Christ Episcopal High School Tours Campus as Part of GeneBIORETS Program
High school students from Christ Episcopal High School in Covington, LA recently toured
the robotic simulation lab and the demo lab in the Center for Advanced Practice. Christ
Episcopal biology teacher Madelaine Bryant was one of the participants in the GeneBIORETS Program.
Dr. Fern Tsien (GeneBIORETS Program Director), Geri Davis (Student Outreach Program Director, Office of Diversity and Community Engagement), Dr. Daryl Lofaso, and medical, public health, and graduate students engaged the high school students in anatomy, physiology, and genetics topics, health science career opportunities, and training programs available through LSUHSC-New Orleans.
Bryant spent her summer working in Dr. Xinping Yue’s lab and researching the effects
of nicotine and fatty acid on circadian rhythm and cell growth in heart cells. She
said she gained additional hands-on research experience and the opportunity to work
side-by-side with scientific researchers through the program.
“Providing my students with the chance to see their classroom concepts come to life through hands-on interaction with simulators and cadaver organs was undoubtedly the highlight of our tour. The medical and PhD students served as outstanding mentors, engaging my high school students in meaningful discussions. This experience not only allowed my students to delve deeper into the subject matter but also offered them a unique opportunity to learn about the academic and personal journeys of these mentors at LSUHSC. The combination of real-world application and mentorship made the experience both enriching and inspiring,” Bryant said.
Christ Episcopal senior Annie Bilbe participated in the tour. “We learn so much throughout
our four years of science classes in high school, but I had not really considered
before the tour, ‘how do we know this?’ Seeing the research equipment that scientists
use every day really brings awareness to the importance of scientific research in
our lives.” she said. “I also really enjoyed diagnosing and resuscitating our patient,”
she added.
The program is made possible by a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Named GeneBIORETS, the grant is highly competitive, with only two awarded nationally in 2024. The goals of the GeneBIORETS program are for teachers to develop collaborative relationships with colleagues and researchers and provide training experiences that will have long-term impacts on how they impart science education in their classrooms, ultimately inspiring students of diverse backgrounds to pursue and excel in STEM professions.
High school teachers interested in applying for the summer of 2025 can find information
in the coming months on the website.