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Michigan Tech’s Bioathlon is an annual event that brings high school students together for a little competition over science.
Sixty students from 15 U.P. high schools worked together in teams at various biological challenges.
In one lab, students were given fake fluid samples and a list of symptoms.
Medical Laboratory Science Major Lauren Kirwin said, “They get to look at all of those, as well as a microscope slide of her urine (fake), to figure out what she has wrong with her.”
In another contest, students dissected pigeons for points.
Biological Science Major Travis Wakeham said, “We’re looking at their dissecting abilities, the skills they learned in high school, and then making sure they follow instructions and clean up afterwards.”
It wasn’t just students getting in on the learning. Their teachers took part in an Ethnobotany class.
Biological Sciences Advisor Stacy Cotey said, “In the workshop, we’re going to be exploring the different ways that humans use plants, including medicinal purposes, food and also dyes or pigments.”
Winning first place in the 27th Annual Department of Biological Sciences Bioathlon was Houghton High School, second was Calumet High School, followed by L.L. Wright High School from Ironwood.
The following press release was issued by Michigan Tech:
The 27th annual Department of Biological Sciences Bioathlon for high school biology students was held on Wednesday, May 4, at Michigan Technological University. Simultaneously, a workshop was held for the accompanying biology teachers.
The Bioathlon serves as a means to stimulate interest and problem-solving in biology among our area youth. Teams from 15 Upper Peninsula Michigan high schools participated. The three top scores go to these schools:
The team winning FIRST PLACE was Houghton High School from Houghton, MI.
Team members: Andra Campbell, Kieran Storer, Won Young Choi and Ann Desrochers–Instructor: Lauri Davis
The team winning SECOND PLACE was Calumet High School from Calumet, MI.
Team members: Chelsea Pittsley, Gunnar Lindemann, Brandon Fraki and Joseph Roy–Instructor: Jennifer Peters
The team winning the THIRD PLACE was L.L.Wright High School from Ironwood, MI.
Team members: Zane Ozello, Ian Hughes, Kinley Lyons and Nick Niemi–Instructor: Cheryl Jacisin
Each team was composed of four students who have not had formal class work in biology beyond the traditional sophomore high school general biology course. All teams tackled these same four problems:
The four problems for the competition include:
Dissection: designed by Biological Sciences graduate student Travis Wakeham and assisted by undergraduates Braden Peterson and Beth Chaney with input from Dr. John Durocher.
Molecular Biology and Genetics: designed by Biological Sciences graduate student Raja Bollepugu, assisted by undergraduates Evan Bachman and Catrina Latuszek
Field Identification: designed by Biological Sciences graduate student Tony Matthys assisted by graduates Ryan Van Gothem and Taylor Zallek
Medical Laboratory Science: designed and proctored by Medical Laboratory Science undergraduate students, Samantha Doyle, Shae Thomson, Joshua Bowman and Laura Kiewin with input from Professor of Practice Karyn Fay and Bioathlon Coordinator Jeff Lewin
Through these exercises, students needed to demonstrate organizational skills, following instructions knowledge of facts and concepts, laboratory skills, and creativity.
Each student participating in the competition received a certificate of participation and a Bioathlon T-shirt.
Each member of the first team received a $200 cash award, each member of the second team received a $100 cash award and each member of the third team received a $50 cash award along with a plaque for their school.
The teacher activity was:
Ethnobotany: How People Use Plants
The workshop was designed and taught by Stacy Cotey, Academic Advisor of Biological Sciences.
This was a day long workshop held outside and in as well as in a computer lab using online resources.
Funding was provided by MTU Admissions, the Department of Biological Sciences, the Michigan Tech Fund, MTU Alumni Mark Cowan, M.D., Robert C. and Kathryn DellAngelo, M.D., Olive Kimball, D.Ed., Ph.D., Nancy Auer, Ph.D. and Janice Glime, Ph.D.,
http://www.mtu.edu/biological/department/outreach/bioathlon/
