By Maegan Murray

Wine is a $2 billion industry in Washington state, but many students will not be exposed to the science behind the field as a possible career option until they reach college. Thanks to the Partners in Science program, however, one high school teacher had the opportunity to shadow and complete research alongside a renowned wine science researcher and professor at Washington State University Tri-Cities – the science behind the experience, of which, he is now introducing to his high school students.

Fred Burke, a teacher at Chiawana High School, had the opportunity to shadow and complete research with Tom Collins, wine science researcher and assistant professor of wine science at Washington State University Tri-Cities.

鈥淭his experience has allowed me to show my students how the nature of science is more than what they experience through a text book and allow them to experience the techniques and capabilities of it in a real-world setting,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淚t has not only allowed me to participate in research that will have an impact in the wine industry today, but it also it makes doing science a lot more fun for my students.鈥�

Through the Partners in Science program, which is supported by a $15,000 grant from the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, high school teachers are paired with a university professor in their field and the pair spends two consecutive summers completing research. During the end of each summer experience, the teachers prepare a presentation on their research and how they plan to implement what they learn into their classroom setting. The university professors also get the value of an additional hand in the lab and in the high school teacher鈥檚 second summer, an experienced lab researcher to help with their studies.

As part of his research experience, Burke worked with Collins to characterize wine grape varieties using sophisticated research techniques known as gas chromatography and mass spectrometry. For the techniques, the researchers use devices that allow researchers to look into the intricate chemical and other properties of each type of grape for classification and categorization. Burke also had the chance to work with Collins to start a study analyzing the impact of wildfire smoke on wine grapes, which could hinder the taste and overall quality of the wine.

鈥淏oth projects are relevant to the classes we鈥檙e teaching,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淚n environmental science, we鈥檙e able to look at how the smoke impacts not only the wine grapes, but also the chemical components and properties of the wine.鈥�

The study of the impact of wildfire smoke on wine captured the interest of the Washington wine industry, with Collins stating that since they announced they were completing the research, he gets calls throughout the year on updates for the research, results they鈥檝e tabulated and generally how they can protect wine grapes from the exposure. The interest grows each year as the summer wildfire seasons commence.

鈥淲e got three calls today, alone, regarding smoke taint,鈥� Collins said. 鈥淭he fact that Fred has been able to be a part of this project provides him with a great in-depth look at how lab and field research have a substantial impact on industry. The Washington wine industry increases exponentially year, with the mid-Columbia region being a hub for the industry. So this research is crucial for our area鈥檚 winemakers.鈥�

Last summer during Burke鈥檚 first of two summers working with Collins in the lab, the duo set up experiments at the 黑料社 Prosser Research Extension to test different amounts of smoke on grape vines. They are now in the process of analyzing samples collected from that experiment. Collins plans on continuing the study for at least the next several years.

鈥淛ust being able to look at all the parts that go into a real-life field of scientific study has been immensely beneficial,鈥� Burke said. 鈥淚 get to share that with my students and they benefit from that real-world application. Within their science classes, our students have to conduct procedures, collect data and analyze that data through labs and lessons. This real-world experience allows me to show them that what they鈥檙e practicing in class can be applied out into the field, as well as provide them with concrete examples of stuff we鈥檙e actively doing in the labs.鈥�

Burke also had the opportunity to bring some of his classes out to the Ste. Michelle Wine Estates 黑料社 Wine Science Center to see how the research is conducted and get an idea of how a research lab operates.

鈥淪cience in agriculture is kind of one of those unknowns for many of my students,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey see people planting and watering, but they don鈥檛 know the science behind it. This provides them with an in-depth look. It鈥檚 a career option that most of my students probably have never even considered.鈥�

Burke plans to apply for a supplemental grant from the Partners in Science program, which would extend his research partnership time frame with Collins and provide Burke with dollars for science equipment for his classroom.

鈥淚t would provide us with more money for use in the classroom, which would allow my students to conduct some research of their own,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a great opportunity.鈥�

By Maegan Murray

An immersive experience at Washington State University Tri-Cities has Amy Verderber, a biology teacher at Kamiakin High School, performing research that has tie-ins to medicine.

Verderber studied biology in college before certifying to become a teacher, but she never got the opportunity to explore the field鈥檚 full research potential. Within the last two summers through the Partners in Science program, however, Verderber found herself working directly beside university biology faculty, completing research that has potential to improve what is known about human skull deformities and diseases.

Through the Partners in Science program, which is supported by a $15,000 grant from the MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, high school teachers are paired with a university professor in their field and the pair spends two consecutive summers completing research. During the end of each summer experience, the teachers prepare a presentation on their research and how they plan to implement what they learn into their classroom setting. The university professors also get the value of an additional hand in the lab and in the high school teacher鈥檚 second summer, an experienced lab researcher to help with their studies.

Verderber is working with Jim Cooper, assistant professor of biological sciences, and Elly Sweet, clinical assistant professor of biology, in researching the impact of thyroid hormone on the development of jaw shape and jaw biomechanics in the zebrafish. The researchers hope their research will shed light on how the abnormal thyroid hormone levels during development can lead to human skull deformities.

Verderber continues to use the experience to provide her students with real-world opportunities and outlooks in science. She has applied what she鈥檚 learned to her lessons and often brings discussion of her experience into her labs and instruction.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a great experience,鈥� Verderber said. 鈥淭o my students, it is more than just reading out of a textbook. I鈥檓 able to bring what is happening all around them into a practical classroom experience. It provides them with a look into the lab setting. I am not just a teacher who went to school and studied the subject. I now can say I鈥檝e worked in a real lab and am doing scientific research with real-world applications.鈥�

Throughout the two summers, Verderber recorded zebrafish feeding mechanics using a high-speed video camera, determined the effects of both an overabundance and a deficiency of thyroid hormone on jaw mechanics and performed research on the genetic controls of fish skull development.

鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to identify how thyroid hormone activates or deactivate genes in the fish鈥檚 head to determine whether they develop really moveable or jaws or jaws capable of only limited motion,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淭here are also a large number of human birth defects associated with abnormal thyroid hormone production that causes malformation of the skull. The research can therefore answer both evolutionary questions and medical questions.鈥�

Verderber said her students were very receptive to both what she learned in the lab, as well as what she brought in to the classroom through her teaching. She said she hopes to raise zebrafish in her classroom this year so the students receive that additional hands-on, real-world application.

鈥淢y students are learning something outside of a textbook,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 been really rewarding seeing not only how I鈥檝e been able to apply what I鈥檝e learned for their benefit, but in seeing how they鈥檝e reacted to that material.鈥�

Sweet said she is excited about how Verderber鈥檚 experience in the 黑料社 Tri-Cities lab will open the eyes of students to the possibilities of careers in the biological sciences, as well as project upward what high school students are learning today.

鈥淣ot only will it help with the research aspect of things, it will also be helpful to know what students are currently learning about in high school, be able to have some input into the possibilities of projects they could work on, as well as have the opportunity for us to come into the high school classrooms to give presentations,鈥� she said. 鈥淓ven though many students majoring in the biological sciences are interested in pre-health, there are many other career options out there. This provides a great partnership on that end.鈥�

Included in the Partners in Science program is the option of applying for a supplemental grant, of which the funds go toward classroom equipment like microscopes, pipettes and other supplies. Verderber said she plans on applying and that it will provide a great resource for her students if she receives the grant.

鈥淚 hope other professors see the value of this program and the many benefits that come out of it,鈥� she said.

Cooper and Sweet agreed.

鈥淭he amount of time that we have invested in collaborating with Amy we have gotten back many times,鈥� Cooper said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a gain in resources and a huge win for both the lab at the university.鈥�