Our STEM Enrichment Programs are one-week courses designed to provide students the opportunity to experience hands-on science in a biotechnology laboratory.
Held in state-of-the-art teaching labs at Gloucester Biotechnology Academy, the curricula immerse students, ages 13-18, in authentic laboratory investigations. Students use cutting-edge biotechnology equipment, the scientific method, and critical thinking to analyze samples and make data-driven conclusions.
The course will be taught by the Gloucester Biotechnology Academy staff and volunteers. Each student will have ample guidance and support in these real-world investigations. All equipment is provided including gloves, goggles, lab coats, and lab manuals. Students must pack a bag lunch and will have a break in the day to enjoy it.
Fish Fraud Forensics
Recent rumors about an award winning (fictional) restaurant in Boston have reached the desk of a local reporter. She found out from her sources that the restaurant is committing fish fraud by selling cheaper species of fish as cod. The reporter has obtained samples of the white fish that the restaurant claims is cod and brought them to a forensic lab for DNA testing. Students participating in this course will serve as forensic scientists responsible for extracting DNA from the samples and identifying the species of fish. Over the course of the week, students will learn modern molecular biology techniques including DNA extraction, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), and electrophoresis. On the final day of the program, students will analyze results to determine the identity of the fish species. Please note, the course uses actual fish in the lab in case of a known fish allergy.
Mean Glow Green
A (fictitious) biotech company has been allowing a glowing green liquid to leak into the local reservoir. The CEO admits that the company produces a transgenic bacterium containing a jellyfish protein that glows green when exposed to UV light, but insists that this bacterium cannot survive in the wild.
In this course, students will make their own glow-in-the-dark bacteria and test whether they can survive with wild bacteria from the reservoir. Students will also learn how to grow and extract green fluorescent protein in the lab, as well as how to properly dispose of transgenic bacteria to ensure it remains out of our environment.
Program Details and Summer 2023 Dates
June 26 – June 30: Mean Glow Green
July 17 – July 21: Fish Fraud Forensics
July 24 – July 28: Mean Glow Green
Runs from 9am to 2pm Monday through Thursday, and 9am to 12pm on Friday.
Open to middle and high school students, ages 13 to 18, interested in real-world science and learning in a hands-on environment.
No math or science experience is needed to participate. Curriculum is designed to meet all student needs.
Please contact Laura Richane, Director of Partnerships and Enrollment, with any questions at or 978.491.5968 x119
Apply
Please check back for updated paperwork for the summer of 2023.
Tuition
Tuition for all programs: $400 for one student, or $300 each if siblings enroll. If a student enrolls in two sessions, tuition will be reduced to $300 per week.
Tuition covers all supplies, consumables, lab coats, and a lab manual, which students keep.
We provide need-based financial aid to those who qualify. Please inquire for more information.
