Special to The Islander

Staff report

HUNTSVILLE – Lynn Lowell of Gulf Shores High School is one of 16 teachers striving to bring the latest in genetics and genomics education to Alabama classrooms.

Lowell and fellow educators from across the state went to the HudsonAlpha Institute to participate in Genetic Technologies for Alabama Classrooms.

“GTAC is one of the most valuable professional development workshops I have attended in my teaching experience,” Lowell said.  “Dr. Lamb and his knowledgeable staff have not only introduced recent innovations in a continuously evolving biotech field, but also helped me identify and address the misconceptions that current students bring into my classroom.”

The institute’s educational outreach staff is sharing the excitement of genetic discovery and applications for health, agriculture and energy.  In turn, teachers will pass this enthusiasm to their students, opening eyes and minds to potential careers in bioscience.

GTAC participants are learning to use institute-created, hands-on laboratory kits and classroom resources like Disorder Detectives, HNPCC (a kit focusing on heredity and colorectal cancer) and HudsonAlpha Cell. Teachers also take part in “meet the scientist” talks with HudsonAlpha investigators and principal scientists from resident companies.

“I plan to use the lesson plans, activities and materials that I have received through GTAC to advance my current and future students’ understanding of biotech and show them the career possibilities available in the field,” Lowell said.

“I am encouraged by the time I have spent with this wonderful group of educators,” said Dr. Neil Lamb, director of educational outreach at HudsonAlpha.  “It is gratifying to see these teachers engaged and excited; learning about recent discoveries in biotech and how they can be linked to the classroom.”

The experience mingles lab experience with networking opportunities including a movie night featuring pop culture sources of common misconceptions in genetics and a picnic at the Huntsville Botanical Garden.

The GTAC experience culminated on July 30. Teachers will view and critique the work of HudsonAlpha BioTrain interns before returning to their schools and sharing the latest in genomics lab techniques to their high school students.

“These teachers already have the passion to reach their students and help them understand how genetics impacts their lives. We’re only here to stoke that fire and equip teachers with new and exciting tools to inspire their students,” Lamb said.

The Daniel Foundation of Alabama and The Boeing Company Charitable Trust generously sponsor GTAC.