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Get the most interesting and important stories from the University of Pittsburgh.Middle school students in Pittsburgh’s Greater Hazelwood neighborhood are getting hands-on with biotechnology thanks to a partnership between Pitt’s Office of Engagement and Community Affairs (ECA) and the Smithsonian Science Education Center.
This collaboration brings the Smithsonian Biotechnology Curriculum to Greater Hazelwood, providing students with engaging activities that highlight real-world applications of life sciences education.
Starting last October, Pitt and neighborhood nonprofit Center of Life, piloted the program. Over the course of 11 sessions, around 10 middle school students explored topics like DNA extraction, food systems and renewable energy. Activities like micropipette art, biofuel centrifuge experiments and gel electrophoresis helped introduce the students to biotechnology concepts, including their roles in everyday life.
Pitt is the first institution to host the curriculum thanks to Carol O’Donnell (EDUC ’83), director of the Smithsonian Science Education Center, who grew up in Hazelwood. Cassie Quigley, chair of the Department of Teaching, Learning and Leading at Pitt’s School of Education, facilitated the collaboration.
Heidi Ward, director of the Greater Hazelwood Neighborhood Commitment, said that during the planning phase for community and life sciences opportunities in the neighborhood, community members emphasized the importance of educational initiatives, particularly for middle school students.
“While after-school programs are well established in the neighborhood, community leaders also identified a need for enrichment content,” Ward said. “By integrating the Smithsonian Biotechnology Curriculum with the Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program, we’re providing supplementary learning experiences that introduce youth to 21st-century career pathways in the life sciences.”
Developed as part of the Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project, the unique curriculum guides students through real-world applications with questions like: “How can we ethically create a sustainable future using biotechnology?”
Jessica Robertson, a senior laboratory instructor and outreach coordinator in Pitt’s Department of Biological Sciences, said students responded positively to the hands-on activities.
“It’s a true joy to hear students understanding the material and really getting into the problem we’re working through,” Robertson said. “We create programs like this to get the students engaged at as young of an age as we possibly can. And then we offer support throughout their career in school to get them to feel comfortable and like they belong at Pitt.”
Student feedback collected at the end of the program showed significant growth in their understanding of biotechnology. Before the sessions, students described biotechnology as “technology that has something to do with life.” By the end, they could name tools and discuss applications like DNA identification, medicine and renewable energy.
The program also connects to Pitt’s strategic investments in Greater Hazelwood, including the development of the state-of-the-art biomanufacturing facility, BioForge.
“Anchored by BioForge, the University has an exciting opportunity to inspire and empower young people through exposure to life sciences,” Ward said. “This programming shows how life sciences can positively impact the local community by increasing awareness, providing valuable learning experiences and creating pathways to future jobs.”
Branden Ballard, director of the Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program, emphasized the initiative’s role in inspiring future scientists. “Our goal is to plant a seed that allows youth to dream about their futures in ways that may have been foreign to them,” he said.
“It’s also about creating opportunities for Pitt students to explore neighborhoods they may not have visited before and connecting Greater Hazelwood youth to career pathways within walking distance of their homes.” Four undergraduate Pitt students hired through the Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program helped to deliver the biotechnology curriculum.
Looking ahead, Pitt plans to continue its partnership with the Smithsonian and offer the curriculum in 2025. The spring sessions will build on last fall’s foundation, offering deeper dives into biotechnology topics particularly human health. To learn more about the Greater Hazelwood Neighborhood Commitment and the Gismondi Neighborhood Education Program, visit Pitt’s Neighborhood Commitments website.
Photography by Tom Altany