Outreach

Our goals are to make genetics and genomics, from botany to biotechnology, accessible and exciting, to involve the public in impactful research projects, and to inspire the next generation of scientists.

Alonso-Stepanova Lab – Plants4Kids

Plants4kids is a bilingual (English and Spanish) hands-on web-based program for children, aged 5 to 12, that teaches basic plant biology. To disseminate and promote our web program, since 2011 the Alonso-Stepanova lab has been running monthly hands-on demonstrations at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences and at local schools. Our goal is to stimulate interest in science among young people and to make basic science accessible to the underrepresented Hispanic community.

Alonso-Stepanova Lab – SynBio workshop

This five-day workshop for biology teachers provides hands-on training in basic recombinant DNA technology and synthetic biology. Workshop participants employ mini-versions of standard laboratory equipment to implement a series of molecular and synthetic biology methods to generate a recombinant DNA construct.

Koci Lab – Nuggets on Mars

Middle school students today will graduate from college around the time that several organizations plan to land the first humans on Mars. This program challenges middle school teachers and their students to imagine how humans might raise chickens on Mars.

Roberts Lab – Fish Filet Forensics and more!

The Roberts Lab engages in a variety of public outreach projects including science cafe talks, and museum exhibits like Fish Face Frenzy! (about dietary specialization and evolution; K-5 audience) and Dances with Fishes (about using comparison among animals to understand behavior; all ages audience).

Outreach

GGA Community Outreach

Alonso-Stepanova Lab – Plants4Kids

Alonso-Stepanova Lab – SynBio workshop

Koci Lab – Nuggets on Mars

Roberts Lab – Fish Filet Forensics and more!