Harford Community College is focused on creating accessible pathways for future biotechnicians to progress from public high schools, to degree and certificate programs, to biotechnology careers and/or further study at four-year universities.
A Biotechnology Advisory Board survey was developed by the grant team to assess entry-level skills required by employers. Findings were disseminated to the biotech education community and as a result, Harford developed six new biotechnology courses, a revised Biotechnology Certificate, and a new AAS degree in Biotechnology.
BIOTECH Pathways Benefits and Objectives
benefits
- Develop skills identified by industry partners for employability
- Educational Partnership Agreement between the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center and Harford Community College for a Biomanufacturing Cooperative Educational Program | Dr. Peter Emanuel and Dr. Jared DeCoste
- Sea Phages research experience
- Paid internships:
Adaptive Phage Therapeutics | Institute of Marine and Environmental Technology | Integrated Pharma Services | US ARmy Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense
Supported by a $493,912 grant from the National Science Foundation
Objectives
- Develop the AAS in Biotechnology degree and the Biotechnology Certificate programs to align with industry skills, knowledge, and competencies.
- Increase student enrollment and completion in Harford's biotechnology programs, with an emphasis on recruiting underrepresented students, via hands-on community outreach with high school students and their families. Outreach will also include information regarding academic and career opportunities in biotechnology.
- Ensure that every Harford Community College biotechnology student possesses the professional, field-specific, and career-readiness skills to succeed in biotechnology employment.
BIOTECH Pathways Events
BIOTECH Pathways: Summer Institute
JUL 31–AUG 4 | 8 AM–4 PM | Harford Community College
This FREE Biotech Pathways: Summer Institute provides hands-on, minds-on laboratory experiences that allow participants to gain biotechnology skills and learn more about what a career in biotech has to offer.
This program is open to all current high school students who have taken at least one high school biology course.
BIOTECH Pathways: Workshops
Designed for high school students and families, these workshops are held throughout the year and provide those interested in biotech an opportunity to explore the career path.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS
New workshops will be announced in 2024.
2023 BIOTECH Pathways: Teaching Academy
MONDAY & TUESDAY, JUL 17-18, 2023
Are you a high school life science educator interested in integrating biotechnology content and laboratory skills that align with curriculum standards? Then the BIOTECH Pathways Teaching Academy is the professional development event for you!
This free, two-day event held at Harford Community College includes laboratory activities and discussion about implementation strategies that best fit participants’ classes. Participants will receive daily lunch and a $600 stipend to support their attendance.
Space is limited, so interested teachers are encouraged to register by June 1, 2023.
This project is supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 2000193. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed on this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.