Track 3: TBD
Chemistry and Biochemistry
DNA Detectives: Extracting Strawberry Secrets
In this engaging workshop, participants will perform an experiment to extract DNA from strawberries—a fun and accessible introduction to biochemistry and molecular biology. Using simple household items and lab techniques, students and their champions will work together to break open strawberry cells, separate their contents, and isolate the genetic material. Through this process, participants will learn about the basic building blocks of life and how DNA serves as the blueprint for all living things.
Led by: Ceren Yilmaz Akkaya
and Alissa Richard
Mechanical Engineering
Assistive Device Design
In this workshop, participants and their champions will develop a device to assist a user with a reaching related task. User traits will be chosen by each group and designs will be prototyped to meet that users specific needs. Participants will think about how they can design for a diverse audience when completing the same task. Designs will be tested multiple times so that teams can iterate and make improvements.