Terra Sigillata

Looking for a good biotechnology video targeting HS students

Posted by Abel Pharmboy on September 24, 2008
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Any of you working in academic programs that offer forensic sciences training are well aware that CSI has been a boon this multidisciplinary area of biology, chemistry, engineering and materials sciences.

However, we don’t yet have any television programs glorifying a career in pharmacology or biotechnology.

I’ve just spent a few hours on YouTube, BSCS, Bio-Rad, and a bunch of other science education sites but I can’t find what I am looking for.

What I need: A 10-12 minute video for high school students that demonstrates career opportunities in biotechnology and/or the biologicals side of drug development. Free links are great but I’m very happy to pay a price for something that is good. Please leave suggestions in the comments below.

By the way, while looking at the BSCS site I came across a fantastic five-minute preview for their video, “Drug Abuse, Addiction, and the Adolescent Brain.” This program (details here) was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the DVD and 120-page instruction manual are available later this month for only the price of shipping and handling.

(For those who do not know of the 50-year-old, non-profit Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) organization in Colorado Springs, CO, I have sung their praises previously and encourage that anyone interested in science education visit their site at http://www.bscs.org.)

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Comments

  1. #1 bill
    September 24, 2008

    Can’t help you myself, but I might know a guy who knows a guy. Worth a shot anyway.

  2. #2 PharmCanuck
    September 26, 2008

    Since my institute has a Master’s program in Biomedical Technology I’ve been asking around on your behalf to no avail, but came across the following on the web:

    The Biotechnology Industry Organization has an 11min video entitled: “Biotechnology: Knowledge Serving Life”. It is not a career video per se, but highlights what biotech is and why it is so important. See link to video on right side of page at: http://bio.org/news/video/

    The US Dept of Education has a number of biotechnology career videos. They also have numerous links to other resources. http://www.careervoyages.gov/biotechnology-videos.cfm

    There is a series of videos entitled “Pathways to Technology” that highlights the Biotech industry. It was produced by the Boston PBS affiliate in partnership with the NSF and an organization of Community Colleges and is aimed at high school students. The videos include ‘success stories’ – the pathways of students who are now in the biotech sector, as well as a 15min overview. http://www.pathwaystotechnology.org/videos.html

    Finally, the Government of Canada offers a Biotech Career Kit ( http://www.youth.gc.ca/yoaux.jsp?&lang=en&flash=0&ta=1&auxpageid=936) which may or may not include video resources.

    Hope this helps!