
This past week, instructors from multiple partner programs oriented to the practice of Stan-X programs and curricula. This included instructors from the Pritzker College Prep School (Chicago, Illinois), Dalton School (New York) and the Haileybury School (Hertfordshire, U.K.). Another instructor from the Massachusetts was prevented from attending in person due to Covid 19-related issues. This week of laboratory instruction was held in the Department of Developmental Biology at Stanford, and organized by Discover Now faculty members Drs. Lutz Kockel and Seung Kim.
DNA sequencing and enhancer trap mapping results from Discover Now participants
Led by Dr. Kockel, the instructors Alex Gannett, Cory Cain (Pritzker), Jessica Joiner (Dalton), Victoria Turner and Gareth Lewis (Haileybury) met daily in-person at Stanford to gain practical instruction on lab practices, fly husbandry, food preparation and procurement, intercross strategies, molecular biology for mapping novel enhancer trap insertions, bio-informatics, larval tissue dissection immunohistology, and tissue imaging. This practical lab instruction complemented prior instruction received through online orientation and meetings covering the genetics, molecular biology and cell biology underlying the Stan-X fruit fly curriculum. Instructor Dr. Lutz Kockel noted, “It is very satisfying to see that course participants are rocketed from a ‘what the heck am I doing?’ to a loud and confident ‘I did this’ within 5 days of instruction.” He also said, “We see this progression and maturation with every Discover Now class”.
G. Lewis and V. Turner of Haileybury, and S.K. Kim of Stanford at breakfast
In addition to the lab-based work, discussion and advice were provided on course execution, including preparation of instructional materials and safe laboratory procedures. During the week of instruction at Stanford, the course participants also produced more than 30 new enhancer trap insertions that will be not only used in participating Stan-X schools for sequencing and analysis in spring 2022, but also become part of the Stan-X collection at the Bloomington Drosophila Stock Center (BDSC). Productive networking interactions between the Stan-X partners who convened at Stanford began through these meetings, and this camaraderie will be developed through year-long mentoring and weekly meetings provided by Dr. Kockel (Stanford) and other Discover Now instructors. Through this intensive, immersive week of lab activities and exercises, the teachers will take all the practical skills needed to run the Stan-X course back to their schools during term time. The instructors, Cory Cain and Alex Gannett from Pritzker College Prep in Chicago stated, “Now we know this curriculum and can implement this class into our school.”
Discover Now dinner at the Wursthall, San Mateo
Jessica Joiner, instructor in science at the Dalton School said: “This was a hugely helpful experience. Discover Now not only brought me up to speed on the modules in the StanX course, it also provided a new perspective on science education. This is an experience focused on lab work where you truly learn by doing. The Discover Now instructors are amazing teachers and scientists, and the experience is really inspirational. I am excited to use the different activities we practiced for a variety of courses at Dalton, from freshman biology to more advanced courses, like our neuroscience elective.”
Discover Now attendees lodged in local hotels, a short distance from the Stanford laboratory space. A farewell celebratory dinner was held at Wursthall, a well-regarded gastro-pub founded by the famed chef Kenji Lopez-Alt in San Mateo, California. We look forward to working with these instructors in the coming years.
For information about Discover Now in 2022, please contact Nicole Lantz at the Lawrenceville School, nlantz@lawrenceville.edu