Science Teachers Become Students for a Day
By Mika Ono
and Jennifer O'Sullivan
Eighty-seven middle and high school teachers learned about
trends in research and the scientific marketplace this week
in a professional development seminar at The Scripps Research
Institute (TSRI).
The seminar, which is an annual event co-sponsored by TSRI's
Science Outreach Program and San Diego City Schools' Partnerships
in Education, included a keynote address by Alan Bersin, the
superintendent of public education of the San Diego Unified
School District.
Bersin emphasized the value of science education in today's
uncertain world. "Let's give every child the opportunity to
understand so that when something like this anthrax terror
strikes at home we have children who can start to analyze
what's happening, not people who panic in the face of this
attack," he said. "That's what a scientific perspective will
give to our children—the ability to think critically
about the world they are living in..." Also speaking at the
seminar were Douglas Bingham, TSRI vice president and general
counsel, who covered the "who," "what," "when," "where," and
"why" of the institute; Judith Munoz, TSRI vice president
of human resources, who spoke on career paths in bioscience;
and Kim Bess, science director for the San Diego City Schools,
who summarized societal trends and how they should be reflected
in education. Nancy Taylor, science director of the San Diego
County Office of Education, Frances O'Neill Zimmerman, member
of the Board of Education of the San Diego Unified School
District, and Robin Goldsmith, vice president of communications
also participated.
Teachers at the seminar also learned about other possibilities
for career development through TSRI's Science Outreach Program,
specifically a six-week session of tutorials in the spring
and a summer internship program. For many of the teachers,
though, the highlight of the day was TSRI science and scientists.
Professor Don Mosier spoke to the teachers on the "Origin
and Spread of the AIDS Virus." Opening the lecture, he recalled
how one of his high school science teachers had really taken
the course textbook to task, challenging its assumptions and
using the opportunity to teach the valuable skill of critical
inquiry. He urged the teachers to do the same.
Assistant Professor Floyd Romesberg gave a talk entitled
"Genetic Information." During the presentation, Romesberg
recalled his personal experiences as a high school student,
admitting to a less than spectacular performance in a high
school chemistry class. As an undergraduate several years
later, when his passion for the subject had been sparked,
Romesberg ran into his high school chemistry teacher at the
supermarket and told him he was majoring in chemistry. "He
gave me this strange look and just started laughing," Romesberg
said. Romesberg praised the teachers for taking on the challenge
of igniting students' creativity while at the same time teaching
fundamentals.
In her lecture on "Collared Necks and Surprises: The Sometimes
Convoluted Path to Understanding," Chair of the Department
of Cell Biology Sandra Schmid chronicled some of her experiences
making scientific discoveries. Schmid emphasized that "science
is genderless... and that's something you can teach students."
After lunch, seminar participants toured TSRI laboratories
and facilities, which included the Boger lab, the Getzoff
lab, the Janda lab, the Kelly lab, the Millar lab, the NMR
Facility, the Nicolaou lab, the Sharpless lab, the X-Ray Chrystallography
Facility, and the Yates lab.
The teachers were enthusiastic about their day at TSRI.
"[This seminar offers] exciting information," said Maureen
Quessenberry, a science teacher at the School for Creative
and Performing Arts. "This is my fourth time. It's always
different and always a joy. And this time I get to tour a
Nobel Prize-winning lab!"
Roxann Hatfield, also a teacher at the San Diego School
for Creative and Performing Arts, agreed that the experience
was a valuable one. "This is a good way to expand my teaching,"
she said. "I bring some of the science back to my higher-level
kids. I hope some will get turned on to the idea of going
into research."
|
Teachers tour Nobel laureate K. Barry
Sharpless's lab as part of a professional development seminar
at TSRI. Photo by Jennifer O'Sullivan.
|
