To introduce, train, and nurture disadvantaged high school students and science teachers in the concepts, approaches, and skills of modern scientific inquiry, and to promote K-12 inquiry-based science curricular reform, the University of Arizona (UA) College of Medicine will continue to provide productive full-time, team-oriented, health related biomedical research experiences gradually increasing to 28-32 high school students and 11-13 K-12 science teachers each summer 1998-2000. These hands-on experiences will be integrated into the ongoing Summer Institute on Medical Ignorance and year-round Curriculum on Medical Ignorance for medical students and high school students and science teachers, consisting of """"""""brain-on"""""""" bi-weekly luncheon research seminars, participatory workshops, clinical correlations, questioning exercises, visiting professorships, final research presentations and written reports, and career advising, all aimed at involving these student and teacher teams together at joint exploration of the vast shifting terrain of medical ignorance and encouraging self-motivated learning and discovery through the questioning process. Utilizing in vivo, in vitro, in situ and modeling approaches and state-of-the-art technology, research emphasis areas will focus primarily on the cardiovascular system, cancer, neurosciences, and respiratory sciences and will nurture strong and lasting role model-mentor relationships. Year-round on-site K-12 in-service activities and consultation [dove-tailing with our interrelated Questions, Questioning (Q/3) project], an annual Student Research Forum for medical student, high school student, and science teacher researchers each spring, and expanding opportunities to continue, present, and publish research and participate in seminars at the College of Medicine, will cultivate and support master teacher-questioners and budding disadvantaged student scientists while also establishing bridges, facilitated by teleconferencing and distance learning through UA-based NAU Net, with K-12 schools serving large numbers of disadvantaged students in the Tucson area, Phoenix, on Indian reservations, and throughout Arizona. Building on the track record of our current NIH High School Student and Science Teacher Program (153 high school students and 41 K-12 science teachers to-date) and Q/3, we will continue to increase the pool of qualified disadvantaged students in the health sciences pipeline by enhancing motivation: developing and practicing research, computing, teaching and learning skills; mentoring; bolstering academic persistence; and expanding health career options, while also strengthening collaborative partnerships nd sharing human and physical resources with science teachers to enrich inquiry-based science curriculum at predominantly disadvantaged K-12 schools statewide. Detailed short-term and long-term formative and summative-evaluation and participant tracking is ongoing.
| Araghi-Niknam, M; Zhang, Z; Jiang, S et al. (1997) Cytokine dysregulation and increased oxidation is prevented by dehydroepiandrosterone in mice infected with murine leukemia retrovirus. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 216:386-91 |
