School Partnerships
HudsonAlpha provides educators with a number of resources to help create a genomics-literate society and understand the applications of life science research. These programs have been developed very deliberately, extending from student to teacher because the pathway of lifelong learning begins at HudsonAlpha and continues through the classroom.
Classroom Materials
As the classroom continues to evolve, interactive and experiential teaching tools are becoming more essential educational resources than ever.
A significant part of HudsonAlpha’s outreach includes creating cutting-edge assets for educators, with a long-range vision of implementing programs that cultivate a robust and highly trained future biotechnology workforce. The Institute strives to meet those goals by creating engaging learning experiences that attract both students and teachers and also by minimizing barriers to access to these state-of-the-art resources.
Annual Guidebook
Genetics, genomics and biotechnology are fast-paced and ever-changing fields with new discoveries occurring every day. To help educators stay up to date on these discoveries and learn how to bring them into the classroom, the HudsonAlpha Educational Outreach team publishes an annual Biotechnology Guidebook. This Guidebook includes articles on foundational concepts as well as descriptions of new research discoveries. All articles are linked to the Alabama Course of Study for high school biology, genetics, AP biology and multiple career and technical education courses. These can easily be integrated with similar course objectives from other states and systems.
Each year the Guidebook is updated with new findings and applications, providing teachers a quick way to stay up to date and incorporate the latest research into classroom discussions.
Download the 2014-2015 Guidebook.
Previous Guidebooks:
Educational Tools to Purchase
In 2007, HudsonAlpha began a partnership with the Alabama State Department of Education to develop modules and activities for middle and high school students connected to state curriculum requirements in genetics. Today, these kits annually reach more than 50,000 Alabama students through the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI). Activities explore chromosome behavior in cells, diagnose genetic disorders and use bioinformatics databases to reinforce DNA structure and function. Recently, HudsonAlpha’s kits have been licensed to Carolina Biological Supply Company to promote and distribute to classrooms around the world.
Details about kit contents, costs and ordering instructions can be accessed on the Carolina Biological website.
The APPLE Program
In 2006, Educational Outreach started the Advancement Placement Program for Learning Enhancement or APPLE, as an alternative education outreach program that enhances teacher efforts in presenting specific AP Biology laboratory exercises. HudsonAlpha partners with educators and researchers to develop and assist in the presentation of such lab activities. By having professionals in the biotechnology field directly visiting high schools, the Institute is continuing to fulfill its mission of training the future biotechnology workforce.
Alabama State Department of Education
Educational Outreach partners with the Alabama State Department of Education to encourage students to pursue a career in science. As a part of the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), HudsonAlpha and the Alabama State Department of Education developed an eight lesson module that incorporates hands-on lab activities, techniques and state curriculum requirements to give students a deeper understanding of what genetics entails. In addition, the two partnered to design new biotech laboratories for Alabama Science in Motion (ASIM) which provides more than 100 mobile science activities that travel to high schools throughout Alabama. Each new biotechnology lab meets state-mandated course of study requirements for multiple classes.