BIOLOGY FOR LIFE
  • IB Bio Syllabus
    • Unity and Diversity (A) >
      • A1 molecules >
        • A1.1: Water
        • A1.2: Nucleic Acids
      • A2 Cells >
        • A2.1: Origins of Cells
        • A2.2: Cell Structure
        • A2.3: Viruses
      • A3 Organisms >
        • A3.1: Diversity of Organisms
        • A3.2: Classification and Cladistics
      • A4 Ecosystems >
        • A4.1: Evolution and Speciation
        • A4.2: Conservation of Biodiversity
    • Form and Function (B) >
      • B1 Molecules >
        • B1.1: Carbohydrates and Lipids
        • B1.2: Proteins
      • B2 Cells >
        • B2.1 Membranes and Membrane Transport
        • B2.2 Organelles and Compartmentalization
        • B2.3 Cell Specialization
      • B3 Organisms >
        • B3.1 Gas Exchange
        • B3.2 Transport
        • B3.3 Muscle and Motility
      • B4 Ecosystems >
        • B4.1 Adaptation to Environment
        • B4.2 Ecological Niches
    • Interaction and Interdependence (C) >
      • C1 Molecules >
        • C1.1: Enzymes and Metabolism
        • C1.2: Cell Respiration
        • C1.3: Photosynthesis
      • C2 Cells >
        • C2.1: Chemical Signaling
        • C2.2: Neural Signaling
      • C3 Organisms >
        • C3.1: Integration of Body Systems
        • C3.2: Defense Against Disease
      • C4 Ecosystems >
        • C4.1 Populations and Communities
        • C4.2 Transfers of Energy and Matter
    • Continuity and Change (D) >
      • D1 Molecules >
        • D1.1: DNA Replication
        • D1.2: Protein Synthesis
        • D1.3: Mutation and Gene Editing
      • D2 Cells >
        • D2.1: Cell and Nuclear Division
        • D2.2: Gene Expression
        • D2.3: Water Potential
      • D3 Organisms >
        • D3.1: Reproduction
        • D3.2: Inheritance
        • D3.3: Homeostasis
      • D4 Ecosystems >
        • D4.1: Natural Selection
        • D4.2: Stability and Change
        • D4.3: Climate Change
  • IB Requirements
    • Internal Assessment >
      • Research Design
      • Analysis
      • Conclusion
      • Evaluation
    • External Assessment >
      • Exam Revision
    • Extended Essay
    • Reflective Project
    • Collaborative Sciences Project
    • Learner Profile
  • Skills for Biology
    • Tools >
      • Experimental Techniques >
        • Addressing Safety
        • Measuring Variables >
          • Lab Drawings
          • Measurement Uncertainty
        • Techniques >
          • Microscopy
      • Technology >
        • Graphing with Excel
      • Mathematics >
        • Statistics >
          • Glossary of Statistic Terms and Equations
          • Descriptive Statistics >
            • Skew and the Normal Distribution
            • Outliers
            • Measures of Central Tendancy
            • Measures of Spread
            • Pearson Correlation
          • Inferential Statistics >
            • T-Test
            • ANOVA
            • Kruskal-Wallis
            • X2 Test for Independence
            • X2 Goodness of Fit
        • Graphing >
          • Interpreting Error Bars
    • Inquiry Processes >
      • Exploring & Designing >
        • Research Questions
        • Hypotheses and Predictions
        • Varaibles
        • Sampling
      • Collecting & Processing Data >
        • Data Tables
      • Concluding & Evaluating >
        • Error Analysis
  • SHS Course Info
    • Above & Beyond >
      • Biology Club
      • Pumpkin Carving
      • Scavenger Hunt
      • Science News
      • Wood Duck Project (legacy)
      • Invasive Crayfish Project (legacy)
    • Assessment >
      • Class Grading IB Bio I
      • Class Grading IB Bio II
      • Daily Quizzes (legacy)
      • Lab Practicals (legacy)
    • Class Photos
    • Recommendations
  • Contact
    • About >
      • Philosophy
      • Resume
      • Reflection
      • Favorite Quotes
      • AEF Blog
  • Expeditions
    • Bahamas (2009)
    • Trinidad (2010)
    • Trinidad (2011)
    • Ecuador (2012)
    • Trinidad (2013)
    • Peru (2014)
    • Bahamas (2015)
    • Peru (2016)
    • Costa Rica (2017)
    • Costa Rica (2018)
    • Arizona (2022)
    • Florida (2023)
    • Belize (2024)
    • Costa Rica (2025)
  • Summer Ecology Research
  • Teacher Resources

Back in the "Other Washington"

6/7/2018

 
I was able to visit “the other Washington,” my actual home state of Washington during the first week of April.  Coinciding with my grandmother's 90th birthday celebration, I planned a trip to check in with my home school district and visit the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL).  The PNNL is located in Richmond, which is east of the Cascade mountains, about a three hour drive from where I live in a suburb of Seattle.  I had never visited the lab, so I was excited to have the opportunity via the Einstein Fellowship.
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Outside the PNNL
The PNNL has a staff of 4500 people, who work together with a multidisciplinary approach to solve “big problems.”  The lab prides itself on maintaining solid partnerships with academic, industrial and government stakeholders while focusing on four scientific missions:
  1. Delivering user facilities to the scientific community, with unique sets of instrumentation available for research and development use.
  2. Increase US energy capacity and reduce dependence on imported oil.
  3. Prevent terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
  4. Reduce human environmental impact and create sustainable systems.
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How could I not love a facility with conference rooms named like this?!
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Comp Sci and Bio share a building, allowing for increased collaboration opportunity between researchers
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Sample of the tools available to scientists via EMSL, a world-class biological and environmental molecular science user facility with a vision to lead the scientific community in gaining a predictive understanding of molecular processes that control the flux of materials underpinning biological and ecosystem functions.
My visit of the lab focused on the biological and computational sciences.  I was amazed by by visualization and interaction studio. According to the documentation I was provided, the studio features the work of a team of, “visual analytics researchers who love making big, complex data useful through great visual design, compelling interaction, support for sound analytic methods, and solid engineering. We invent new visual metaphors, create analysis algorithms, and deliver software products that put useful analytic capabilities into our users’ hands.”  I was able to interact with some of the data visualization tools, such as the Visual Patent Search, data mining challenges, active data canvases and virtual reality interfaces. My favorite experience was being able to use virtual reality to zoom and manipulate biological molecules.  I honestly felt my life was complete after I had “walked” through a DNA strand.
Picture
The data visualization and interaction studio at PNNL
As with the other Department of Energy national labs, the PNNL hosts interns from various educational experiences and backgrounds.  I had the pleasure of meeting two high school students who are interning at the facility; one in a soil bacteria lab and the other in a 3D microscopy imaging lab. The students shared their interests and work with me, and I was once again reminded of the incredible impact that “real life” experiences and learning have on high school students.  In my experience, the students are clamoring for opportunity to engage in scientific research. Unfortunately the limiting reagent seems to be the number of scientists and/or research facilities who are willing to engage with high school student internships.
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Lab bench in the soil bacteria research lab
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An owl pellet being imaged in 3D
I am looking forward to sharing what I learned at the PNNL with my students when I return to the classroom next fall.
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    Author

    I’m Gretel von Bargen and I was an Einstein Fellow in the Department of Energy, Office of Science.  During my fellowship year (2017-2018) I worked within the Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) office.  Aligned with the goals of the WDTS office, I am committed towards creating a sustained pipeline of skilled science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) workers and teachers. As a dedicated STEM educator, I work to develop my students understanding and appreciation for the nature of science and the natural world.  In addition to the important work I did related to the National Science Bowl, I had three goals for my Fellowship year.  First, I was looking to build relationships and connections between the scientific and education communities, aiming for increased opportunity for high school students to gain authentic experiences with practicing scientists.  Second, I wanted to deepen my understanding of the complexities of the national STEM teacher shortage, specifically exploring the role active classroom teachers play in communicating the joys and challenges of a STEM teaching career.  Third, I was looking to broaden my own scientific content knowledge so that students benefit from an added depth, breadth and interdisciplinary connections in future lessons. 

    Viewpoints are my own and not representative of the Fellowship Program or the agency in which I was placed.  ​​

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Picture
  • IB Bio Syllabus
    • Unity and Diversity (A) >
      • A1 molecules >
        • A1.1: Water
        • A1.2: Nucleic Acids
      • A2 Cells >
        • A2.1: Origins of Cells
        • A2.2: Cell Structure
        • A2.3: Viruses
      • A3 Organisms >
        • A3.1: Diversity of Organisms
        • A3.2: Classification and Cladistics
      • A4 Ecosystems >
        • A4.1: Evolution and Speciation
        • A4.2: Conservation of Biodiversity
    • Form and Function (B) >
      • B1 Molecules >
        • B1.1: Carbohydrates and Lipids
        • B1.2: Proteins
      • B2 Cells >
        • B2.1 Membranes and Membrane Transport
        • B2.2 Organelles and Compartmentalization
        • B2.3 Cell Specialization
      • B3 Organisms >
        • B3.1 Gas Exchange
        • B3.2 Transport
        • B3.3 Muscle and Motility
      • B4 Ecosystems >
        • B4.1 Adaptation to Environment
        • B4.2 Ecological Niches
    • Interaction and Interdependence (C) >
      • C1 Molecules >
        • C1.1: Enzymes and Metabolism
        • C1.2: Cell Respiration
        • C1.3: Photosynthesis
      • C2 Cells >
        • C2.1: Chemical Signaling
        • C2.2: Neural Signaling
      • C3 Organisms >
        • C3.1: Integration of Body Systems
        • C3.2: Defense Against Disease
      • C4 Ecosystems >
        • C4.1 Populations and Communities
        • C4.2 Transfers of Energy and Matter
    • Continuity and Change (D) >
      • D1 Molecules >
        • D1.1: DNA Replication
        • D1.2: Protein Synthesis
        • D1.3: Mutation and Gene Editing
      • D2 Cells >
        • D2.1: Cell and Nuclear Division
        • D2.2: Gene Expression
        • D2.3: Water Potential
      • D3 Organisms >
        • D3.1: Reproduction
        • D3.2: Inheritance
        • D3.3: Homeostasis
      • D4 Ecosystems >
        • D4.1: Natural Selection
        • D4.2: Stability and Change
        • D4.3: Climate Change
  • IB Requirements
    • Internal Assessment >
      • Research Design
      • Analysis
      • Conclusion
      • Evaluation
    • External Assessment >
      • Exam Revision
    • Extended Essay
    • Reflective Project
    • Collaborative Sciences Project
    • Learner Profile
  • Skills for Biology
    • Tools >
      • Experimental Techniques >
        • Addressing Safety
        • Measuring Variables >
          • Lab Drawings
          • Measurement Uncertainty
        • Techniques >
          • Microscopy
      • Technology >
        • Graphing with Excel
      • Mathematics >
        • Statistics >
          • Glossary of Statistic Terms and Equations
          • Descriptive Statistics >
            • Skew and the Normal Distribution
            • Outliers
            • Measures of Central Tendancy
            • Measures of Spread
            • Pearson Correlation
          • Inferential Statistics >
            • T-Test
            • ANOVA
            • Kruskal-Wallis
            • X2 Test for Independence
            • X2 Goodness of Fit
        • Graphing >
          • Interpreting Error Bars
    • Inquiry Processes >
      • Exploring & Designing >
        • Research Questions
        • Hypotheses and Predictions
        • Varaibles
        • Sampling
      • Collecting & Processing Data >
        • Data Tables
      • Concluding & Evaluating >
        • Error Analysis
  • SHS Course Info
    • Above & Beyond >
      • Biology Club
      • Pumpkin Carving
      • Scavenger Hunt
      • Science News
      • Wood Duck Project (legacy)
      • Invasive Crayfish Project (legacy)
    • Assessment >
      • Class Grading IB Bio I
      • Class Grading IB Bio II
      • Daily Quizzes (legacy)
      • Lab Practicals (legacy)
    • Class Photos
    • Recommendations
  • Contact
    • About >
      • Philosophy
      • Resume
      • Reflection
      • Favorite Quotes
      • AEF Blog
  • Expeditions
    • Bahamas (2009)
    • Trinidad (2010)
    • Trinidad (2011)
    • Ecuador (2012)
    • Trinidad (2013)
    • Peru (2014)
    • Bahamas (2015)
    • Peru (2016)
    • Costa Rica (2017)
    • Costa Rica (2018)
    • Arizona (2022)
    • Florida (2023)
    • Belize (2024)
    • Costa Rica (2025)
  • Summer Ecology Research
  • Teacher Resources