|
Georgette Kanmonge, Ph.D., center, associate professor in pharmacology and experimental neuroscience, center, explains her research on HIV and the blood-brain barrier to two OPS students for the Omaha Science Media Project.
|
Global concerns over the spread of the H1N1 virus sparked interest in infectious diseases and viruses.
This week, Omaha Public Schools (OPS) high school teachers and students will study virology with UNMC researchers.
Phil Smith, M.D., chief of the section of infectious diseases at UNMC, medical director for the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit, and co-director of the Center for Biopreparedness Education, will lead six virology projects at UNMC for the Omaha Science Media Project.
About the OSMP
The OSMP is an outgrowth of the World of Viruses project that was funded by the National Center for Research Resources at the National Institutes of Health through the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA), and was initiated by Dr. Judy Diamond, a professor at the University of Nebraska State Museum. The project is a collaborative effort between OPS, UNMC, Nebraska Center for Virology, Center for Biopreparedness Education, University of Nebraska State Museum, NET, University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s School of Journalism & Mass Communications, Soundprint Media Center and Northwestern University. An anonymous donor through the Omaha Schools Foundation funds the Omaha Science Media Project.
|
|
“Anyone can be affected by a virus. Because virology is an area of rapidly changing science it can be tough to teach,” Dr. Smith said. “Yet, this program will give teachers and students an opportunity to learn from some of UNMC’s top researchers. Everyday, these scientists work to understand pandemic flu, HIV, herpes and Coxsackie virus-which can cause juvenile diabetes.”
The Omaha Science Media Project puts together a team of OPS teachers and rising ninth-grade students with a science journalist to create multimedia projects about an infectious disease.
The teams will work together to produce short videos and audio essays that connect the science of viruses (virology) to an audience of high school students. The students and teachers will:
- Research topics;
- Interview scientists;
- Shoot video;
- Record audio;
- Edit their work; and
- Upload it to the Internet for teachers and students to use in their classrooms.
Closing ceremony
OPS school leaders and the community are invited to a culminating event on Friday, July 17 from 2 to 4 p.m. at UNMC’s Sorrell Center to see the participants’ final projects.
|
|
“OSMP brings together a dynamic and diverse team of teachers, students and community partners to learn how to communicate stories about science through the use of community experts using 21st century media and technology tools,” said Rachel Wise, OPS director of secondary education. “This project has created some great partnerships with researchers and journalists and it has already created some new partnerships among our schools as well.”
The multimedia segments will be used in a pilot curriculum project next year and presented at a national teacher conference. The project could be a model for schools nationwide.