The Bioscience
Association of Maine (BioME) held their fourth annual Bioscience Day on
Thursday, November 21st. BioME is a non-profit organization that encourages the
bioscience/biotech industry in Maine. During Bioscience Day, BioME recruited
bioscience professionals from various companies across the state to speak to
middle school classrooms about their careers and do a hands-on activity.
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| Jaydn Kimball, Samantha Bell and Abi Coleman look on as Renee Gallagher from Corning explains the pH process |
Several scientists and engineers along with a veterinarian working in the
pharmaceutical industry, spoke to eighth-grade students at Windham Middle
School in Pam Mallard and Lisa Anderson’s classes.
In Pam
Mallard’s class, a group of scientists and engineers conducted an experiment using
phenol red, a pH indicator. The students added an acid or a base to the red and
observed a color change; scientists use that color change to determine if cells
are healthy or not. Students also learned about procedure and were taught what
a safety data sheet is.
“BioMe
wants to get kids interested in science,” remarked Corning Engineer Katie
Hepburn. Corning Inc. is a technology company that specializes in materials science.
Students learned that Corning makes Gorilla glass which is
used in the iPhone and many other touchscreen phones.
“We
want to expose them to what we do and how we got here,” stated Corning Engineer
Amy Blakeley. “I never knew many job options were
out there growing up and it is great to expose students to different science
and engineering opportunities.”
There
were many things students learned about bioscience – especially the types of
substances used by Corning to make their products. “We learned about the
materials that they make, how they work and how they use the materials that
they make for cell testing,” student Jadyn Kimball stated after observing the
Corning presentation. “It was really cool and interesting,”
In
Anderson’s class, veterinarian and Project Leader for Dechra Pharmaceuticals, Roberto
Garcia, gave a presentation about approaching science as ‘what can you do?’“It’s
always important to know when you are in middle school what opportunities you
have,” Garcia explained.
Part of
Garcia’s job is supervising a team of individuals who might be making a drug
for your dog or cat, or even your horse. Dechra Pharmaceuticals specializes in
manufacturing veterinary medicines. During his presentation, he wanted
to portray that the complex work done in drug development is not based on
individuals, but by working in a team. He explained the time it might take to
develop a new drug and how everyone on the team plays a part.
“I
learned how many steps it takes for one vet to create a drug for animals,”
student Jacob Earle said. “I thought it wouldn’t take that long and learned
that sometimes it doesn’t work out.”
“Today is an opportunity to give back to the
community and it is important to try and help the students figure out what they
want to do,” Garcia stated. “The key message is to be very open minded when
your studying and to build on those experiences, because you don’t know what
you’ll end up doing or enjoy doing.”
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