Wednesday, August 1, 2018

91制片厂 Manchester is joining the push to mitigate one of the most critical public health crises facing the world: antibiotic resistance.听Dr. Sue Cooke, lecturer in biology, took part in a week-long training to become New Hampshire's first partner instructor for听, a network of听instructors and students focused on crowdsourcing antibiotic discovery from soil. Founded by听University of Wisconsin-Madison professor Jo Handelsman, Tiny Earth has听a two-fold mission: to encourage students to pursue careers in science through real-world applicable laboratory and field research in introductory courses, and to tap into the collective power of student researches to address the worldwide health threat that is the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics.

To achieve these goals, the initiative leverages a network of partner institutions where instructors learn the curriculum and integrate the research protocols in their lab-based courses at universities, colleges and high schools. Tiny Earth鈥檚 student scientists鈥攎any of them experiencing the scientific method in action for the first time鈥攈unt for novel antibiotic organisms in soil samples. Adding 40 new partner institutions in 2017 alone, Tiny Earth is听a global and growing network that includes instructors from 14 countries and 44 U.S. states.

Dr. Cooke is part of the initiative鈥檚 commitment to engage schools, colleges, departments听and aspiring scientists across the country. From July 16 to 20, 24 instructors from institutions across the United States and one instructor from Nigeria听attended an intensive five-day training at the University of Connecticut.

鈥淭iny Earth鈥檚 newest batch of partner instructors are an inspiring cohort of researchers and educators already bringing fresh ideas to Tiny Earth鈥檚 core mission of engaging undergraduate and high school students in real discovery,鈥 said Tiny Earth Science and Training Director听Dr. Nichole Broderick, an assistant professor at the University of Connecticut.听

The program is partnering with institutions reflecting the diversity of the United States. The training included instructors from four Hispanic-serving institutions, Austin Community College (Texas), Brazosport College (Texas), Vanguard University (Calif.), and New Mexico State University, and one Historically Black University, Fayetteville State University (N.C.).听

鈥淎 diversity of student scientists, like a diversity of soil samples, only enhances Tiny Earth鈥檚 discovery potential and impact,鈥 Broderick says.

Dr. Cooke will be integrating the Tiny Earth protocols into a course called Small Microbial World, which will be offered for the first time in spring 2019 to both science and non-science students.

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