New Science Education & Training Initiatives for Teague Biotechnology Center

Date: January 27, 2005

Jackson Laboratory to provide space at Fairfield facility for Kennebec Valley Community College programming

Fairfield, Maine - To expand science education opportunities and help prepare Maine's young people for jobs in the growing bioscience and health care industries, Kennebec Valley Community College will be offering science classes at the Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center in Fairfield, in space leased by The Jackson Laboratory.

According to KVCC President Barbara Woodlee, the first roster of classes, scheduled for fall 2005, will include microbiology, biology and laboratory technique. "Having access to this modern, conveniently located space will allow us to expand the number of science offerings available to our associate degree students," she said.

The Jackson Laboratory, the genetics research institution in Bar Harbor that is one of Maine's largest nonprofit organizations, was the first tenant of the Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center, periodically offering training programs in laboratory animal care for prospective employees.

"Jackson also provides a wide range of education programs for Maine K-12, undergraduate and graduate students," said Dr. Barbara Knowles, vice president of The Jackson Laboratory for Education, Training and External Scientific Collaborations. "We're exploring with KVCC joint course opportunities for the future, such as a genetics course."

KVCC has several possible educational initiatives that could also be based at the Jackson space in the Teague Center, including:

  • A summer camp for junior high school and high school students, using mice as the model for research animal husbandry training;
  • Expansion of KVCC's current math and science outreach programs to area high schools;
  • Development of a microscope exploration module for fourth graders; and
  • Science teacher education opportunities, expanding offerings to area math teachers.

The Teague Center was completed in 2002, one of seven applied technology centers in Maine funded by the state legislature. Clyde E. Dyar, economic development director for Fairfield and director of the Teague Center of Maine, says, "This is truly a win-win project that will reach out to students and provide quality jobs for the betterment of Maine. The educational institutions are providing an atmosphere for their students to be better prepared for the future of Maine."

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Contact(s):

Joyce Peterson, The Jackson Laboratory, 288-6058, joyce@jax.org
Erica Nardi, Kennebec Valley Community College, 453-5157, enardi@kvcc.me.edu
Clyde Dyar, Thomas M. Teague Biotechnology Center, 453-4283. cdyar@biotechme.com

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Media Relations, Communications Office
The Jackson Laboratory
600 Main Street
Bar Harbor, Maine 04609-1500
Phone: 207-288-6051
Fax: 207-288-6076
Email: news@jax.org