Opening Minds to Bioscience

June 18-21 and June 25-28

6/27/2007 5:16:00 PM

Shannon Davidson/The Aurora Sentinel

Shawnee Friend, a biology and physical science teacher, at Rangeview High School partners with Sean Emerson a biology teacher at Eaglecrest High School during a lab on June 26 that transforms bacteria in order to make E.Coli glow in the dark during a bioscience class offered by the Community College of Aurora Lowry Campus.

May 22, 2007

The Community College of Aurora launched the Bioscience Institute with the help of lead partner and co-host, the Colorado Bioscience Association, at an invitation-only summit, “Opening Minds to Bioscience,” on May 22, 7:30-11 a.m. in The Rotunda at the Community College of Aurora’s Centre Tech campus. The Aurora Chamber and the Aurora Economic Development Council co-sponsored the event.

Andrew Romanoff, speaker of the Colorado House of Representatives, and Gambro President Kevin Smith addressed the importance of educational relevance for Colorado’s high-school students and the state of the bioscience industry in Colorado. Project Director Dr. Todd Bergren provided details about the Bioscience Institute project (see background below). A lively discussion of needs and ideas for building connections between education and industry in the biosciences followed.

“The Bioscience Institute (project) will allow us to share with a broader audience what we’ve learned through a National Science Foundation grant project designed to train/equip high school teachers in Aurora,” Bergren explained. “Through the Jumpstart grant, we’ll reach many other districts throughout the region. The CCA Biotech Program is unique in the region, and we are excited to share our strength in this area.”

“Imagine 100 leaders from education, industry, and workforce/economic development all focused on access to hands-on, state of the art experiences for high school students in the Denver-Metro area,” added Martha Jackson-Carter, CCA chemistry professor and project administrator.