About SEP
What is the Science Education Partnership (SEP)?
SEP is a professional development program for secondary school science teachers in Washington State sponsored by Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.
Our goal is to establish long-term partnerships between teachers and the life sciences research community.
The SEP Philosophy: Learn - Experiment - Teach (click here to learn more)
Our year-long program includes a 13-day Summer Session in which teachers work with each other, with Lead Teachers and with SEP staff to gain skills and expertise in molecular biology and genetics. A component of the Summer Session includes a week working side-by-side with a scientist mentor in a research laboratory. During the school year, teachers use our kit loan program so that students can work with cutting edge life science research tools and concepts in their school classrooms.
What happens during the Summer Session?
In the teaching lab:
Work with two dozen of your colleagues, Lead Teachers, and SEP staff learning the key concepts and techniques used in research laboratories, and participating in discussions concerning the integration of research and biotechnology into your classroom.
In the research lab:
Work hands-on with a research scientist mentor. Share a scientist's enthusiasm as you work one-on-one at the lab bench at one of our partner sites. Be on the cutting edge of biotechnological and basic research, working in genetics, genomics, immunology, molecular biology, or cancer biology.
For the classroom:
Use the "Understanding by Design" (Wiggins & McTighe) or backward design approach to customize and personalize an SEP Kit activity to mesh with your students and curriculum.
What resources are available for the classroom?
After the Summer Session, teachers have access to SEP's Kit Loan Program including complete lesson plans, as well as biotechnology equipment and a resource library containing books, posters, and videos. Technical and scientific support is also available from program staff and scientists at the Hutchinson Center.
There are also optional SEP workshops on topics such as bioinformatics and grant writing.
Use SEP resources to enhance your classroom teaching and to interact with your peers for support.
2010 marks our 20th year of working with teachers!
See how we are planning to celebrate SEP's Anniversary here!!
Read what SEP teachers have to say about their SEP experiences.
To see our participant list to date, click here!
How do I join SEP?
Click here to find out about eligibility, applications, dates, deadlines, and other details.
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