The Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (IBN) has been actively reaching out to the young since October 2003 through its Youth Research Program (YRP). Spearheaded by IBN Director and YRP Chair, Noreena AbuBakar, the YRP introduces cutting-edge scientific research to students and teachers through various activities such as open houses, career talks, workshops and research attachments.
By providing students and teachers with first-hand experience in research, the YRP hopes to expose more young people to research experiences beyond their academic curriculum. The program aims to nurture young minds in scientific research and inspire them to pursue careers in biomedical sciences. The YRP also helps teachers to introduce bioengineering and nanotechnology concepts into the school curriculum.
The YRP has reached out to over 36,688 students and teachers from 228 primary and secondary schools, junior colleges, polytechnics, as well as the universities. This includes over 1,185 students and teachers who have participated in full-time research attachments at IBN over a period of at least one month, during which they received valuable research experience under the guidance of an IBN researcher.
To help teachers convey complex scientific concepts through hands-on experiments, IBN researchers have developed the award-winning Nano-Bio Kits. IBN's Nano-Bio Kits have been selected for exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Museum for Emerging Science and Innovation in Tokyo for their innovative design and unique approach to scientific education. These educational toolboxes also received the 2008 Award of Excellence (Packaging Series) at the 49th Annual Design Exhibition organized by Communication Arts, a leading international visual communications magazine.
The first three kits in IBN's Nano-Bio Kit series - Biological Fuel Cell Kit, Thermo-Responsive Hydrogel Kit and Dielectrophoresis Chip Kit - each contains experiment components, teaching resources, and videos for teachers to plan and conduct their science lessons. 19 secondary schools and tertiary institutions have already incorporated the use of the IBN Nano-Bio Kits in their curriculum.
For more information about IBN's Nano-Bio Kits, please log on to http://www.nano-biokit.com/.
The YRP activities include:
• Open Houses
• Visits
• Workshops
• School Talks
• Career Fairs
• Research Attachments for Students and Teachers
YRP Committee
Chair:
|
Noreena AbuBakar (IBN Director) |
| Co-Chair: |
Nidyah Sani (Head, Corporate Communications) |
| Advisor: |
Prof. Jackie Y. Ying (IBN Executive Director) |
| Committee Members: |
Dr. Motoichi Kurisawa (Team Leader and Principal Research Scientist) and
Dr. Andrew Wan (Team Leader and Principal Research Scientist)
|
| Outreach Coordinators: |
Joy Ng,
Wanying Chen
|
YRP Event Calendar
Email yrp@ibn.a-star.edu.sg for more details about the program or if you would like to organize an activity for your school. |
