"What really drew me to the College was the fact that I knew I would get a lot of ‘real world’ experience. My hands-on experience was invaluable. MCLA supports its students, doing what it takes to get them into new experiences that will later prove to be stepping stones into a career."
Matthew Panuska ’99 Employee Communications Manager, Pepsi-Cola Company
News & Press Releases
Oct. 23, 2008
NORTH ADAMS, MA – Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA), in collaboration with the Berkshire STEM Pipeline, will offer a biotechnology workshop for area educators on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., in the Venable Hall biology lab at MCLA.
Part of a series of STEM science seminars taking place this fall, the workshop will be led by Shahira Badran, assistant professor and biotechnology program coordinator at Bunker Hill Community College; Paul King, instructor at Massasoit Community College; and Ann Billetz, MCLA biology professor.
The workshop will consist of a hands-on lab, featuring biotechnology techniques such as isolation of DNA, real time PCR, electrophoresis and a presentation explaining the underlying concepts and real life applications of these techniques. In addition, the workshop will address the different applications and career opportunities of the biotech industry. Participants will receive handouts and information on other related activities and biotech online resources.
“Biotechnology is a thriving industry and teachers need effective teaching tools such as the kinds of hands-on activities featured in our workshop to investigate and discover the exciting career opportunities in the industry for their students,” said Lisa Provencher, STEM coordinator at MCLA.
The workshop is part of the Berkshire STEM Pipeline STEM Science Seminars. The STEM Pipeline Fund is a workforce development initiative designed to increase student interest and teacher preparation in STEM subjects.
The goal of the STEM Pipeline is to build a pipeline between higher education, PreK-16, businesses, and non-profit agencies for the improvement of science, technology, engineering and math education, and is aligned with the Berkshire Compact for Higher Education.
The biotechnology workshop is open to undergraduate professors and teachers of grades 8-12. The cost is $35, which includes lunch and refreshments. Pre-registration is required as capacity is limited. Contact Provencher at 413-662-5525 or via e-mail at [ mailto:lisa.provencher@mcla.edu]lisa.provencher@mcla.edu .
