JCVI’s Scientists Inspire the Next Generation!

JCVI’s Education Program has been working to bring science to life (sometimes literally!) for San Diego’s students.

It started off March 4 with our participation in President Obama’s recently announced science education initiative “Take Your Child to the Lab” week. Nine children of JCVI’s staff visited the Institute for a tour and hands-on science experiment.

The morning started with a talk from JCVI’s La Jolla Campus Director, Mark Adams. Dr. Adams began by asking the kids, “What are you curious about?” This prompted a flurry of enthusiastic responses. “At JCVI,” he continued, “That’s what we – and your parents – do. We’re curious. We ask questions that no one has answered and then we try to figure out answers.”

JCVI scientists Phil Weyman and Nicole Yee talk about synthetic biology and bacteria cultures.

Next, the children heard about some of the specific questions we’re asking and answering at JCVI from synthetic biology with Dr. Phillip Weyman to waste water treatment with Kayla Carpenter to bacteria growth and antibiotic testing with Nicole Yee and Manny Torralba. They also went on a tour of JCVI’s sustainable lab led by Dr. Robert Friedman. He helped the children think not only about doing science, but the impact of doing science. “It’s really cool that the building is made out of recycled materials,” said eleven-year old Charlie Myers. “I’ve never seen anything like that!”

Before leaving, our young guests tried their own hands at culturing bacteria by gathering samples from the environment around them. Over the next week they’ll be monitoring their samples to see what happens next!

The children take bacteria samples and show off their experiments.

The San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering

The very next day, JCVI was once again sharing our passion for science with the San Diego community. The JCVI Mobile Lab was one of 143 exhibitors participating in the 2016 San Diego Festival of Science & Engineering’s free Expo Day. Approximately 500 visitors boarded the mobile lab and learned about sequencing, marine microbes, using DNA in forensics, and the human microbiome. Volunteers Andres Gomez, Marcus Jones, Drishti Kaul, Ebony Miller, Aubrie O’Rourke, Joey Steward, Michelle Tull and Angela Zoumpliswowed group after group by sharing about JCVI’s research.

Drishti Kaul and Aubrie O’Rourke guide festival attendees through JCVI’s Mobile Laboratory.

“Can this mobile lab come to my child’s school?” more than one parent wanted to know. The JCVI Education Program would love to make that a reality. Contact Education Manager Amani Rushing at [email protected] to talk about supporting the mobile lab your community!