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Betty Shambley, left, a teacher at Battle Creek High School is reunited with her former student Michelle Sell, M.D. a first year resident at Clarkson Family Medicine. |
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Munroe-Meyer Institute cytogenetic technologist Terry Schaaf shows teacher Mary Dubois of Bellevue East the final report achieved after doing a chromosome karyotyping analysis. |
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MMI cytogenetic technologist Julie Carstens demonstrates the preparation required to do a molecular genetics analysis to teachers Brenda Zabel and Edwin Wiest. |
Teachers were paired with various researchers and staff at UNMC. During their half-day visit, the teachers got a first-hand look at cutting-edge research and learned ways to be able to relate science applications of this research into their classroom curriculum.
Michelle Sell, M.D., is a first-year resident at Clarkson Family Medicine and a former student at Battle Creek High School. She said the information her science teacher Betty Shambley brought back to the classroom from the Teacher Connections Workshop sparked her interest in pursuing a career in the medical field.
“Because we lived in a small town, the big city seemed like a big scary place. Mrs. Shambley made it more accessible when she related her stories about her visits to the medical center,” Dr. Sell said. “Many students don’t know what they are going to do with their life, so it’s important to have programs like this that not only keep teachers up-to-date with the advances and research in science, but also to make them aware of the different possibilities and careers in health and science that they can talk to their students about.”
When Dr. Sell finishes her residency, she plans to pursue her medical career in a small Nebraska town and pass down her passion for health science to other small town students.
Some of the research topics the teachers learned about were:
- Alzheimer’s disease and brain repair;
- HIV/AIDS dementia, biosecurity lab testing procedures;
- Genetics; and
- Sleep disorders.
The Rural Health Education Network and the Nebraska Area Health Education Program sponsor this event and plan it in conjunction with the first day of workshops of the Nebraska Association of Teachers of Science Conference each year. Next year’s event is tentatively scheduled on Thursday, Oct. 23.
Departments interested in participating next year can contact Liliana Bronner at lbronner@unmc.edu for more information.
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Teachers who attended last month’s workshop included, front row from left, Kellee Vornhagen (Sunrise Middle School), Cassie Behnke (Kearney Catholic School), Mary Dubois (Bellevue East high School), Joan Plagge (Wisner Pilger High School), Edwin Wiest (Maywood Public School), Emily Garrison (Barr Middle School); second row: Tammy Walters (Johnson Brock Public School), Robyn Ethridge (Bellevue West High School), Sandy Vancura (St. Cecilia Middle/High School), Shari Schneider (Pius X High School), Joy Brown (District 11 Area Schools), Brenda Zabel (Westside High School), Sabrena Clinebell (McPherson County School); third row: Betty Shambley (Battle Creek High School), Amy Nelson (UNMC), Doug Cone (Doniphan Trumbull High School), Jay Kuecker (Kearney High School) and Carol Kolar (UNMC). |