Microbiome Studies in the High School Research in Science & Engineering Program: A Primer in Workforce Development

The Sayville High School Research in Science & Engineering Program is designed as an inquiry-based course that covers the span of one to four years. In collaboration with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s DNA Learning Center, high school teachers are trained to provide innovative opportunities for students to learn skills that will prepare them for the workforce. Students work in teams of three, typically where one student has experience in coding while the other two students are focused on the science behind the research. Students learn the craft of collaboration, each bringing their area of expertise to the project. The team prepares a proposal that is peer-reviewed and is designed for bacterial and community microbiome research in an area of interest to the students. There are numerous benefits for students engaged in inquiry-based science as they learn the scientific process, and collaborate with scientists and their peers to each contribute to the outcomes, while learning desirable skills for industry in DNA extraction, PCR, high-throughput sequencing, and bioinformatics. They are afforded the opportunity to report their findings to the public at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory once completed. The challenges for teachers lie in learning the multiple disciplines and technology necessary to prepare them to effectively teach and guide students in the bench protocols, computer programming, and analytics. The guidance and availability from the DNALC staff have proved instrumental in making these projects a positive learning experience for both students and teachers alike.