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So now what we are going to do is just follow this protocol.
Jeffrey Vinokur, UW Communications: It may look like any other UW-Madison Biochemistry
lab, but the students here are not your typical researchers…
Middle School Science Experiments usually don't involve solving protein structures,
but thanks to a unique outreach program, students from Edgewood campus middle school are doing just that.
Hazel Holden, Biochemistry Professor: You see chemistry being taught in high school,
but by that time a lot of peoples opinions about chemistry have already been set, there
are too many people who think chemistry is dull and boring. And by the time they get
to high school, those opinions are there and it is very hard to change it around,
but you get them in the beginning, like in 6th grade and they don't have that
mindset yet, so the whole point of project crystal is not only teaching chemistry but
teaching it in a manner that it is relevant.
Malaika Maka, 7th Grader: In classes you learn all about volcanoes and the earth and stuff,
but this is really different and it's a lot more fun I believe because we actually are
learning about molecules and atoms and you get to work with chemicals, and you get to pipet which
is a lot of fun, and do a lot of cool things.
Beck Phillips, Graduate Student: Its cool to see them get excited about something like
pipetting which is something that is really basic and day to day for us. For them it is
completely new, so it's great to see that and reminds you when you have bad days in lab that this
is really exciting what you are doing.
[The schematic looks like this]
Jeffrey Vinokur: First, students learn about the big picture in the classroom and then
conduct research alongside graduate students. They even published a study together in the
journal Biochemistry, solving the structure of a protein involved in producing an anti-tumor agent.
Rachel Kubiak, Graduate Student: The most rewarding part probably would be when you
finally see their eyes light up with recognition or understanding, they just start glowing
brightly and they look at you and you suddenly realize its starting to mean something to them.
Dan Toomey, Edgewood Middle School Teacher: As a teacher for me that really represents a special
moment, that's really what we try to do is inspire students, and we try to teach them
important science concepts but we absolutely try to help them possibly down a career path.
Hazel Holden, Biochemistry Professor: I have visions of being project crystal all over
the country. Labs like mine want to have some outreach.
Malaika Maka, 7th Grader: I think it's a good experience for all of us and we have fun doing it together.