The Department of Biology is strongly dedicated to outreach efforts involving students and teachers in K-12 schools. There are several initiatives that are ongoing within the department which involve undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. At the state and regional levels, Dr. Jeff Osborn is a leader in science outreach at the University of Kentucky and is involved in the Appalachian Math Science Partnership (AMSP) and the Appalachian and Minority Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Majors program (AMSTEMM). Dr. Osborn and other faculty and students are involved in additional outreach at the local level. Highlights of such activities include:
1. Involvement in local elementary, middle and high school science fairs and science fun days.
Glendover elementary and Morton middle schools have been a focus for the last several years and we are hoping to spread the efforts to a wider range of schools. Dr. Cooper and several graduate and undergraduate students in Biology run the Science fun day and organize the poster judging for some 200+ projects.
As an Biology undergraduate Justin Blackburn helped to develop Science Day at Berea Community School. He held hands on workshops for the students in middle-elementary school.
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Justin Blackburn liked this so much that he applied with the help Dr. Robin Cooper (Biology) for National Science funds to learn more of what it takes to be a science teacher at a High School.
With the $5,000 NSF-REU award Mr. Justin L. Blackburn provided assistance in a biology classroom at Berea Community High School (BCHS) for the year of 2005. The NSF-REU is a special award for Research Experience for Undergraduates. In this case he used the award for an experience for learning how to teach science.
2. The Department of Biology is also dedicated to helping not only students but science teachers.
One initiative is to work with the Fayette County Public Schools and biology faculty to conduct workshops in the summer for teachers and to continue with teachers education throughout the year.
A Tiered Mentoring Grant from Kentucky Dept. of Education was awarded to Mr. David Taylor (Science Coordinator Fayette County Public Schools) to work with Dr. Robin Cooper to mentor middle school science teachers to learn laboratory and experimental techniques. A hands on teachers workshop was held in 2005 within the Department of Biology.
David Taylor, President Todd, Nick Badre (Undergraduate helper in the workshop)