Biotechnology at Sac State's Expanding Your Horizons

I participated with the North Valley Biotechnology Center in the Expanding Your Horizons conference at Sacramento State University. This conference featured hands-on workshops and exhibits to encourage more 6th to 8th grade girls into STEM careers.

Sac State published a preview article for the event: Expanding Your Horizons Connects Girls to Science.

Yay! The article mentions our workshop “Eat Your Way to DNA” – Using a strawberry and common household products to extract a real DNA sample to take home.

There was one DNA activity that required some review practice...

Practice paper origami DNA http://t.co/r1tnACUQ0z for #SacState Expanding Your Horizons today pic.twitter.com/caUoIFdhO7
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Scenes from my day at Expanding Your Horizons

Sac State is hosting Expanding Your Horizons, which introduces 6 thru 8 grades girls to STEM fields for study and eventual career paths.
— Kim Nava (@KNava_sacstate) October 12, 2013

#SacState Expanding Your Horizons begins! Encouraging young women in science #STEM @nvbiotech is here today! pic.twitter.com/1lHVdHdWhR
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

First workshop activity - DNA origami

We can do DNA origami! #SacState Expanding Your Horizons #STEM pic.twitter.com/ILZPgWUMTs
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Next - Strawberry DNA
Students crush strawberries before adding detergent.

Filtering strawberry detergent solution

Extracting DNA from strawberries at #SacState Expanding Your Horizons #STEM pic.twitter.com/LDy5A6RfZ8
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Origami DNA and Strawberry DNA isolation

Success! Spooling strawberry DNA from alcohol solution.

After the morning workshop, we're at the exhibition room:

The North Valley Biotechnology Center table

Playing with salmon DNA

Madame Lynda @LyndaPhoenix1 sighting at #SacState Expanding Your Horizons conference #fortune cc @nvbiotech pic.twitter.com/wBiBfXYI71
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Madame Lynda if @nvbiotech telling fortunes for the crowd - fun for the kids. #EYH pic.twitter.com/bJJm5vU60J
— D. Jamison-McClung (@yggdrasil13751) October 12, 2013

Some more exhibits at Expanding Your Horizons

So good to see #SacState alum Sarah and @Bayer4CropsUS Davis team at Expanding Your Horizons! Young women in #STEM! pic.twitter.com/WJ9ExS6wXq
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Making Science Make Sense @BayerMSMS at #SacState Expanding Your Horizons. @Bayer4CropsUS Davis team rocks! pic.twitter.com/CUmIEDw9Md
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 14, 2013

#UCDavis Biotechnology and Twitter pal Denneal @yggdrasil13751 at #SacState Expanding Your Horizons conference. pic.twitter.com/ZfxL7DW73d
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Awesome! Microbiology at #SacState Expanding Your Horizons. Women in #Science! #STEM pic.twitter.com/Nnn8RPOQqp
— Ken Kubo (@kmkubo) October 12, 2013

Sac State posted more photos from Expanding Your Horizons!

Enjoy our new photos from today's Expanding Your Horizons conference for girls at Sac State: http://t.co/BZkwSODGgM pic.twitter.com/2ZIrh0NWri
— Sacramento State (@sacstate) October 12, 2013