'Couldn't wait to do it myself'

Science Article
July 18, 2002

Excitement over scientific immersion fuels summer session for SEP, drawing teachers from all over the state, Texas and Singapore

As lead teacher Cindy McIntyre of Everett looks on, SEP summer participant Lynnette Lambert of White River High School pipets a mixture of proteins onto a glass column that will sort the proteins based on their size. Photo by Mary Vail

By BARBARA BERG

For three weeks of her summer vacation, Lynette Lambert will wield a pipet instead of a piece of chalk, scrawl results into a lab notebook instead of a grade ledger and prepare her own research project rather than require one of her 10th-grade students.

Lambert, at teacher at White River High School in Buckley, Wash., along with 26 "classmates," are in the midst of a two-and-a-half week immersion into the world of biomedical research made possible by the Science Education Partnership, a venture that pairs area science teachers with scientists at Fred Hutchinson and other local researchers.

Intrigued by the lab lessons of a White River colleague who already is an SEP participant, Lambert decided to devote part of her summer vacation to extracting DNA and growing bacteria.

"Every time my colleague set up a new experiment for his students, he'd run into my classroom to show me," she said. "I couldn't wait to do it myself."

Created in 1991 to provide state teachers with a real-world connection to scientific research, SEP is engaging in far-reaching collaborations.

This summer, SEP hosts two teachers from Austin, Texas, and is continuing a collaboration begun last summer with the Singapore Ministry of Education. Educators from both distant locations hope to incorporate approaches learned here into practice in their science programs.

The participating teachers spent three days last week learning the basics of molecular biology and five days working in a lab with a scientist mentor. A culminating poster session next week has participants showcase projects based on their experiences that many will mix into their curriculum.

Benefits for scientists

Fourteen center scientists are taking part in the partnership this year. Science mentors are also drawn from University of Washington Genome Sciences, Immunex Corp., ZymoGenetics, Inc. and Seattle Biomedical Research Institute. The collaboration provides benefits for scientists as well as teachers, said Dr. Nancy Hutchison, SEP director.

"Of course, the teachers take away a new understanding of what it means to be a research scientist and gain access to tools that allow them to apply what they've learned in their classrooms," she said, referring to SEP's year-round science-equipment kit-loan program. "But one of the program's founding goals was also to educate scientists to develop and strengthen their ability to communicate their research to the public."

One of the most tangible outcomes of this goal has been SEP's collaboration with the Molecular and Cellular Biology graduate program. MCB students have the option of completing a portion of their teaching requirement by participating as a mentor for an SEP teacher. More than 50 graduate students have taken part in this opportunity.

SEP's reputation has spawned requests for advice and from around the country. At a regional science education meeting several years ago, Hutchison was approached by a representative from Austin Community College interested in setting up a program in her own community. Two educators from school districts in suburban Austin are SEP participants this summer.

No 'franchise programs'

"We're not looking to establish 'franchise' programs," said Hutchison, who has provided informal consultation for other institutions. "We hope they'll take away whatever is useful to them to create a successful program with their local teachers."

Last year, SEP and other similar programs around the country forged a collaboration with the Singapore Ministry of Education, which has made biotechnology education a priority for their country's students. Two teachers from Singapore participated last summer and two more join this summer's group of teachers.

Funding for SEP is provided by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Fred Hutchinson, the Olympic Four Seasons Terry Fox Shore Run and the Broadmoor-Washington Park Guild.

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