Workshops
In 2009, two summer workshops and a fall workshop were held to introduce high school teachers to the use of the StarNet Behavioral Research Database, which contains environmental and genetic data from 400 human subjects. Students can use the database in their classrooms to do authentic research on factors that may influence smoking behavior.

Summer 2009 Workshop Information

In 2007 and 2008, ~60 high school teachers attended a summer workshop on our curriculum, Investigating the Effects of Genes and Environment on Smoking Behavior. Through this curriculum, students were able to participate in classroom-based authentic research in several ways, including genotyping of human subject DNA for several candidate genes for nicotine addiction.

Through 2004, a summer workshop for high school teachers interested in participating in the DNA sequencing project was held on the University of Washington campus in Seattle. Shorter workshops were held at other times of the year at program partner sites and national and regional teachers' meetings.

Written Materials

• Teaching Modules. The complete contents of our Investigating Smoking Behavior and DNA Sequencing curricula, as well as accompanying ethics modules, are available to download.
• Sequence Data. Download student data as well as sequence analysis programs.
• Lesson plans, assessments, and slide shows. Teacher-developed materials for use with our sequencing program.

Teacher Research Experience
In summers 2001-2004, six teachers spent the summer learning more about drug abuse research by working in a University of Washington laboratory in our 6 - 8 week Teacher Research Experience.
Further information.

Scientist Volunteers
If you are a scientist and interested in volunteering at a high school as they genotype candidate genes for nicotine addiction, please contact mmunn at u.washington.edu (substitute @ for "at"). Detailed information on scientist-teacher partnerships is also available.