Utah State University’s Biotechnology Summer Academy is currently underway. 31 teens from Utah, and the surrounding Western States are working side-by-side with USU scientists and engineers on a variety of research projects Tuesday to Thursday, July 8-10th.
This year’s Summer Academy exposes high school students to numerous career opportunities available in the Biotechnology field.
“It’s a program where students come to Utah State University, for a week. Students listen to talks about working in biotechnology,” said Aaron Thomas, director of the Academy.
“They work in labs with researchers and graduate students on a small research project. The students spend the majority of their time doing this. They then prepare a small presentation at the end of the week,” he said.
Wesley Cook from Kaysville, and Miles Robertson from Salt Lake City are currently working on a project with USU Researcher, Giovanni Rompato.
“This week, we are looking at bacteria from the Great Salt Lake that grow in oil,” Robertson said.
“This is a great way to test your interests. And to make what you’re doing in school is really good for you,” Cook says.
By looking through a microscope at drops of oil, Cook is able to use the techniques he is learning at the academy to evaluate the bacteria’s ability to survive.
“Because the bacteria in the oil is living in the Great Salt Lake, its living in extremely salty conditions…so this really tough bacteria,” Cook said.
Learn more about the Biotech academy and the projects students are working on;visit their website.
