For Scientists

Share Your Passion for Science

As a Michigan DNA Day Ambassador, you will:

  • Travel to a Michigan high school to cooperatively teach an interactive module developed by past DNA Day ambassadors
    • Gain valuable teaching experience
    • Engage in science education outreach
  • Share your experience and path to science with students
  • Help de-stigmatize what it means to be a scientist

If you are interested in participating in MI DNA Day, please SIGN UP by February 16th.

Requirements for Ambassadors:

  1. Have a degree in science
    • Ambassadors should have a degree in a field of science and be comfortable presenting on topics related to our modules.
  2. Be available to visit a school on or around April 25th
    • Visits will typically require most of the day. Factors that go into the time requirement include travel distance to the school and the number of classes you will be teaching. While most scientists visit on DNA Day (April 25th), there may be flexibility depending on your schedule and that of your host-teacher.
  3. Arrange your own transportation to your assigned school
    • Most schools will require a car to visit. If you don’t have a car, feel free to recruit a fellow scientist who can provide transportation and help you teach the module.
  4. Coordinate details of your visit with your assigned host-teacher
    • It is your responsibility to reach out to the host-teacher to coordinate the details of your visit. We will provide you with a list of starter questions to help you plan your visit.
  5. Be familiar with and ready to give an exciting and professional presentation of your assigned module
    • All modules are ready-made and we will provide you with materials for the hands-on activities, as well as some helpful tips for each presentation.

Tips:

  • Recruit a fellow scientist to act as your teaching partner!
  • Meet with your teaching partner and practice presenting the module ahead of your classroom visit
  • Add a few slides to the module presentation showcasing your background/path to science, as well as your current research

What did scientist ambassadors have to say about MI DNA Day in past years?

  • “Outreach feels very rewarding – I was happy to engage with students!”
  • “The organization and communication made it SO easy to just pick up the materials and hit the ground running in the classroom.”
  • “I have not interacted with high school students, so I enjoyed their enthusiasm. It’s great to watch them discover and think about science!”
  • “I had a blast participating in MI DNA Day! It was incredibly rewarding and fulfilling to be able to connect and engage with young high school students. Often times I feel students are bored by science – it’s so important for scientists to participate in outreach to show students that science can be incredible!”
  • “I really liked feeling like I was inspiring young students to be excited about science.”