Dr. Emma Fernández Repollet, Principal Investigator and Dr. Abe Schwartz Co-Investigator of the Puerto Rico Biomedical Research Education Program attended the annual director's meeting of the Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) Program held during February 20-22, 2003 in La Jolla, CA. The School of Medicine at the UPR Medical Sciences Campus received a Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center of Research Resources in January, 2003. The award provides funding to establish a program to promote the interest of Puerto Rican K-12 students in biomedical research. With the award, Puerto Rico joins sixty-two other institutions which have received SEPA support.
Dr. Bruce Alberts, Dr. Kurt Benirschke, Dr. David J Combs, and Dr. David W Fraser.
Dr. Gerry Boss, University of California, San Diego, welcomed the participants to the meeting and served as moderator of the activity. The meeting was initiated with presentations by Dr. Anthony Hayward, Associate Director, Division of Clinical Research and Dr. L Tony Beck, Program Officer and Director of the SEPA Program. A special panel discussion on "The Future of K-12 Science Education" was the highlight of the program. Panel participants included Dr. Bruce Alberts, President of the National Academy of Science and Professor of Biochemistry, UCSF; Dr. Kurt Benirschke, Professor of Pathology, UCSD and Founder of the Center for Reproduction on Endangered Species at San Diego Zoo; Dr. David J Combs, Deputy Director for Education, California Science Center; and Dr. David W Fraser, Adjunt Professor of Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania and Consultant in International Health and Education. The outstanding panelists' presentations were followed by a discussion session in which program directors had the opportunity to ask questions and to share comments with the panelists.
Dr. Emma Fernandez-Repollet, Principal Investigator of the Puerto Rico Biomedical Research Education Program
The meeting also included presentations by SEPA Investigators from six different institutions. These presentations provided an excellent overview of the on-going efforts and accomplishments of SEPA awardees. This activity was complemented by a Poster Session in which all program directors who attended the meeting presented a poster. The meeting concluded with a town meeting in which Dr. Anthony Hayward and Dr. L Tony Beck discussed issues related to the future of the program with the audience.
Congratulations to the organizers for a successful and highly educating meeting!
