CBIT’s BioImpact Summer Camps brings early biotechnology education to high school students

Over the summer, UW Bothell’s Center for Biotechnology Innovation & Training held five-day camps for high school students interested in topics ranging from anatomy and immunology to biomedical devices and entrepreneurship.

Guy Hamilton, CBIT director and professor of practice in the Department of Biological Sciences, wanted students to be exposed to hands-on experiences and apply them to the real world.

“We really want to get students excited about the opportunities in front of them as they’re thinking about their college career and, of course, to also show them what a cool place UW Bothell is,” he said.

This year’s program included four camps covering topics ranging from biotechnology entrepreneurship and emerging technologies, biomedical devices, immunology and vaccine innovation, including a partnership with the School of Business on the entrepreneurship-focused camps. Dr. Lori Robins, professor in the Department of Physical Sciences, shared her research expertise as part of a camp on odor control in wound healing.

“The students really wanted to know how to get involved with research early. They were so eager to learn and participate. You could feel it in the room when you walked in,” Robins said. “I think they really appreciated seeing what research is like at the university level and knowing that they were doing something real.”

Learn more about the BioImpact Summer Camp program and student experience in the full UW Bothell story, “A launchpad to science and medicine for local teens.”