HEY BBUGS!
We need volunteers for the upcoming GT Engineering Design Challenge. This is an annual event where local high school students come to Georgia Tech for a day to learn about engineering. There is not a lot of work on your part – simply describe the challenge to the students, give them the tools, and let them get creative! Last year’s event involved giving them sticks, pipe cleaners, rubber bands, etc and having them design an arm that could throw a bean bag toward a target. You can answer questions and help with designs, and the designs will be judged by you at the end. YOU GET FREE LUNCH, and we are looking for 6-10 volunteers. You can work the whole 3 hours, or rotate in an out for 1-2 hour shifts if you can’t stay the whole time.

Who: YOU!!!
When: November 18, 2008, 9:45am – 1pm
Where: GT Student Center
What: GT Bioengineering Challenge
FREE LUNCH!!!!

Please contact Stacie Gutowski (staciemg@gatech.edu), Nathan Hotaling (nathan.hotaling@gatech.edu), or Drew Owen (drduber@gatech.edu) if you can participate!

Hi BBUGS,

This year’s Buzz on Biotechnology will be held on October 24, 2009. This annual event brings several hundred local high school students to GT, and we need YOUR help to make it a success. Activities consist of science demos, lab tours, presentations, and a fantastic time teaching all about science! All volunteers get FREE breakfast, FREE lunch, and a FREE awesome new BBUGS t-shirt!

When:  Saturday October 24, 2009, 9am – 2pm (event runs 10am-1pm)

Volunteer meeting TBA in the near future.

Please volunteer if you can, and tell your friends to volunteer too!

Reply to Stacie Gutowski (staciemg@gatech.edu), Drew Owen (DrDuber@gatech.edu), or Nathan Hotaling (Nathan.Hotaling@gatech.edu)

Hi BBUGS folks,

We have a few more BBUGS education and outreach events that we need help with this semester. Please let us know if you are available to help.

Event 1:April 17,  9-11

# of volunteers needed: 2

Description: Greenforest Academy is having their Regional Science Fair and would like for 2 graduate students to do a bio-related demonstration.

Location: Decatur, GA

Deadline to respond: Monday April 13

Event 2*:April 20,  9 am-12pm

# of volunteers needed: 5

Description: Ron Clark Academy 7^th graders are coming in for lab tours and demos

Location: IBB, GT

Deadline to respond: Wednesday April 15

*Lunch will be provided

Contact Rachel Horak (rahorak@gatech.edu) or Samantha Andrews (samantha.andrews@biology.gatech.edu) to help out.

Thanks!

The Education and Outreach committee is hosting students from Greenforest Middle School on Friday, April 3, 9:30 a.m. – noon in IBB atrium. We will have lectures, lab tours, and science demonstrations.

We are looking for 4 volunteers to help us teach these students about the exciting research going on in  Biosciences and Biotechnology here at GA Tech. We have standard science demonstrations that you can use, or feel free to design your own. We would also like to find 2 labs that are willing to give short tours. We appreciate any help you can give, even if you can only commit part of the time.

Please contact Rachel Horak (rahorak@gatech.edu) or Samantha Andrews (samantha.andrews@bme.gatech.edu) to volunteer.

Thanks!

We are still in need of 3 BBUGS volunteers  for our March 11 Education and Outreach event! Please contact Samantha Andrews (samantha.andrews@bme.gatech.edu) or Rachel Horak (rahorak@gatech.edu) to volunteer.  Below are the details.

The BBUGS Education and Outreach committee will participate in a fun Outreach expo for middle and high schoolers at Morehouse College on Wednesday evening, March 11,   We need volunteers to coordinate 4-6 E&O science demonstrations, including Prosthetic Pete, Viscoelasticity (silly putty), Edible Cell, Motor Illusions, DNA extraction from peas. Other ideas for demonstrations are more than welcome! BBUGS has sent volunteers to this event for several years, and we would like to continue to serve this event.

Volunteers will meet at 4:30 pm on Wednesday March 11 in the IBB lobby for (free!) dinner. We anticipate coordinating rides and leaving campus around 5:15 pm for the event, which runs 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Please consider helping with this rewarding experience for Atlanta area students!

The BBUGS Education and Outreach committee is in need of 8-10 people to volunteer on Wednesday evening, March 11, for a fun Outreach event for middle and high schoolers at Morehouse College.  We need volunteers to coordinate 4-6 E&O science demonstrations, including Prosthetic Pete, Viscoelasticity (silly putty), Edible Cell, Motor Illusions, DNA extraction from peas. Other ideas for demonstrations are more than welcome! BBUGS has sent volunteers to this event for several years, and we would like to continue to serve this event.

Volunteers will meet at 4:30 pm on Wednesday March 11 in the IBB lobby for (free!) dinner. We anticipate coordinating rides and leaving campus around 5:15 pm for the event, which runs 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Please consider helping with this rewarding experience for Atlanta area students!

Contact Samantha Andrews (samantha.andrews@bme.gatech.edu) or Rachel Horak (rahorak@gatech.edu) to RSVP and claim your demonstration. We ask that volunteers please contact us by Wednesday March 4.

Volunteers are needed to help lead tours of high school students from Wheeler High Magnet School through the IBB on Friday, February 27, 2009.  The 61 students will be visiting from 10-12:30, followed by a visit to the admissions office.

The final details of the tours are still being worked out but if you are interested in giving a tour or would like further information, please contact Colly Mitchell (colly.mitchell@ibb.gatech.edu)

The BBUGS Education and Outreach committee is in need of 8-10 people to volunteer on Wednesday evening, February 11, for a fun Outreach event for middle and high schoolers at Morehouse College.  We need volunteers to coordinate 4-6 E&O science demonstrations, including Prosthetic Pete, Viscoelasticity (silly putty), Edible Cell, Motor Illusions, DNA extraction from peas. Other ideas for demonstrations are more than welcome! BBUGS has sent volunteers to this event for several years, and we would like to continue to serve this event.

Volunteers will meet at 4:30 pm on Wednesday February 11 in the IBB lobby for (free!) dinner. We anticipate coordinating rides and leaving campus around 5:15 pm for the event, which runs 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.

Please consider helping with this rewarding experience for Atlanta area students!

Contact Samantha Andrews (samantha.andrews@bme.gatech.edu) or Rachel Horak (rahorak@gatech.edu) to RSVP and claim your demonstration. We ask that volunteers please contact us by Friday, February 6.

BBUGS was asked to find volunteers for the County Science Fair on Monday, January 12. Details are below. Please contact Jill or Dan (judges coordinators, contact info at the bottom of post) directly if you want to help.

Thanks! From the BBUGS Education and Outreach committee

Rockdale County Public Schools will be hosting the Rockdale County Science Fair for both middle and high schools on Monday, January 12, 2009 at the Rockdale Career Academy.

Students will display their research projects for competition in 17 categories representing fields in science, engineering, technology, and mathematics.  This is a wonderful opportunity to watch these remarkable young students display and defend their research projects.  Many past participants in this fair have achieved great success at the Regional, State, and International levels of competition.

As educators, we support student research through the scientific process and experimental learning.  It is our hope to secure the best field of judges to review our students’ projects.  We are, therefore, asking your assistance in fulfilling this request.

Judges will need to report to Rockdale Career Academy at 11:45 A.M. for a Judges’ Orientation.  Judges will have private viewing of the projects until 2:00 P.M.  Students will be available for interviews by their projects between 2:00 to 4:00 P.M.  You official judging duties should be complete by approximately 4:30 P.M.

We are asking prospective judges to either register online or contact us directly.  Please indicate what categories you would be interested in judging. If you are not able to judge yourself and know of someone you think would be suitable, please pass this letter and information sheet along to them.

Register here to judge!

As a judge, you will have the opportunity to provide an objective measure of what an exemplary science fair project should contain and valuable insights so that our students can sharpen and refine their research skills.  Further, your interactions with the students during the interviewing process will provide them with valuable information that may further stimulate their interest in science, math, and technology.

We hope that you will join us for this exciting event.  Do not hesitate to contact us should you have questions or need further explanations.

Sincerely,

Jill Beach                                           Dan Petritz
Research Coordinator                        Middle School Science Coach

Contact Jill (jbeach@rockdale.k12.ga.us) or Dan (dpetritz@rockdale.k12.ga.us) directly to volunteer.

PUBP 8803 Special Topic: Biotechnology Law, Policy, and Ethics
CRN: 26403

Instructor:
Prof. Roberta Berry <http://www.spp.gatech.edu/faculty/faculty/rberry.php>

Enrollment:
Students will include Georgia Tech graduate students and GSU law students
(enrolled in concurrent GSU LAW 7098 Biotechnology Law, Policy, and Ethics).

Certificate or Minor:
This course can be counted toward a graduate minor or certificate
<http://www.spp.gatech.edu/prospective-students/ps_PhDcert.php>.

Formal Audit Available:
Please email Prof. Berry <robertaberry@gatech.edu> for information about the
level of participation required and how to register for the course as a
formal audit (a formal audit course appears on your transcript with a grade
of “V”).

Day/time:
Thursdays, 2:55pm-5:30pm

Place:
Room 104, DM Smith Building (corner of Bobby Dodd and Cherry Street).

Description:
This course examines the legal, policy, and ethical issues associated with
biotechnologies in selected topic areas, which may include genetically
modified foods, nanotechnology, xenotransplantation, artificial organs,
patenting of genes/patenting of life, stem cell research, gene therapy,
preimplantation genetic diagnosis, sex-selection reproductive technologies,
germline genetic engineering of human beings, human reproductive cloning,
and end-of-life technologies. The course will include multi-disciplinary
readings and an interactive format requiring preparation and presentation of
6 short “reaction papers” (about two paragraphs) reacting to assigned
readings for a class session and a “position paper” (about 1500 words) on a
biotechnology issue of the student’s choice.