STAN-X TEACHER MENTORING AND OUTREACH IN 2023
January-December, 2023
A hallmark of STAN-X programs is the training and mentoring of instructors from our partner schools, to foster autonomy and career development. This year we continued this through our weekly network meetings (organized by Lutz Kockel), instructor visits to the Kim lab, instruction of established partnering instructors in new experimental methods and approaches, and visits to potential new partner schools to orient instructors and school leaders in STAN-X philosophy, curricula and opportunities. Many of these visits have been described in prior newsletter postings (see listings for other dates in 2023 below). Additional visits are summarized below.
January 2023
Visit by Lowell High Schoolers to learn molecular biology
Ms. Anjana Amirapu brought her students to the Kim lab for one day of intensive instruction led by Lutz Kockel and Arjun Rajan. Students were instructed in molecular biology methods relevant to their ongoing work to generate and map new fly strain insertions derived from their transposon-based 'enhancer trap' screening. This was a lively day for all, and developed important skills and concepts for the students.
February 2023
Training instructors from the Lowell High School (San Francisco) and the Latin School (Chicago)
Lutz Kockel welcomed Melissa and Geraldine from the Latin School of Chicago and Anajana Amirapu from the Lowell High School. They are instructors in established programs at these schools who sought additional training. They enjoyed an intensive series of didactic and practical training in microscopy methods and orientation to the new CRISPR-based modules being developed for STAN-X classes.
October 2023
Introducing STAN-X to the Ethel Walker School and the Rivers School
After visits in the spring and summer to established STAN-X partners including Hotchkiss, Harvard-Westlake, Loyola Marymount University, Exeter, Haileybury, Oxford, Harvard and Lawrenceville, Seung Kim dropped in during October on the teachers and leadership at the Ethel Walker School (Simsbury, CT) and Rivers School (Weston, MA). At Ethel Walker he met with head of school Dr. Meera Viswanathan, Academic Dean Megan Mulhern, and members of the Science Department, including head Dr. Emma Mitchell. He toured the beautiful campus, and science laboratory spaces during class time and also had a working lunch with science department instructors. We are hoping to establish a new STAN-X program at the Walker School in the near future.
Seung also visited leadership and teachers at the Rivers School. He met with head of school Ryan Dahlem, Dean of Studies Chris Dalton, and other leaders, and with chair of the science department Betty Bloch. He then toured the impressive new science building, admired its architectural distinctions, and viewed potential lab space that could house STAN-X classes.
December 2023
On-site instruction of collaborating instructors from the Pritzker College Prep School (Chicago)
We welcomed Anna and Hannah, teachers at Pritzker who are taking over the course from outgoing teacher Alex Gannett. They spent several days with Dr. Kockel training in fruit fly methods, and theory. We especially value their diligence, effort and energy: Pritzker serves students under-represented in science in the lively urban setting of west Chicago.