New England Biolabs sponsors equipment grants for Lab in a Box veterans
This blog post is based on material initially published on NEBinspiredTM.
We are pleased to announce that Genes in Space sponsor New England Biolabs' Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee has awarded lab equipment grants to two passionate science teachers to enhance their students’ learning experiences in molecular biology.
The grant application was open to all teachers who had completed the Genes in Space Lab in a Box loan program. For two years running, these teachers had borrowed biotechnology equipment so their students could perform molecular biology experiments; now they will have equipment of their own so they can offer more laboratory experiences to more students, year after year.
2022 New England Biolabs DE&I STEM education grant recipients
Zoey Kapusinski
Ulysses S. Grant High School, Oklahoma City, OK
Zoey says: “As a biology teacher at a Title I school, I feel incredibly fortunate to introduce my students to lab equipment and techniques that many have never seen before. By the time my students arrive in my classroom, many have not even used basic compound light microscopes, let alone conducted gel electrophoresis. I find it extremely exciting to introduce students to lab procedures that modern scientists use to conduct contemporary research. Students enjoy getting to use micropipettes and being able to see the visual results of gel electrophoresis with the special viewers. Many students take photos on their phones to share with their friends and family. Seeing students get excited about DNA science and realize that they could pursue this branch of science in their futures is immeasurably rewarding.”
Michael Burke
INSPIRE Connections Academy, Boise, ID
Michael says: “As a teacher at a virtual school, I am acutely aware that my students have a lack of opportunities for hands-on science labs. With this incredibly generous equipment grant I will be able to offer new, exciting labs that would have previously been unaffordable for us. With the district boundary of my school being the entire state of Idaho, this typically means only students that live close by are able to attend in-person lab sessions. However, with the portability of the Lab in a Box, I plan to take it around the state ensuring each and every one of our students has an opportunity to learn. Whether they're younger students developing lab skills such as pipetting or AP Biology students learning about PCR and gel electrophoresis, this equipment will help our students learn the importance of DNA science for years to come. I am truly grateful, and I know my students will be too!”
With these two grants, approximately 750 students will have the opportunity to learn hands-on DNA techniques with their teachers this year alone! We thank New England Biolabs for their generous gift and appreciate their commitment to enabling hands-on experimentation in classrooms. Here's to science!
