Huntsville, Ala. – The Educational Outreach team at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology is partnering with the North Alabama Center for Educational Excellence on a new after school program to equip students with the skills and knowledge essential to the future science, technology, engineering and mathematics workforce.
Launching Aspiring Biotechnology Scientists, or L.A.B.S., kicked off Wednesday October 15.
In this pilot semester, 13 students will visit the Institute twice a week for three weeks after school. The goal of the initial sessions is to familiarize students with lab equipment and procedures. From this cohort of initial students, it is hoped that most would return for the spring semester visits.
Students completing the entire year program will receive a monogrammed lab coat and an invitation to participate in year two of the program.
The goal of L.A.B.S is to equip students with the needed lab and critical thinking skills to work independently in a laboratory setting to answer scientific research questions and take advantage of future lab opportunities.
“It’s going to be the foundation for them designing, developing, planning and then executing their own research,” said HudsonAlpha Educational Outreach team member Madelene Loftin.
HudsonAlpha will host an open house at the conclusion of L.A.B.S., at which parents, teachers and other community stakeholders will be invited to learn about the work students have accomplished during the program.
