Professor introduces biotechnology courses to high school students
By Tamar Weinberg
Published: Thursday, February 19, 2004
The Good 5 Cent Cigar (URI Student Newspaper)

2/19/04 - Rhode Island high school students have recently been given the opportunity to become involved in a unique biotechnology program directed by Albert Kausch, a visiting associate professor for plant sciences at the University of Rhode Island .

"While we send a rover to Mars, general society doesn't understand life on this planet." Kausch said.

Despite skepticism, Kausch wanted to make a difference by introducing high level genetic education to younger students. "All of my colleagues cautioned me that this was Ph.D work, not for undergraduate students, and I said watch this I'll do it with high school students," Kausch said

The course is Modified Technology in Genetic Engineering and is located in the Food Sciences Building in West Kingston. It combines the knowledge of graduate students, undergraduate students and high school students by conducting experiments on genes in agricultural crops.

"Students receive their own gene that confer with useful traits in crops," Kausch said, "We deal with genes that control drought tolerance, fertility, and other important traits."

Yale University, George Washington University, Cornell University and other institutions are in collaboration with the class to provide the genetic material used in experiments. Students use the genetic material to grow modified plants.

The joint biotechnology class began when Kausch presented information about biotechnology to teachers last summer. Local high school teachers asked Kausch for help in biotechnology training.

"The problem is that advances are moving too fast for the high school curriculum." Kausch said

There are currently 25 high school students involved in the program. They range from ninth grade all the way to twelfth. Students volunteer their own time to the program, "They even come in during their vacation," Kausch said.

Kausch hopes that an early education in biotechnology will raise awareness about the importance of genetic modification, and dispel misconceptions that are circulating about biotechnology.

"People are apprehensive about GMOs [Genetically Modified Organisms] and their relevance to food sources." Kausch said, "Students are exposed to information that resolves society's misinformation."

This is the class' second year and it has already received grants for biotech companies to put better lab equipment in some participating high schools. Kausch would like to see satellite labs for project-based genetic testing nationwide.

"I feel strongly that this is something other schools should adopt across the country," Kausch said.

Advances in biotechnology and genetic engineering have produced many positive contributions. Kausch pointed out that the SARS outbreak was identified and contained in a short period of time because of recent advancements in science.

"Impact of biotechnology is huge," Kausch said. "Landing on the moon pales in comparison to what we know now."