TRUE 98

PAMELA L. SMITH

I teach at James Weldon Johnson College Preparatory Middle School in Jacksonville, Florida. I am the Sixth Grade Advanced Science teacher on the Alpha Adventurers team and the coach of the Division Champion Girls Soccer team - 5 years in a row ; ) . I really enjoy teaching science.

This summer while participating in TRUE I learned how science is put into practice. This was a wonderful opportunity! During the first week we participated in a biotechnology workshop where we ran gels. Here's one of ours ready to be attached to the power supply.

I was assigned to The Institute for Wound Healing http://www.med.ufl.edu/biochem/ . Dr. Gregory Schultz has allowed me the opportunity to participate in many different facets of his research. I have participated in the process of testing a topical antibiotic for a major pharmaceutical firm, prepared plasmids for other projects, and not only learned how to homogenize in preparation for a CAT assay for a study of ischemic wounds but took an active role in the entire process. I have really done a lot of "hands on science in this program. Here I am retrieving luria broth from the autoclave. TRUE has provided so many new experiences to me.

The schedule has been very intense - we have had lectures almost daily on some terrific topics like "Biohazards in the Research Laboratory", "Semiconductors: from Computer Chips to Lasers", "Art and Science: What is the Connection?", and "The Brain and Reading" along with demonstrations and sharing sessions. However, there was always a way to squeeze a new adventure into every week. Some of the impromptu trips that I have enjoyed have included hikes at San Felasco and the Devil's Millhopper, enjoying music at Samone's, a local restaurant, fossil hunting, and Payne's Prairie shortly after sunrise.

To find out more about my TRUE experience email me at baden2@southeast.net