Read all about UK's commitment to Outreaching for KY Young Researchers--- Click here--

Personally and my lab (Graduate and Undergraduate students) have several initiatives that are on going.

Highlights of such activities are as follows:

1. Involvement in local elementary, middle and high school science fairs and science fun days.

Glendover elementary and Morton middle schools have been a focus for the last several years and we are hoping to spread the efforts to a wider range of schools. I, several graduate (Andt Johnstone, Sameera Dasari and Mohati Desai) and undergraduate students in Biology run the Science fun day and organize the poster judging for some 200+ projects.

As an Biology undergraduate Justin Blackburn (who worked in my research team for 1 year) helped to develop Science Day at Berea Community School. He held hands on workshops for the students in middle-elementary school.

... (Cooper)

(JUSTIN Above)

Justin Blackburn liked this so much that he applied with the help Dr. Robin Cooper (Biology) for funds from the National Science foundation to learn more of what it takes to be a science teacher at a High School.
With the $5,000 NSF-REU award Mr. Justin L. Blackburn provided assistance in a biology classroom at Berea Community High School (BCHS) for the year of 2005. The NSF-REU is a special award for Research Experience for Undergraduates. In this case he used the award for an experience for learning how to teach science.

2. Not only are we dedicated to helping students but also science teachers.

Teacher Workshops:

One initiative is to work with the Fayette County Public schools and Biology faculty to conduct workshops in the summer for teachers and to continue with teachers education throughout the year.

A Tiered Mentoring Grant from Kentucky Dept. of Education was awarded to Mr. David Taylor (Science Coordinator Fayette County Public Schools) to work with Dr. Robin Cooper (Department of Biology) to mentor middle school science teachers to learn laboratory and experimental techniques. A hands on teachers workshop was held this past summer within the Department of Biology. To learn more about this workshop see: http://web.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/Bio401G/workshopsummer2005.htm

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David Taylor, UK President Todd, Nick Badre (Undergraduate helper in the workshop).

President Todd talking with Middle School Teachers at the workshop relaying the message that UK cares about education at all levels K-12 as well as at the University level.

This KY Department of Education grant also provides the continual contact with The Cooper research team and Middle school teachers throughout the year with FCPS Science Content Academy training.

High School teachers:

I and my lab personal also have a strong commitment with High School teachers as well as High School Students. We have been active at several levels.

This last year two High school teachers were awarded a NSF-RET which is a special award for Research Experience for Teachers from the National Science Foundation. The grant was a $20,000 supplement to Dr. Cooper's NSF Research grant. In this case these two teachers were part of a ongoing NSF funded research project related to understanding how nerves communicate with muscles. To learn more about the experience of these two teachers please see: http://web.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/Bio401G/TEACHING RET PAGE 2005.htm

From this experience one of the high school teachers, Ms. Heidi Anderson from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School wrote a laboratory exercise with Dr. Cooper to use back in her classroom. In addition she submitted this to the National Teachers Association for a competitive award. Ms. Anderson was awarded national recognition for her project. She was awarded Vernier Technology Award which provides a $1,000 for equipment to be used by the school and a free trip to the National Teachers Association meeting as well as a cash prize. She will be honored by the FCPS Board for her accomplishment on February 27, 2006.

Project synopsis is now live on the Vernier web site at www.vernier.com/grants/nstaawards2006.html

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(Ms. Heidi Anderson a former UK Alumni)........ .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... .......... ..Being awarded the NTSA award in Calif.

High School Students:

As for high school students, my lab is very dedicated to mentoring students in their research laboratories. In fact, some of the high school students have won Internationally recognized awards for their Science projects conducted within our research programs.

Last year Mr. Clay Turner, an 11th grade Lafayette High School Student, conducted research in our laboratory at UK and obtained $500 for his research from the UK- KY Young Researchers Program.
What this opportunity allowed Clay was to conduct research related to a research project that he could use for his science fair project and to travel to various scientific meetings.

In addition he won an award at the UK Regional Science and Engineering fair to proceed to the international INTEL competition. There he was awarded a University Scholarship worth 20,000.

(Mr. Clay Turner at the INTERNATIONAL INTEL Science fair)

Mr. Turner's project was entitled "THE EFFECTS OF AN ALTERED SEROTONINERGIC SYSTEM ON BEHAVIOR AND DEVELOPMENT IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER"

An abstract of his work:

Drosophila is a simple model system that provides an advantage over vertebrates to modify genetically and for electrophysiological studies on identifiable cells. In this organism the sensory-CNS-motor circuit is modulated by serotonin (5-HT) in larvae which gives one insight that this neuromodulator is playing a role in central neuronal circuits. The role of 5-HT in the behavior and development of Drosophila melanogaster larvae is being studied. p-CPA (para-chlorophenylalanine) blocks the synthesis of 5-HT by blocking the enzyme tryptophan hydroxylase. The larval development is slowed by pCPA. Locomotive behavior and mouth hook movements is also reduced in 3rd instar larvae that were fed pCPA since the 1st instar. Antibody staining of the larval brain for 5-HT shows a reduction in intensity of 5-HT in animals fed pCPA. This studies shows that pCPA reduces 5-HT production which also correlates with reduced larval development and altered behavior.

The various presentations that Clay Turner has given related to his research are the following:

1. C. Turner (2005) The effects of an altered serotoninergic system on behavior and development in Drosophila melanogaster. Local Bluegrass chapter for the Society for Neuroscience meeting at Keenland in Lexington, KY. (March 15, 2005).

2. C. Turner. (2005) The effects of an altered serotoninergic system on behavior and development in Drosophila melanogaster. The Central KY Regional Science & Engineering Fair held on UK campus March 26, 2005

3. C. Turner. (2005) Science fair project. The Jr. KY Sciences held on Campbellsville University (KY) campus April 16, 2005.

4. C. Turner. (2005) Science fair project. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) held in AZ.

5. Turner, C., Dasari, S., and Cooper, R.L. (2006) Influence of the dopamine and serotonergic systems on physiology, development and behavior of Drosophila melanogaster. Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. Annual meeting. Orlando, FL. January 4-8.

For other endeavors of High School students' research in our lab see:
http://web.as.uky.edu/Biology/faculty/cooper/High school OUTREACHING.htm