Training

REU Short Course

Undergraduate research students participate in a one-week short course designed to introduce them to working in a research lab, light microscopy techniques and analysis. Topics include keeping a lab notebook, a day in the life of a lab researcher, basic light microscopy, working with confocal and electron microscopes, and quantitative image analysis. As part of their outreach preparation, participants engage in pedagogical areas such as active learning, universal design for learning, and effective communication for diverse audiences. Students are also introduced to best practices in working with an ASL interpreter and Deaf/hard-of-hearing colleagues.

Outreach Activities on Microscopy

Students in the REU prepare outreach materials and hands-on activities that are taught to high school students in the Catalyst summer camp. Students are challenged to teach microscopy concepts without using a microscope!

• 2024 Outreach materials. Our 2024 cohort designed educational materials for high school students that  included using blocks to demonstrate pixel size, a laser maze to demonstrate light paths, and various colors of flashlights and filters to image different colored model organelles. For students with visual challenges, alternative activities utilized sound waves to represent similar concepts. 
• 2025 Outreach materials. TBD
• 2026 Outreach materials. TBD

Interested in accessing our educational materials on quantitative imaging and outreach activities? Contact us!