The IBC was in Arkansas this month! We provided an introduction to informatics analysis techniques to molecular genetics students at Arkansas Technology University and then aided in experimental design and analysis for projects involving local high school students. The high school students are collaborating with AR INBRE and the IBC to perform protist and microbial surveys in Hot Springs national park as well as providing data on local stream fish to the Barcode of Life Project. Both groups were terrific with the high school students in particular doing ground breaking work with their biology instructor Mark Meredith of Russellville High School.
I wanted to thank both of you again for making the workshop with my students possible. That was an incredible experience for both them and myself. It’s not every day that high school students get to speak with scientists about data they’ve generated themselves. It is my hope that the meeting will impact what I do with these two courses for years to come. I know have several great ideas to go with, and I’d like to continue working with Arkansas INBRE and the WY IBC if at all possible. - Mark Meredith