Highlights from Expedition:Bio, Whitehead Institute's summer science program for middle school students

Whitehead Institute is committed to training the next generation of scientific leaders. In addition to our graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and Whitehead Fellows, this commitment extends to the middle school and high school students that participate in our education and outreach programs, as well as the high school teachers enrolled in our high school teacher program. The programs provide potentially transformative experiences, exposing students, many for the first time, to the excitement of scientific research and new career possibilities. 

Every summer, a group of rising seventh and eighth graders participate in Expedition:Bio — two weeks of engrossing hands-on science at Whitehead Institute, with an extra helping of fun. For a glimpse into their experience, we spoke to several students who joined this year's program, to hear about what they learned. 

From constructing paper microscopes, to extracting DNA from strawberries and observing cells under a microscope — students encountered a wide range of activities and introductory concepts in biology. "It's fun, it's really interactive," Jacob Carvalho says. "We got to see the labs at Whitehead Institute." 

Building the paper microscopes, called Foldscopes, was a standout activity among students. A Foldscope starts out as a flat sheet of paper, which a student bends and creases like origami, before adding a lens that magnifies samples up to 140 times. "I didn't think they would work. But we added our samples, and we could see something microscopic," Phoebe Cochis says. 

Another highlight has been visiting the BioBuilder Learning Lab in Boston, where students used PCR, the laboratory technique used to detect and analyze particular DNA sequences in samples. The day's study subject was vitamin A-infused yeast, dubbed "golden yeast." This engineered yeast grows in a variety of colors — from deep reds to pale yellows and white — depending on its ability to synthesize the pigment beta-carotene. "We actually worked on the yeast," Carvalho says. "We got to incubate it, then saw the results the next day. There was orange, purple…each group had different colored yeast." 

"The instructors are really good at explaining things to you. We got to see the results of our experiments," says Cochis, who appreciated not simply following instructions, but learning how things worked along the way. A handful of undergraduates, graduate students and postdocs graciously shared their time with Expedition:Bio — they ran workshops, gave tours of their workspaces, and answered questions about what it's like being a scientist. Sung Hwa Chang and Erica Stoloff, both high school teachers in the area, served as instructors over the two weeks, guiding students through each day's activities.

Most but not all learning happened inside a lab. Taking advantage of the warm summer weather, Expedition:Bio ventured to Mass Audubon's Drumlin Farm in Lincoln, Massachusetts. Students observed local flora and fauna — from water stick-bugs, to green frogs and their tadpoles. "Drumlin farm was really cool, because we actually got to go out in the field," Cochis says. "We were able to observe animals — not just observe them, but think of them in a more scientific way."

At Mount Auburn Cemetery in Watertown, science illustrator Sandy McDermott led a birding excursion, where students had the chance to observe a red-tail hawk and sketch it in their nature journals. Students also received an introduction to citizen science projects at Mount Auburn, including one focused on identifying mushrooms and another that monitors insect populations in relation to climate change.

The majority of participants in Expedition:Bio were newcomers, with some exceptions. "It's my second year here, I came back, so that's how much I liked it," Carvalho says. Aya Behhite, who worked as an assistant this year, was once an Expedition:Bio student herself. "It was definitely a lot of déjà vu. We would go somewhere, and I'd be like 'oh my gosh,' I remembered when I was here as a student." Behhite, who begins her sophomore year of high school, is thinking about studying biology in college, with her sights set on becoming a doctor or a researcher.

"My favorite moment is when the kids see something new, or they're doing an experiment. They see the results and they get really excited," Behhite says. 

On the last day, students select a favorite activity from the past two weeks, and craft their own poster on the subject. Gathering in Whitehead Institute's cafeteria, the students present their findings to those attending. "It's so exciting to see kids who hadn’t considered pursuing science become interested in doing so after attending our programs," says Amy Tremblay, Whitehead Institute's Manager of Public Programs.

One of the main takeaways from these two weeks? Cochis sums it up: "There's a lot you're capable of, and there's a lot that you're able to learn, even if you're young. It just matters that you have a good teacher and you're motivated to do it."