American Biotech Association Summer Intensive Bootcamp at Trinity
Trinity Washington University
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During the summer of 2023, Trinity welcomed a cohort of 10 McKinley Technology High School rising Juniors and Seniors to participate in the American Biotech Association (ABA) Summer Intensive Bootcamp. These students came to Trinity’s campus throughout the summer to complete a college level Biology course as well as intensive biotech training through the ABA. The program supports the expressed career interests of The McKinley students in fields such as medicine, dermatology, precision medicine, genetics, criminal justice, psychology, and biological research.
Under the guidance of Professor Patrice Neilson, the students started off the semester with in-depth discussions on the process of science, what characteristics unite all living things, and how living things are connected in ecosystems. On a field trip to the National Arboretum, students met the curator of the herbarium, Harlan Svoboda, who taught them how to collect and press plant specimens; followed by practical plant pressing experiences. On the final day of class, they returned to the herbarium to mount their preserved samples with official herbarium labels and deposit them in the herbarium’s permanent, climate-controlled collection.
Over the course of the summer, the students worked in three groups to identify and collect samples of plants on campus. They also completed units on cell processes, genetics, animal cell and tissue types, and human body systems, using microscopes to find different kinds of cells on microscope slides, set up experiments showing factors that affect cell functions, and completing an extensive lab using chemical tests to identify nutrients found in different kinds of foods.
During the final week of the semester, students worked with their groups to research more about the diverse collection of plants they had identified and made final presentations about the ecosystems these plants exist in naturally, the species that rely on each other in these ecosystems, the importance of healthy ecosystems to human life and health, and solutions to addressing threats to these ecosystems.
Trinity is proud to participate in the American Biotech Association Summer Intensive Bootcamp program and offers several related degree programs including Biology, Biochemistry, Psychology, Criminal Justice, and many programs in the medical field.
