E-Letters

How grants are impacting students: Empowering future scientists

In the Advanced Biology Elective Research Course taught by Danielle Rosensteel, students design, execute and present independent research projects. Rosensteel is a former University of Georgia biology researcher who started the ABE course in 2017 to prepare students for university labs.

Rosensteel proposed the advanced research class after her first year teaching State High’s lab-intensive advanced biology elective courses. While writing admission recommendations, she saw the caliber of schools some students wanted to attend. She realized an opportunity to help them by giving them experience with university lab research.

“I saw the need for it with the level of students we’re working with here and how successful they can be,” she said. “These students are going to top universities, top research programs, and if I can give them the foundation now, just think of how much more successful they can be in these programs. It gives them a jump-start.”

“These students are doing high-level, collegiate-level research,” Rosensteel continued. “All of these learning experiences are authentic. It’s teaching them how to be a scientist and how to do research. We are grateful for the grant support that makes this possible!”