Learn about Bioscience!
Experimentation. Exploration. Innovation. The building blocks of science.
The frontiers of the biological sciences have rarely been as exciting as they are today. Students will explore the variety of biological disciplines and their interactions with each other. We will begin by exploring issues in ecology and sustainability then discover how these topics influence community and individual health. Students will have the opportunity to work with esteemed faculty in the Wake Forest science departments and learn from research mentors and industry professionals who have taken cutting-edge research and seen it materialize in the real world. Close collaboration and deeper engagement in the world of bioscience will allow students to see their futures – right now.
At A Glance
**Waitlists have been implemented for the summer 2023 Bioscience Institutes. Students may still apply or register for different institute sessions.
2023 Dates: July 9-14 or July 23-28
Who Can Apply?: Current 9th – 12th grade students
Overnight Tuition: $3,000
Location: Winston-Salem, NC – Wake Forest University Campus
Program Length: Sunday – Friday
Overnight or Day: Overnight Program
*Courses carry no secondary school or college credit. Upon completion of the program, an official Wake Forest University Certificate of Completion will be awarded to all Biosciences and Engineering Institute participants.
What You’ll Experience
Topics Covered:
- Environmental Biology & Conservation
- Linking Ecosystem Health to Human Health
- Industrial Biology
- Public Health and Epidemiology
- Animal Anatomy and Physiology
Hands-On Experiences:
- Antibiotic profiling of isolated bacteria
- Microscopy basics
- Explore gardens and nature preserves
- Field trip to wastewater treatment plant
- Animal dissections
*Hands-on experiences are subject to change.
Bioscience Institute Cost
Overnight | $3,000
A Day in the Life
- 8:00 am – Morning Meeting and Breakfast
- 9:00 am – Welcome and Pre-Lab Discussion – Technique and Procedures
- 9:30 am – Synthesis of Aspirin and Wintergreen Lab Experiment
- 11:30 am – Post Lab Discussion and Wrap-Up
- 12:00 pm – Lunch with Wake Forest Undergraduate and Graduate Researchers
- 1:00 pm – Introduction to Biomedical Engineering
- 1:30 pm – Engineering Activity: Creating a Bionic Arm
- 2:00 pm – Building and Testing Bionic Arm
- 4:00 pm – Bionic Arm Competition
- 5:00 pm – Debrief for Next Day
- 5:30 pm – Dinner
- 6:30 pm – Evening Activities
- 7:30 pm – Free Time
- 9:00 pm – Prepare for Bed
- 10:00 pm – Lights Out
*The “A Day in the Life” sample schedule is subject to change.
Meet Your Academic Leader
Dr. Andrew St. James
Academic Leader, Bioscience Institute
Dr. St. James is an Assistant Teaching Professor in the Biology Department at Wake Forest University where he teaches Microbiology and Biology of Soils. Dr. St. James received his BS in Biology from Georgia Tech in 2013 and his PhD in Microbiology from Cornell University in 2021. Dr. St. James’s research interests include microbial ecology, soil and wastewater microbiology, course-based undergraduate research experiences, and mastery learning.