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A newsletter of the Iowa State University Office of Biotechnology • Volume 11 • Number 5 • November 2003
IowaBiotech Educator
Helping educators become their best.
ISU Biotech Training Reaches More Than1,000 Educators
Connect to Biotech
Office of Biotechnology1210 Molecular Biology Bldg.
Iowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011-3260
ph. (515) 294-9818(800) 643-9504 toll-free in Iowa
fax (515) [email protected]
www.biotech.iastate.edu
Information and Free LabSupplies for Iowa Educators
Lori MillerProgram Secretary
Expert Answers to QuestionsMike Zeller
Biotechnology OutreachEducation Coord.
Kristen HesslerBioethics Outreach Coord.
In this Issue →
1,000th educator trained ..... 1
Project BIO online sciencecourses for college credit .... 2
Biotechnology outreachnews by Mike Zeller ............ 2
Bioethics outreach news byKristen Hessler .................... 3
ISU survey shows increasedinterest in science-orientedhigh school ag courses ....... 3
E. coli safety in labs ............. 4
Lab safety checklist ............. 5
Biotech curriculums ............ 5
Science Fair, Science Bowl,and other competitions andgrants ................................... 6
Tips for teachers needed ..... 7
About the Biotech PublicEducation Program ............. 8
The Biotechnology Outreach EducationCenter at Iowa State University reached amilestone this summer when the 1,000th
educator completed hands-on training inbiotechnology laboratory techniques.
The center, part of the university’s Office ofBiotechnology, serves Iowa’s K-12 teachers,community college instructors, 4-H andother extension educators who want to stayup-to-date on the teaching of biotechnology.At summer workshops, educators can learnto do experiments and practice the labpreparation required for teaching the sameexperiments to their students.
“We just completed our 15th year of work-shops,” said Mike Zeller, the university’sbiotechnology outreach education coordina-tor. “In June and July, we hosted 71 science,family and consumer sciences, and agricul-ture educators at our summer workshops inAmes. To date, nearly 1,100 educators havereceived hands-on biotech lab experience
while they earned graduate or staff develop-ment credits.”
Back home again, Iowa teachers and exten-sion educators can access free equipment,supplies, and support year-round. For the10th consecutive year, the Office of Biotech-nology is offering Iowa’s educators freesupplies and instructional materials for labexperiments. Educators can view this year’slist of free supplies for 13 different labexperiments on a web page at http://www.biotech.iastate.edu/publications/ed_resources/Supplies.html.
During the last school year, the free labequipment and supplies program reached14,000 students in 116 Iowa schools. Morethan 86,700 students have benefited from theprogram since 1996, the first year recordswere kept.
“Educators who work in Iowa can phone ouroffice toll-free if they have questions or wantto order the supplies, which are sent to thempostage-paid,” Zeller said.
Every school year, the BiotechnologyOutreach Education Center is heavilybooked for free school field trips; pre-servicetraining for ISU students planning to bescience, family and consumer sciences, oragriculture teachers; or other industry orpublic groups. The center’s training opportu-nities regularly draw participants fromthroughout the United States and, occasion-ally, from other countries.
Programs provided by the center are tailoredto the audience and include the scientificprinciples related to biotechnology; howbiotech developments are affecting educators’curricula and professions; consumer con-cerns; bioethics; and hands-on experiencewith lab procedures such as DNA extraction,transformation, and fingerprinting. At an
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advanced workshop, educators learn how to prepare andinstruct lab activities in marker gene expression, DNAisolation and amplification, recombinant DNA techniques,restriction analysis of DNA, bioinformatics, sequencing,genomics and more.
The center has two state-of-the-art laboratories with 40 labstations, computers for bioinformatics, and a prep room.The center’s laboratories are dedicated solely to outreacheducation year-round.
For more information about Iowa State’s year-roundbiotechnology outreach education program, see the contactinformation in the shaded box on p. 1.
Educational Opportunities
Earn College Credits for Online Courses
Iowa State University’s Project BIO offers teachers and highschool students college credits online. Science-related coursesoffered for three credits during spring semester 2004 are:
• Biol 109 Introductory Biology• Biol 123/Env S 123 Environmental Biology• Biol 202 Principles of Biology II• Zool 155 Basic Human Physiology and Anatomy• Gen 308/508 Biotechnology in Agriculture, Food and
Human Health
For more information, check the Project BIO web site at http://project.bio.iastate.edu and follow the Online Courses link, orcontact Dr. Tom Ingebritsen, phone 515-294-9432, [email protected]. High school students in Iowa who wantto take the courses under the Postsecondary EnrollmentOptions Act will find details about this program at http://project.bio.iastate.edu/Courses/hsinfo.htm.
Featured in our next issue . . .
Watch the January issue of the Iowa Biotech Educator forinformation about the 2004 summer biotechnology educationworkshops. Last summer, 71 educators attended one ormore of the four workshops offered in Ames.
If learning from home is more your style, the January issuewill announce the spring 2004 online bioethics course. Thecourse can be taken from your personal computer forgraduate or staff development credit.
BiotechnologyOutreach Education Center
By Mike ZellerBOEC Coordinator
Outreach News
The fall semester is well underway and,as usual, the Biotechnology OutreachEducation Center (BOEC) has been busyfilling requests for free classroom materialand hosting visitors from schools,
undergraduate and graduate courses, and foreign countries.
Free Visits to Iowa Schools by BOECAlong with the activity in the BOEC, I have been busyscheduling visits to schools throughout Iowa. More Iowaschools are taking advantage of the BOEC’s ability to bringbiotechnology activities to their classrooms. Schools request-ing visits so far this year are Davenport Assumption, Waukon,Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, Granville Spalding, andManning. As you can see, we travel all over the state.
If you want me to come to your school, please plan for onewhole day of activities. Some options for the day could be todo one activity multiple times or select several differentactivities for specific classes. Some activities travel better thanothers, so their availability is dictated by the size and experi-ence of the class. For more information about classroom visitsor field trips to the Iowa State campus, give Lori Miller ormyself a call at the toll free number 1-800-643-9504 or [email protected] or [email protected]. The springschedule fills up fast, so please plan ahead.
BOEC Hits the RoadBesides my visits to schools across Iowa, October andNovember finds the BOEC traveling to national and regionalteacher conventions to present and gain new knowledge in themost recent science education trends and pedagogy. Early in
Iowa Biotech Educator / NOVEMBER 2003 3
By Kristen HesslerBioethics Outreach
Coordinator
October, I traveled to Portland, Oregon, for the NationalAssociation of Biology Teachers (NABT) national convention.This year the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)will have two regional conventions very close to Iowa. OnOctober 30-November 1, I will be in Minneapolis for NSTA’sNorthern-Midwest regional. Then on November 13-15, I goto Kansas City for NSTA’s Southern-Midwest Regional. A noteof interest is that one of the program strands at the KansasCity convention is biotechnology.
Safety FirstBeginning with this edition and continuing through theacademic year, the Iowa Biotech Educator will have a sectioncalled “Safety First.” This section is dedicated to the neces-sary safety procedures for teachers and students when usingour protocols.
The first section appears on p. 4 and is written by Dr. GregPhillips, an associate professor of veterinary microbiology atIowa State University. He addresses possible concerns aboutusing E. coli in high school lab protocols. Future editions willdiscuss other safety requirements in specific protocols. If youhave any safety concerns or questions that you would likeaddressed in this new section, call or e-mail them to me.
What’s New?The protocols analyzing the sucrose content in high sucrosesoybeans have been updated and posted on the web site atwww.biotech.iastate.edu. Until recently, only teachers whohad attended our biotech education workshops in the lastthree years had the classroom copies. Now, anyone candownload them from the web site. If you're doing the highsucrose soybean protocols, you will need to contact Lori Millerahead of time to obtain, sign, and return a release form beforewe can send the soybeans to you.
Teachers can use two methods of testing for the sugars presentin soybeans, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and invertasedigest. These two protocols complement the soybean flavordemonstration and soy drink protocols already found on theweb site under “protocols.”
You can visit all the protocols for which we provide freesupplies to Iowa educators at www.biotech.iastate.edu/publications/ed_resources/Laboratory_protocols.html.
Bookmark these important sites on your web browser andcheck them regularly for news on new protocols, workshops,and courses. Several protocols are in the final stages of testingand editing. As soon as I am sure they are ready for yourclassrooms, they will be placed on our web site. Always keepan eye on future Iowa Biotech Educators for announcements ofnew protocols and resources.
New Curriculum on Web and CDThe most recent curriculum, Bacillus thuringiensis: Sharing Its
Natural Talent With Crops, that was produced by the Office ofBiotechnology is still available on our web site or on CD. Fora copy of the CD, contact Lori Miller toll-free at 1-800-643-9504 or [email protected].
I hope you have continued success in bringing biotechnologyto your students. We’re here to help you in any way thatwe can.
BIOtechnologye t h i c s
Happy fall! The bioethics outreachprogram is taking advantage of the fallsemester to gear up for spring. Keep aneye out for announcements about how toregister for the spring online bioethicscourse. And don’t forget that if you are
visiting the Biotechnology Outreach Education Center, I canvisit with your class to discuss bioethics. This can be a goodway for your students to explore the ethical and socialdimensions of biotechnology while they are learning about thescience itself.
In the meantime, if you want to introduce your students toethical issues concerning biotechnology, take a look at ModuleIV of the recent curriculum from the Office of Biotechnology.The curriculum, Bacillus thuringiensis: Sharing Its NaturalTalent With Crops, includes background and activities to helpyou teach you students about Bt crops, and Module IVaddresses some related ethical issues. (See p. 5 for a free copy.)
For other ideas on teaching bioethics, check out the classroomresources on our bioethics outreach web pages, at http://www.bioethics.iastate.edu/classroom.html.
I would be very interested to meet you at the Iowa ScienceTeachers Section meeting in Des Moines on Thursday, October16. I will present some classroom activities to use in teachingbioethics and lead a discussion about the challenges ofteaching bioethics in science courses. Please drop by to shareyour thoughts, questions, and concerns about teachingbioethics. Hope to see you there!
From Classroom to Career
ISU Looks at High School Ag EducationImpacts
The following is a reprint of an Agriculture in Action columnpublished Sept. 11 by Susan Thompson, communications special-ist with the Iowa State University College of Agriculture.
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Iowa Biotech EducatorVolume 11, Number 5
November 2003
Published five times a year by the Office of Biotechnology, 1210Molecular Biology Building, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011-3260. To subscribe, phone 515-294-9818, fax 515-294-4629, or [email protected].
Walter R. FehrCharles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture and
Director of the Office of Biotechnology
Glenda D. WebberEditor
Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age,religion, national origin, sexual orienttion, sex, marital status, disability, or statusas a U.S. Vietnam Era Veteran. Any persons having inquiries concerning this maycontact the Director of Affirmative Action, 318 Beardshear Hall, 515-294-7612.
This material is based upon work supported by the Cooperative State Research,Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, underAgreement No. 00-52100-9617. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recom-mendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do notnecessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Safety First
The Safety of Escherichia coli Bacteriain the High School Lab
A number of experiments designed to demonstrate principlesof molecular biology and genetics use strains of bacteria calledEscherichia coli, abbreviated E. coli. Some strains of E. coli cancause of a variety of food-borne illnesses. Consequently, it’sreasonable to ask the question, “Can I become sick by doingexperiments with E. coli?”
Different kinds of bacteriaIn many types of microorganisms, only certain members of aspecies are capable of causing disease. E. coli is like this.Some types, or strains, of E. coli are normal inhabitants of thehuman intestine where they live and cause no problems.Other variants of E. coli have acquired genes for “virulencefactors” and, as a consequence, can become converted todisease-causing bacteria. Without these virulence genes, E.coli does not cause serious illness.
E. coli used in laboratory experimentsE. coli strains designated E. coli K-12, such as the onesfurnished for transformation by the Office of Biotechnology,are commonly used for laboratory experiments. Theseparticular strains have a well-documented history. Becausethey are never grown outside of a laboratory, they cannotacquire virulence genes. Therefore, there is no danger thatthey can be converted to a disease-causing strain of E. coli. Inaddition, the K-12 strains used in the laboratory grow verypoorly in the human intestine.
is a relationship. FFA gives students a chance to apply whatthey learn in the classroom.”
As for the learning programs outside the classroom, theresearch shows students are making money while gaining real-world experience in agriculture. “Students studying agricul-ture in Iowa have increased their total net income from start-up businesses and worksite experience programs to more than$17 million, up from $7 million 12 years ago,” Martin says.
Only 29 percent of students in Iowa high school agriculturaleducation classes are female. But contrary to popular belief,the students come almost equally from rural and nonruralresidences. Martin looks at all this data and sees a linkbetween what the students are learning and future enrollmentnumbers in the ISU College of Agriculture. “I think what wedo to help Iowa’s agriculture teachers can have a huge impacton our enrollment, and on the future of the agricultureindustry in Iowa,” Martin says.
It’s no surprise the numbers of Iowa farms and farmers havebeen decreasing. What is surprising is that the number ofIowa high school students enrolled in agricultural educationprograms has nearly doubled in the last 12 years.
“During the 1990s, there was a huge change in the curriculumbeing taught by Iowa agriculture teachers,” says RobertMartin, chair of the Iowa State University agricultural educa-tion and studies department. “We need farmers, but not asmany. Production agriculture still is being taught, but it’s somuch more now.”
Martin’s ISU department has been collecting data on Iowa’shigh school agricultural education programs for more than adecade. The most recent survey shows there are 16,000students studying agriculture in 240 Iowa high schools thisyear, compared with 9,000 students in 1990.
“Curriculum changes have broadened the scope of agriculturaleducation classes,” Martin says. “We’re getting more into thescience of agriculture. We’re getting kids excited about allaspects of agriculture. Now we’re teaching students topics thatinclude marketing, processing, biotechnology. It’s a broader,deeper curriculum.”
The Iowa State research also looked at the impact ofFFA membership and at learning experiences conductedoutside the classroom that are organized by teachers andtheir students.
Of the 16,000 students studying agriculture, 12,000 are FFAmembers. The research showed 79 percent of FFA memberspursue post-secondary education in Iowa. “We also foundFFA members are more likely to score proficient in science,math and reading on standardized tests than nonmembers,”Martin says. “We’re not saying being an FFA member iscompletely responsible for that difference, but we think there
Iowa Biotech Educator / NOVEMBER 2003 5
Looking for a Biotech Curriculum?Check These Out!
Besides the Bt curriculum described in the next article, sixother biotechnology-related curriculums are available fromIowa State University’s Extension Distribution Center or yourlocal ISU Extension office. For details about each curriculumand ordering information, see the web page at http://www.biotech.iastate.edu/publications/ed_resources/biotech_curriculum.html.
These resources were supported by ISU Extension’s Science,Engineering, and Technology (E-SET) Program and the ISUOffice of Biotechnology.
Biotechnology School Enrichment Grades 4-5: Exploring aNew World – Cells and MicroscopesThis curriculum explores science and technology conceptsrelated to cells and the use of microscopes.
Low-Cost Resources
Lab Safety Checklist
The Carolina Biological Supply Company has posted an articleon lab safety by Ronald Hammond on their web site at http://www.carolina.com/labsafety/start_safely.asp. In “Start theSchool Year Safely,” Hammond discusses general housekeepingand planning that lab teachers can do at the beginning of eachschool year to help ensure a safe student laboratory.
Included are a safety checklist for students and a genericlaboratory safety contract. The safety contract explains thesafety rules that students will be required to follow whileparticipating in laboratory activities. The contract can bemodified by schools to fit their requirements and signed bystudents and parents or guardians.
Safe or not?By following standard procedures of laboratory cleanliness andaseptic technique, it can be assured that commonly used E. coliK-12 strains present no unreasonable health hazard. Thesestrains are safe, easy to grow in the lab, and have well-characterized genetic systems, making them an excellentchoice to teach the principles of molecular biology, geneticengineering, and biotechnology. Moreover, by learning andpracticing good technique for manipulation of E. coli K-12strains, students will be well prepared for working with otherbacterial species in future college laboratory courses oremployment.
– By Greg Phillips, Ph.D.Associate Professor of Veterinary MicrobiologyIowa State University, September 2003
Biotechnology School Enrichment Grades 5-6A review of cells and organelles, heredity and genetics, genemutation, DNA extraction, and a DNA fingerprinting mysteryare included in this curriculum.
Biotechnology School Enrichment Grades 7-8Students explore building DNA, mutations, gene splicing, andbioethics. They also complete laboratories in DNA extractionand fingerprinting.
A Crime, A Clue, and BiotechnologyYouth aged 12-14 are invited to solve a “crime.” Topicsinclude DNA, genes and heredity, biotechnology careers, andbioethics. Students experience hands-on laboratories in DNAextraction and fingerprinting.
Cut the Fat – Keep the FlavorIn this resource unit, grades 6-12 can learn about the role ofagricultural genetics in reducing saturated fat in food oils.The development of a low-saturated-fat soybean is featured.
A Better-Tasting and More Digestible SoybeanThis resource unit for grades 9-12 explores the role ofagricultural genetics in the development of a new highsucrose soybean.
Free Bt Curriculum CD
Iowa educators can receive a free CD of a new curriculum foryouth and adults about Bt crops, compliments of the Office ofBiotechnology at Iowa State University.
To receive your free CD or to inquire about obtaining addi-tional CD or printed copies, please contact the Office ofBiotechnology toll-free at 800-643-9504 or e-mail [email protected]. Please include yourmailing address.
Anyone is welcome to view anddownload a free copy of thecurriculum from the web site athttp://www.biotech.iastate.edu/publications/bt_curriculum/. CDor printed copies can be orderedfrom the ISU Extension Distribu-tion Center, (515) 294-2945, e-mail [email protected], orfrom the web site at http://www.extension.iastate.edu/pubs/4H949/homepage.html.
This curriculum is based upon work supported by the Cooperative StateResearch, Education, and Extension Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture,under Agreement No. 00-52100-9617. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, orrecommendations expressed in this publication are those of the authors,editors, and reviewers and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S.Department of Agriculture.
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Grants, Awards, and Competitions
For detailed rules and eligibility requirements, use the contactsin the “for more information” sections.
Shell Science Teaching Award
Sponsor: Shell Oil CompanyFunds for: Recognizes one outstanding classroom science
Ames Lab / ISU Science Bowl
The 2004 Ames Laboratory/Iowa State University ScienceBowl is scheduled for January 31 in Ames. Teams of highschool students can test their knowledge against other teams.The winning team receives an all-expenses-paid trip to theNational Science Bowl® in Washington, D.C., to competeagainst other regional winners.
For more information, contact Cynthia Feller at 515-294-9557, or e-mail her at [email protected].
State Science and Technology Fair
The 2004 State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI)for students in grades 6-12 will be held March 26-27, 2004, inAmes. The SSTFI is affiliated with the Discovery ChannelYoung Scientist Challenge and the Intel International Scienceand Engineering Fair. All high school exhibitors are eligiblefor scholarships. All student exhibitors are eligible fortrophies, medals, and numerous special awards.
The Iowa Biotechnology Association (IBA) and the Iowa SpaceGrant Consortium (ISGC) are among those sponsoring specialawards for the 2004 SSTFI.
The IBA will provide five tuition scholarships to be awarded atthe 2004 fair. The scholarships will be awarded to the fivestudents who exhibit the best use of biotechnology with theirprojects. All Iowa high school students who exhibit at the fairare eligible for the IBA scholarships. Each scholarship is$1,000 if used toward tuition at an Iowa-based college oruniversity or $500 if used at an out-of-state institution.
The ISGC will provide a $5,000 tuition scholarship to attendone of the colleges or universities in Iowa that is an affiliate ofthe ISGC. The scholarship is awarded to the top seniorstudent exhibitor. In addition, the ISGC will be awarding$100 to the top junior high biological and physicalscience projects.
For more information, visit http://www.iastate.edu/~isstf/.
Grants and Competitions teacher who has had a positive impact on his or her students,school, and community through exemplary science teachingAmount: $10,000 and an all-expenses-paid trip to NationalScience Teachers Association (NSTA) national convention.Two finalists also will receive all-expenses-paid trips to theconvention.Who’s eligible: K-12 classroom science teachers for minimumof eight years in U.S., its territories, Department of DefenseDependent schools, or CanadaFor more information: Phone 703-243-7100, [email protected], web site http://www.nsta.org/192Deadline: Received by November 15, 2003
Toyota TAPESTRY
Sponsor: Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.Administered by: NSTAFunds for: Innovative science projects that can be imple-mented in the school or school district over a one-year periodAmount: Award amounts up to $10,000 each and mini-grantsof up to $2,500 eachWho’s eligible: K-12 science teachers in the U.S., its territo-ries, or possessionsFor more information: Phone 703-243-7100, [email protected], web site http://www.nsta.org/programs/tapestryDeadline: Received by 5 p.m. EST, January 16, 2004
Outstanding Biology Teacher Award
Sponsor: National Association of Biology Teachers/PrenticeHallFunds for: Recognizes an outstanding biology educator ofgrades 7-12 in each of the 50 states; Washington, D.C.;Canada; Puerto Rico; and overseas territoriesAmount: Honored at a special event during the NABTNational Convention, binoculars, biology lab equipment,certificates, and a complimentary one-year NABT membershipWho’s eligible: 7-12 classroom science teachers for minimumof three years in the U.S., Canada, Puerto Rico, and overseasterritoriesFor more information: Phone (800) 406-0775, [email protected], web site http://www.nabt.org/sup/education/awards.aspDeadline: Received by February 1, 2004
Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards
Sponsor: ToshibaAdministered by: NSTAFunds for: Student teams who combine their imaginationswith the tools of science to create and explore a vision of afuture technologyAmount: Four 1st place teams receive $10,000 U.S. series EEsavings bonds and four 2nd place teams receive $5,000 U.S.
Iowa Biotech Educator / NOVEMBER 2003 7
Tips for Teachers
Have a Helpful Tip for Other Educators?
Have you made timing changes in a lab protocol to accommo-date block scheduling? Maybe you have discovered an easierway to do a student activity, constructed some homemade labequipment, or found a great Internet site. How about sharingwhat you have learned with others through the Iowa BiotechEducator?
You are invited to submit your biotech teaching tips to MikeZeller by e-mail to [email protected], by fax to 515-294-4629, or by regular mail to the Office of Biotechnology, 1210Molecular Biology Building, ISU, Ames, IA 50011-3260.
Your tip can be as short as one sentence or as long as you needto explain your idea. Send your tip to Mike now, and you maysee it featured in a future issue of this newsletter. Thanks!
EE savings bonds (Canadian teams receive Canada bonds).Other gifts awarded at all levels.Who’s eligible: K-12 students in U.S. or CanadaFor more information: Phone 1-800-EXPLOR-9 or 703-243-7100, e-mail [email protected], web site http://www.exploravision.orgDeadline: Received by 5 p.m. EST, February 3, 2004
Award for Excellence in Encouraging Equity
Sponsor: Science Kit and Boreal Laboratories, NABT’s Roleand Status of Women in Biology Education SectionFunds for: Recognizes efforts to encourage, promote, andstrive for equity in the educational communityAmount: A plaque and an honorarium presented at the NABTNational ConventionWho’s eligible: Biology educatorsFor more information: Phone (800) 406-0775, [email protected], web site http://www.nabt.org/sup/education/awards.aspDeadline: Received by March 15, 2004
NABT Biotechnology Teaching Award
Sponsor: National Association of Biology TeachersFunds for: An innovative classroom approach that incorpo-rates the principles and processes of biotechnologyAmount: $500, a recognition plaque at the NABT NationalConvention, and a one-year complimentary NABTmembershipWho’s eligible: Secondary school teacher or undergraduatecollege faculty memberFor more information: Phone (800) 406-0775, [email protected], web site http://www.nabt.org/sup/education/awards.aspDeadline: Received by March 15, 2004
Outstanding New Biology TeacherAchievement Award
Sponsor: National Association of Biology TeachersFunds for: Recognizes outstanding teaching by a biology/lifescience instructor within first three years of teachingAmount: Plaque presented at the NABT National Conventionand a complimentary one-year NABT membershipWho’s eligible: 7-12 biology/life science instructorsFor more information: Phone (800) 406-0775, [email protected], web site http://www.nabt.org/sup/education/awards.aspDeadline: Received by March 15, 2004
Craftsman/NSTA Young InventorsAwards Program
Sponsor: Sears, Roebuck and Co.
Funds for: Using creativity, imagination, science, technology,and mechanical ability to invent or modify a toolAmount: Two national winners each receive $10,000 U.S.series EE savings bonds. Ten national finalists receive $5,000U.S. series EE savings bonds. Twelve second-place regionalwinners receive $500 U.S. series EE savings bonds. Twelvethird-place regional winners receive $250 U.S. series EEsavings bonds. Additional prizes for winning teachers andschools. Certificates of appreciation and small gifts for allstudents who submit completed entries.Who’s eligible: Students in grades 2-8 in the U.S. and itsterritoriesFor more information: Phone toll-free 888-494-4994, [email protected], web site http://www.nsta.org/programs/craftsmanDeadline: Received by 5 p.m. EST, March 16, 2004
Toshiba Grants Program for 7-12 Science andMath Education
Sponsor: Toshiba America FoundationFunds for: Projects that improve classroom teaching andlearning in science and mathematicsAmount: Average large project $9,500, average small project$4,000Who’s eligible: Teachers of grades 7-12For more information: Phone 212-596-0620, [email protected], web site http://www.toshiba.com/taf/apply.htmlDeadline: Year-round for grants under $5,000. February 1and August 1 for grants over $5,000.
Office of Biotechnology1210 Molecular Biology BuildingIowa State UniversityAmes, Iowa 50011-3260
About the ISU Public Education Program in Biotechnology. . .
Iowa State University’s Public Education Program in Biotechnology is supported by AgrEvo/Plant Genetic Systems; AjinomotoU.S.A., Inc./AJINOMOTO HEARTLAND, Inc.; Cargill; Genencor International, Inc.; Golden Harvest Research; Growmark;The Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation–Diamond V Mills Donor-Advised Fund; the Iowa Biotechnology Association; the IowaFarm Bureau Federation Agricultural Foundation; the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board; Kemin Americas; MBS Genetics,L.L.C.; Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc.; the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust; Syngenta Seeds, Inc.; West CentralCooperative; and private individuals.
To Contact the ProgramPhone: 515-294-9818 or, toll-free in Iowa, 1-800-643-9504Fax: 515-294-4629E-mail: [email protected]: http://www.biotech.iastate.edu
Public Education Program PersonnelWalter R. Fehr, Charles F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture and Director of the Office of BiotechnologyMike Zeller, Biotechnology Outreach Education CoordinatorKristen Hessler, Bioethics Outreach CoordinatorLori Miller, Program SecretaryGlenda Webber, EditorJoel Nott, Assistant Scientist, Homepage Webmaster