Biology doctoral candidate Sarah Adkins works with colorful microbes to understand more about the world around us and creates agar art out of pigmented and colorful bacteria. View the archived video on Facebook.Alabama school students can peek into graduate laboratories and research through Discoveries Behind the Scenes, a live stream of experiments and discussions through the UAB Graduate School Facebook page 10-10:30 a.m. every other Wednesday.
During each livestream, viewers can submit questions for researchers, who will answer and explain or demonstrate their processes and reasoning. Anyone can log into Facebook to view the segments, but Lori McMahon, Ph.D., dean of The Graduate School, says they are focused on extending opportunities to Alabama’s middle and high school students who may not have access to a scientific research curriculum.
“We are excited to provide middle and high school students with an opportunity to experience an innovative lab setting without having to leave their homes or schools,” McMahan said. “We know some students don’t have the opportunity to learn about the amazing research being done in their very own state, and we feel this is a great way to expose them to that.
“Who knows?” McMahon continued. “Maybe some of them will one day become students in these very labs.”
The Discoveries Behind the Scenes topics and researchers for the fall semester are listed below. After each livestream, the full video will be available for viewing on Facebook.
Sept. 11
Biology doctoral candidate Sarah Adkins works with colorful microbes to understand more about the world around us and creates agar art out of pigmented and colorful bacteria.
View the archived video on Facebook.
Sept. 25
Psychology doctoral students Grace Albright and Austin Svancara demonstrated how distracted driving can impact safety using a car simulation.
View the archived video on Facebook.
Oct. 9
Forensic science graduate student Sarah Guertin will demonstrate how forensic scientists perform drug color tests and lift fingerprints.
Oct. 23
Biology doctoral student Sabrina Heiser will explain why scientists press seaweed and show the organisms that live within the plant.
Nov. 6
Medical/clinical psychology doctoral student Casie Morgan will discuss her thesis, “Your Friendly Neighborhood Superkid: The Influence of Superheroes on Children’s Risk-taking Behaviors,” to discuss the potential implications of superhero media on children.
Nov. 20
Cancer biology doctoral student Nick Anderson will introduce the term hematopathology and explain how viewing blood cells under a microscope can be used to diagnose blood cancers and test whether chemotherapy treatment is effective.
