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Iowa BiotechEducatorIowa State University Office of BiotechnologyVolume 27 Number 1 Winter 2019You are invited – attend one or more ofthe summer 2019 workshops!Featured in this IssueInvitation to biotech workshops . 1Workshop details . 2RET summer opportunities . 3Column by Mike Zeller . 4Dear Science, Agriculture Education, Family andConsumer Sciences, and Extension and Outreach Educators:Iowa STEM competitions . 5National STEM competitions . 6It is with great pleasure that I invite you to attend one or more of the biotechnology or bioethics workshops offered in Ames this summer. Educatorsin public and private schools or those who work with youth in 4-H or othercommunity programs can strengthen and update their STEM-based curriculums with modern content, techniques, and activities in biotechnology andbioethics, while earning professional development or Iowa State Universitygraduate credits at the workshops.The workshops, instructed by Clark Wolf and myself, will be held in theBiotechnology Outreach Education Center (BOEC) through the month ofJune on the Iowa State campus. Iowa teachers can receive stipends of 100per day to help cover their costs of attending. ISU Extension and Outreacheducators or personnel can receive travel reimbursements of up to 100per day to help cover their expenses. Materials and stipends for the workshops are funded by Iowa State’s Office of Biotechnology and by the IowaBiotechnology Association. Upon completion of any of the workshops, Iowateachers and ISU Extension and Outreach educators are eligible to receivefree supplies and equipment for specific lab protocols from the Office ofBiotechnology.Please share this invitation with your colleagues. I hope to see you in Amesthis summer!Sincerely,Mike ZellerBiotechnology OutreachEducation CoordinatorBorrow a thermal cycler for PCR . 7Iowa State’s biotechnologypublic education program . 8Don’t miss the ResearchExperiences for Teachers(RET) opportunities towork with Iowa Stateresearchers. See p. 3.Connect to Biotechwww.biotech.iastate.eduIowa State UniversityOffice of Biotechnology1210 Molecular Biology Bldg.2437 Pammel DriveAmes, Iowa 50011-1079ph. 515 294-9818800 643-9504 toll-free in Iowabiotech@iastate.eduMike Zeller – BiotechnologyOutreach Education Coordinatormzeller@iastate.eduLori Miller – Program Secretarylorimill@iastate.edu
Iowa BiotechOpportunitiesTo register for any workshop, contact LoriMiller (800 643-9504, lorimill@iastate.edu) orregister online at r-educators.Biotechnology education workshopsBioethics workshopBiotechnology Education Workshop IIowa State University, AmesJune 10-13, 2019Biotechnology Education Workshop IIIowa State University, AmesJune 24-27, 2019Bioethics Workshop IIowa State University, AmesJune 17-20, 2019This workshop course is directedat science, agriculture, family andconsumer sciences, and ISU Extensionand Outreach educators who want togain the basic knowledge and laboratory skills necessary to teach biotechnology in their classrooms.This advanced workshop is opento science, agriculture, family andconsumer sciences, and ISU Extensionand Outreach educators who haveattended one of the previous biotechnology workshops.This course is designed for educatorswho want to incorporate discussionof ethical issues into existing K-12course work.Teachers will learn how to prepareand instruct the laboratories in DNAextraction and quantification fromvarious sources, DNA transformation,DNA fingerprinting, antibiotic resistance, biofuels, and more. Educatorswill prepare and perform the labprotocols as the students would doin class.Educators will learn how to prepareand instruct advanced biotechnology laboratories in their classrooms.Activities will include marker assistedselection, DNA isolation, recombinantDNA techniques, DNA amplification, restriction analysis of DNA,bioinformatics, sequencing, genomics,and more. Educators will prepare andperform the lab protocols as theirstudents would do in class.Credits 2 professional developmentcredits – cost to be announced 2 ISU graduate credits – cost tobe announcedCredits 2 professional developmentcredits – cost to be announced 2 ISU graduate credits – cost to beannouncedStipend 400 stipend for Iowa teachers( 100 per day) funded by the IowaBiotechnology AssociationStipend 400 stipend for Iowa teachers( 100 per day) funded by the IowaBiotechnology AssociationTravel Travel reimbursement available forISU Extension and Outreacheducators/personnel (up to 100per day)Travel Travel reimbursement available forISU Extension and Outreacheducators/personnel (up to 100per day)Registration deadlineMay 28, 2019Registration deadlineMay 28, 2019Questions? Contact Mike Zeller, 515 294-5949, or mzeller@iastate.eduStipends for the two biotechnology educationworkshops generously were provided by theIowa Biotechnology Association.2Participants will create case studiesdesigned to integrate ethical contentin the science curriculum, and whichmight also be used to address suchissues for extension audiences.The focus will be on ethical issues inscience education, including especiallyagricultural biotechnology, but otherbioethics topics will also be covered.The workshop will also address pedagogical issues, including appropriateobjectives for bioethics units, alternative approaches to bioethics pedagogy,and other issues that regularly arise inthe science ethics classroom.Iowa BiotechEducatorVolume 27, Number 1Winter 2019Published three times a year by IowaState University, Office of Biotechnology,1210 Molecular Biology Building, 2437Pammel Drive, Ames, Iowa 50011-1079. Tosubscribe, phone 515 294-9818 or e-maillorimill@iastate.edu.Jeanne SerbAssociate Professor of Ecology, Evolutionand Organismal BiologyDirector of the Office of BiotechnologyGlenda D. WebberEditorIowa State University does not discriminateon the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity,religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexualorientation, gender identity, geneticinformation, sex, marital status, disability, orstatus as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regardingnon-discrimination policies may be directedto Office of Equal Opportunity, 3410Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames,Iowa 50011, Tel. 515 294-7612, Hotline 515294-1222, email eooffice@iastate.eduWinter 2019 Iowa Biotech Educator
Iowa Biotech OpportunitiesWorkshop participants will workthrough activities and case studiesthat they can take back to their ownclasses.TravelRegistration deadline Travel reimbursement available forISU Extension and Outreacheducators/personnel (up to 100per day)May 28, 2019Questions? Contact Clark Wolfat 515 294-3068 or e-mail jwcwolf@iastate.edu.Credits 2 professional developmentcredits – cost to be announced 2 ISU graduate credits – cost tobe announcedStipend 400 stipend for Iowa teachers( 100 per day)PHOTOS: MIKE ZELLERParticipants will work in groups todevelop a participatory case studydesigned expressly for their own students and will leave with classroomready case study exercises for use intheir own classes.There’s no better way to learn a lab protocol than to do it yourself. Iowa educators who completea workshop are eligible for free support materials and supplies for specific protocols.Summer Research Experiences for TeachersIowa State University is offeringmiddle and high school teachers theopportunity to participate in researchexperiences anddevelop on-goingprofessionalrelationships withcareer scientists.Participatingteachers will bebetter preparedto share the latest developments inSTEM fields with their students and toinspire them to learn more about science and engineering and their relatedcareer pathsbe developed through small groupdiscussions about their research, leading to strategic partnerships that couldbring new ideas into the classroom.specific about the type of research thatfits their classroom best when fillingout the application.Learn more and applyTeachers will have time to focus ontheir professional learning and willreceive help in translating their summer learning into activities for use intheir classrooms with master educatorsfrom the Des Moines school system.For more details, please visit the Officeof Biotechnology’s website at www.biotech.iastate.edu/RET or contact:Dr. Jeanne SerbDirectorOffice of BiotechnologyPh. 515 294-7479E-mail serb@iastate.eduFollow-up activities may includefaculty and graduate student visitsto teachers’ high schools and opportunities for high school studentsto conduct small independentresearch projects.The deadline for applications isFebruary 15, 2019.Interested inworking withIowa Stateresearchersthis summer?Teachers canapply for a summer researchexperience.Contact Dr.Jeanne Serb formore informationand apply beforethe deadline!Teachers will engage in cutting-edgeresearch under the guidance of a faculty mentor and members of their labsfor approximately 35 hours per weekfor six weeks.Strong professional relationshipswith researchers from Iowa State willChoose a research projectThe Office of Biotechnology coordinates with faculty members from allacross campus to offer a selection ofresearch opportunities for teachers inengineering, technology, mathematics,life sciences, chemistry and manyothers. Teachers are encouraged to bePHOTO: CHRISTOPHER GANNONMajor activitiesDr. Jeanne SerbIowa Biotech Educator Winter 20193
Iowa Biotech ExpertiseMike’s message . . .PHOTO: CAMIE STOCKHAUSENThe Winter2019 editionof the IowaBiotech Educatornewsletter servesto officiallyannounce thedates, location,By Mike Zellerand where toBiotechnologyfind specific inOutreach EducationCenter Coordinatorformation aboutour summerBiotechnology Education Workshops.All this information can be found onpage 2.The workshops offer you a chanceto experience the most modernSTEM techniques and concepts inlife sciences. After completing aworkshop(s), Iowa educators willbe eligible for free equipmentand supplies.Please share this issue with yourcolleagues and/or direct them to ourwebsite (www.biotech.iastate.edu/for-k-14-educators/) so they, too,can benefit from the resources theBiotechnology Outreach EducationCenter (BOEC) can offer educators.BOEC’s role in STEMI want to remind you that the BOEC ishere to help you enhance your STEMinitiatives in life sciences with biotechnology resources. Just contact LoriMiller, lorimill@iastate.edu, or me anytime to order supplies or equipment,to schedule a visit to the BOEC, or tohave your questions answered. I havearranged my schedule so that mostdays I am exclusively available from7-8:30 a.m. weekdays, except when Itravel. For immediate questions, myoffice phone is 515 294-5949 or emailme at mzeller@iastate.edu.Fall semester in the BOECThis fall, I was kept busy teaching 65pre-service teachers from agriculturaleducation and family and consumersciences programs here on campus.Along with teaching, I presented to15 Iowa State sponsored and outsideschool groups, either here in theBOEC or at Iowa schools.Typically, the demand for the BOECoutreach services is very high in thespring. Please order supplies andschedule visits as soon as your schedule allows for your spring classes.For more information about eventvisits or field trips to the BOEC onIowa State’s campus, please contactLori or me to answer questions and/orschedule a date.It was good seeing many of you atthe Iowa Academy of Sciences IowaScience Teaching Section conferenceat the Des Moines Area CommunityCollege (DMACC) FFA Center inAnkeny, Iowa. We were pleased toagain display our new PCR equipmentfor loan and supplies for PCRactivities that are available to schools.It’s always great to connect with theAre you lookingfor hands-onexperiencewith classroomtested biotechlab protocols?Educators canfind it at thesummer 2019workshops. Seep. 2 for details.group of you who were able to attendthe conference.During the fall, I was developing andtesting two protocol revisions. Thefirst one is a marker assisted selectionversion using a cystic fibrosis scenario,and the second is a more efficient,research quality calcium chloridewash version for doing any of ourtransformations. Watch the websitethis semester for their addition to ourprotocol list.PCR in your classroomThe BOEC is now making availablethermal cyclers and high-speedmini-microcentrifuges to teachers todo PCR activity(ies) in their advancebiology curriculums (see article onpage ). Depending on your individualequipment situations/needs, the BOECcan loan you the equipment and offersupplies, including alternative gel andPCR product staining methods to complete the TPA-25 Alu sequence activity.Additionally, each of the four thermalcyclers has been programmed with themost popular Bio-Rad and CarolinaBiological protocols for purchasedPCR activities. This flexibility allowsyou to use the Iowa State equipmentto do these science supply companies’PCR activities.Planning for the spring semesterRemember, if you are planning a visitto the BOEC or need supplies, contactLori or me as soon as you can toreserve dates and/or schedule deliveries. The spring schedule traditionallyfills up fast, so please plan ahead. Ihope you will let the BOEC and theOffice of Biotechnology assist youin your life science STEM endeavorsby bringing biotechnology intoyour classroom.Have a great start to the springsemester.PHOTOS: MIKE ZELLER4Winter 2019 Iowa Biotech Educator
Iowa STEM CompetitionsMajor award programs for which Iowa science educators or their students are eligible are featured below. For other award,competition, and grant opportunities for educators or students, visit the Office of Biotechnology’s educational funding website at ding-sources.State Science and Technology Fair March 28 – 29The State Science and TechnologyFair of Iowa (SSTFI) will be held inAmes on Thursday and Friday, March28-29. The fair is open to any studentin grades 6-12 residing in or attendingschool (public, private, parochial orhome school) in the state of Iowa.awards at the 2019 fair. The IowaBioscholarships willbe awarded to thefive students whoexhibit the best useof biotechnologywith their projects.The SSTFI is affiliated with the IntelInternational Science and EngineeringFair. All high school exhibitorsat the fair are eligible for collegescholarships. In addition, the top twoindividuals, the top team project, andtheir teachers will be awarded tripsto the Intel International Science andEngineering Fair in Phoenix, Arizona,in May. All exhibitors in grades 6-12are eligible for prizes and many otherspecial awards.All Iowa high school students whoexhibit top-level projects at the fair areeligible for the IowaBio scholarships,which are 2,000 if used at an Iowaschool of higher education or 1,000if used at an out-of-state institution ofhigher education.As one of the fair sponsors, the IowaBiotechnology Association (IowaBio)will be making five scholarshipThe 2018 winners were MasonBurlage, Beckman Catholic HighSchool, Dyersville; Cheryl Blackmer,Ballard High School, Huxley; PearlKrieger Coble, Winfield-Mt. UnionHigh School, Winfield; AaronWills, Central Lee High School,Donnellson; and Helen Hu, Ames HighSchool, Ames.In addition to the five IowaBio scholarships, the Association is workingwith the Biotechnology Institute, aneducational foundation headquarteredin Washington D.C., to award an IowaBioGENEius Challenge Winner. TheIowa BioGENEius Challenge winnerwill compete at the InternationalBioGENEius challenge in Philadelphia,Pennsylvania, next summer. The2018 BioGENEius winner was MasonBurlage, Beckman Catholic HighSchool, Dyersville.For more information about the SSTFI,visit www.extension.iastate.edu/sstfior contact chairman of the board JayStaker, e-mail jstaker@iastate.edu.Volunteers are being recruited to judgeat this year’s event. For details, contactVicki Speake, phone 515 294-5738.Ames Lab / Iowa State host science bowlsThe Iowa Regional High SchoolScience BowlThis year’s Iowa Regional High SchoolScience Bowl is scheduled for Saturday,January 26, 2019, on the Iowa StateUniversity campus in Ames. The eventis hosted by the U.S. Department ofEnergy’s Ames Laboratory and IowaState UniversityDuring the competition, teams of upto five students, including one alternate, answer questions from categoriessuch as biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, earth and space sciences,and energy.The regional winning team is awardedan all-expenses-paid trip to competeIowa Biotech Educator Winter 2019in the Department of Energy’s NationalScience Bowl in Washington, D.C.,from April 25-29, 2019. The 2018champion of the Regional HighSchool Science Bowl was JohnstonHigh School.The Iowa Regional Middle SchoolScience BowlThe science bowl for grades 6-8 willbe Saturday, February 16, 2019, onthe Iowa State University campus inAmes. This event also is hosted bythe U.S. Department of Energy’s AmesLaboratory and Iowa State University.Participants will compete in aquestion-and-answer contest about lifescience, physical science, earth andspace science, energy, mathematics,and general science. The winning academic team of the 2019 competitionwill receive an all-expenses-paid tripto the National Middle School ScienceBowl in Washington, D.C., to compete from April 25-29, 2019. AmesMiddle School was the champion ofthe 2018 Middle School Science Bowl.For more informationTo learn more about the sciencebowls, go to https://www.ameslab.gov/education/science-bowl or contact DebSamuelson at 515 294-9557, debsam@ameslab.gov, or Steve Karsjen at 515294-5643, karsjen@ameslab.gov.5
Iowa STEM CompetitionsExcellence in science teaching award nominations accepted throughout yearNominations from administrators,colleagues, or self-nominations areaccepted continuously throughout theyear by the Iowa Academy of Science(IAS) for its Excellence in ScienceTeaching Awards. These awardshonor outstanding science teachers inIowa’s K-12 schools. The submissiondeadline each year for completedapplication packets is January 31.Iowa teachers of all grade levels in allscience areas are eligible to be nominated in one of the eight nominationcategories: elementary science,earth/space science/environmentalscience, general/multiple science,life science, middle school/juniorhigh science, physical science, STEM(elementary, middle school, highschool), and science supervisory. Theawardees will be recognized at theIAS Annual Meeting to be held April26-27 in Cedar Falls. For details, visitthe website at www.scienceiniowa.org/awards or e-mail iascience@uni.edu.I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher Award concludes 2019 competitionNominations and applications for the2019 I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher Awardsponsored by Kemin Industries andthe Iowa Governor’s STEM AdvisoryCouncil have closed.The award, now in its fifth year, recognizes one teacher from each of thesix STEM regions for their dedicationand contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)education for Iowa’s PreK-12 students.Each recipient receives a 1,500 awardand an additional 1,500 to be used intheir classroom.The 2019 recipients will be recognizedduring events at their respectiveschools in January and at a statewideevent in February. In honor of thefifth year of the award, all 30 of thepast I.O.W.A. STEM Teacher Awardrecipients will also meet for a reception following the announcement ofthe 2019 winners. For a full list offinal recipients of the 2019 I.O.W.A.STEM Teacher Award, visit https://stemaward.fluidreview.com for detailsat the end of January. Nominationsfor the 2020 I.O.W.A. STEM TeacherAward will open in the fall.National STEM CompetitionsOutstanding biology teacher award deadline on March 15March 15 is the deadline for biologyteachers of grades 7-12 to nominate acolleague or themselves for this year’sOutstanding Biology Teacher Award,sponsored by the National Associationof Biology Teachers (NABT). Nominees are judged on their teaching ability and experience, cooperativenessin the school and community, andstudent-teacher relationships.Please take the time to nominatea deserving colleague or yourself.Nomination instructions can befound in the Awards section of theNABT website at https://nabt.org/.The deadline for Outstanding BiologyTeacher Award nominations andmost other 2019 NABT awards isMarch 15, 2019. For more information, contact Iowa’s director for theaward Doug Herman, Herman.Doug@iowacityschools.org, or Mike Zeller,mzeller@iastate.edu.Presidential awards have March 1 and May 1 deadlinesMarch 1 is the deadline for onlinenominations of teachers of grades7-12 for the Presidential Awardsfor Excellence in Mathematics andScience Teaching. Nominated teachershave until May 1 to submit their applications. Enacted by Congress in 1983,this award is the highest recognition6that a U.S. mathematics or scienceteacher can receive. The awardsare administered by the NationalScience Foundation.The competition alternates each yearbetween teachers of grades K-6 andgrades 7-12. The award includes 10,000, a certificate signed by thePresident of the United States, a paidtrip to Washington, D.C., and more.For details, e-mail info@paemst.org orvisit www.paemst.org. Nominationsshould be done early enough to allowthe nominated teachers time tothoroughly prepare their applications.Winter 2019 Iowa Biotech Educator
Free Biotech ResourcesWant to do PCR? Borrow a thermal cycler, order free supplies from the BOEC!Thermal cyclers and moreWith funding from the Office ofBiotechnology and help from theBio-Rad company, the BOEC hasfour thermal cyclers and shippingcontainers as part of the BiotechnologyPublic Education Program’s equipmentloan program. The BOEC also canprovide a 12-position mini-microcentrifuge to complete the specialequipment needed to do PCR activitieswith classes.ProtocolsThe TPA-25 Alu sequence protocolon the BOEC website (www.biotech.iastate.edu/laboratory-protocols) waswritten to use either 1) one size (P20)micropipettors found in the DNAfingerprinting kit in combinationwith various sizes of transfer pipetsor 2) a combination of micropipettorsizes (P10, P20, P200 and P1000) thateducators may already have availablein their labs. When ordering a thermalcycler, a DNA fingerprinting kit, anda mini-microcentrifuge (if needed)from the BOEC, educators should beready to provide information aboutthe amount of equipment and suppliesthey require for their classes. Assorted disposable plasticware –transfer pipets, 1.5 ml tubes,15 ml tubes, etc. Carolina Blu DNA stainingsupplies or migration dye withGel Red DNA stain for use with aUV transilluminatorTo make staining the PCR productafter electrophoresis easier, a 50%mixture of Carolina Blu final staindiluted with distilled water and pouredover the gel in a plastic bag or stainingtray and left overnight produces darkbands with no destaining needed. TheBOEC can also provide a stain forclassrooms that have UV transilluminators available.Also needed: DNA fingerprinting kit fromthe BOEC The TPA-25 Alu protocol is designedto use the P20 micropipettors,electrophoresis chambers, andpower supply that are provided inthe DNA fingerprinting kit.Contact for information or to orderLori Miller: lorimill@iastate.eduMike Zeller: mzeller@iastate.eduWhat the BOEC suppliesEquipment: Bio-Rad thermal cycler programmedfor TPA-25 Alu sequence and themost popular Bio-Rad and CarolinaBiological PCR kit protocols Mini-microcentrifuge (if needed)with 12 positionsThe BOEC provides educators with free access tothe reagents/supplies, thermal cyclers, and minicentrifuges (left to right below) that they need todo PCR protocols.Supplies/reagents for TPA-25Alu protocol: PCR ready-to-go beads in0.2 ml tube Chelex – add 9 ml of distilled waterfor final volume Alu forward and reverse primersPHOTO: MIKE ZELLERHundreds of Iowa students over thepast few months have done PCR(polymerase chain reaction) labprotocols with equipment and supplies provided by the BiotechnologyOutreach Education Center (BOEC)at Iowa State University. In addition tothe equipment and supplies, the BOECprovides detailed instructions andadvice along the way.Genetic Science Learning Center resource announcedhttps://teach.genetics.utah.eduThe Genetic Science LearningCenter at the University of Utah hasannounced a new unit for teacherstitled Evolution: DNA and the Unityof Life. This resource, based on worksupported by the National ScienceFoundation, is an eight-week curriculum unit that explores genetics, DNA,and heredity.The unit includes online multimediapresentations, interactive web-basedIowa Biotech Educator Winter 2019exercises, and paper activities. Thematerials are presented on two parallelwebsites, https://learn.genetics.utah.edu for students and the public andhttps://teach.genetics.utah.edu foreducators.Five modulesThe unit is organized into five modules that can be used individuallyor together in sequence. The goal ofthe modules is to increase students’understanding of DNA as a blueprintfor all living things, especially DNA’sassociation with variations in traitsthat are involved in natural selectionand the diversity of life.The five modules are SharedBiochemistry, Common Ancestry,Heredity, Natural Selection, andSpeciation. The unit’s activities alignwith the Next Generation ScienceStandards (NGSS).7
About Iowa State’s Public Education Program in Biotechnology. . .Iowa State University’s Public Education Program in Biotechnology thanks donors for their generous support:Sustaining donor: Iowa Biotechnology AssociationMajor donors: Ajinomoto Food Ingredients, LLC/Ajinomoto Heartland, LLC; Bayer CropScience; Cargill; GenencorInternational, Inc.; Golden Harvest Research; Growmark; the Greater Cedar Rapids Foundation–Diamond V MillsDonor-Advised Fund; the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation Agricultural Foundation; the Iowa Soybean Promotion Board;Iowa State University Extension and Outreach; Kemin Americas; MBS Genetics, LLC; Pioneer Hi-Bred International,Inc.; the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust; Syngenta Seeds, Inc.; West Central Cooperative; and private individuals.To Contact the ProgramPhone: 515 294-9818 or, toll-free in Iowa, 800 643-9504E-mail: biotech@iastate.eduWWW: www.biotech.iastate.eduPublic Education Program PersonnelJeanne Serb, Associate Professor of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology andDirector of the Office of BiotechnologyMike Zeller, Biotechnology Outreach Education CoordinatorLori Miller, Program SecretaryGlenda Webber, EditorJoel Nott, Assistant Scientist, and Camie Stockhausen, Communications Specialist, Homepage WebmastersIowa Biotech EducatorIowa State UniversityOffice of Biotechnology1210 Molecular Biology Building2437 Pammel DriveAmes, Iowa 50011-1079
summer 2019 workshops. See p. 2 for details. PHOTOS: MIKE ZELLER. Iowa Biotech . Expertise. The Winter 2019 edition of the . Iowa Biotech Educator. newsletter serves to officially announce the dates, location, and where to find specific in-formation about our summer Biotechnology Education Workshops. All this information can be found on page 2.
