Heritage Science Teacher Workshops
Fact: Many of our province's brightest scientists pursued a career in research because they were inspired or encouraged by their high school science teachers.
The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) acknowledges and celebrates the important role that enthusiastic and informed science teachers play in creating the bright young scientists of tomorrow. AHFMR has nurtured and supported a world-class research community in Alberta for nearly 27 years. To recognize the contributions of Alberta science teachers, AHFMR has developed a variety of FREE 3-day programs designed to give high school science teachers hands-on health research training at the University of Calgary or the University of Alberta medical school campuses in the summer of 2008.
All workshop attendees receive materials to assist with classroom laboratory experiments, attend presentations by biomedical researchers, visit research laboratories, and learn more about the Heritage Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) program.
University of Calgary Program
Laboratory training for both workshops will be provided in the University of Calgary's state-of-the-art Biotechnology Training Centre. Workshop activities may include DNA isolation and sequencing, gel electrophoresis, bioinformatics, and live-cell experiments. Workshop material is currently under development and a more detailed curriculum will be available Spring 2008.
July 2008 - Tentative Schedule
August 2008 - Tentative Schedule
University of Alberta Program
Workshop activities may include touring clinical and laboratory facilities, participating in research presentations by biomedical researchers, completing practical and simple experiments in molecular and cellular biology, and attending discussions of bioethical issues relevant to both teachers and students. The focus of these workshops is to provide an informal introduction to the health and medical research being conducted at the University of Alberta, and its impact on the larger community. Workshop material is currently under development and a more detailed curriculum will be available Spring 2008.
July 2008 - Tentative Schedule
August 2008 - Tentative Schedule
University of Lethbridge Program
This workshop will cover various topics from the Biology 30 curriculum. The departments of Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Lethbridge offer a strong focus on biochemistry with particular attention paid to the mechanisms underlying protein synthesis, early steps of ribosome formation in health and disease. There is also a neuroscience component addressing neurodegenerative diseases and potential therapies. Participants in the workshop will hear lectures on the above topics and visit active research labs to gain a first-hand understanding of the world-renowned research being undertaken at this institution.
July 2008 - Tentative Schedule
The Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research has contributed over $900 million to support more than 6000 researchers and researchers-in-training. AHFMR is committed to maintaining Alberta's lead in health research. We support hundreds of students each year, providing them with research training in top labs in the province. These researchers-in-training represent the next generation of highly talented and motivated scientists. The Heritage Youth Researcher Summer (HYRS) Program has "graduated" 355 participants, many of whom are pursuing studies in medicine and research all over the world.
The workshops at the University of Calgary will run from July 28th - July 30th, and August 12th - August 14th, and at the University of Alberta from July 15th - 17th, and August 5th - 7th. Applications will be available on the AHFMR website in May 2008. If you are interested in receiving more information about the 2008 Heritage Science Teacher Workshops, please fill in your contact information at the AHFMR booth or contact:
Nancy Whelan, (403) 220-6617 or