Briarcliff HS Students ‘Talk Science’ at Rockefeller University

From Briarcliff High School: Nine Briarcliff High School students recently attended a science conference and participated in activities at Rockefeller University in Manhattan. The main presenter was Rockefeller University professor Dr. Jean-Laurent Casanova, who spoke on the topic "Are Infectious Diseases Only Infectious?" The lectures and activities were part of the university's education outreach program "Talking Science," an annual event for tri-state high school students since 1959.

The students and faculty member Dr. Robert Saar were treated to a fascinating history of infectious diseases and their causes spanning from 1800 to the present. They learned that there is more to getting sick that just "catching a bug." Recent research shows more clearly that there is an important genetic component of susceptibility, which determines in part who gets sick and who doesn't, even with the same exposure.

The BHS students took part in two activities during the conference – a “Patient Zero to Outbreak” simulation, which required them to mix liquid samples in test tubes to demonstrate an epidemic; and an activity during which they viewed a number of deactivated pathogens under microscopes.

Photo courtesy of Briarcliff Manor Union Free School District (Photo Caption: Briarcliff High School science research students attended a “Talking Science” conference at Rockefeller University. Seated (L to R): Steven Orientale, Christopher Taveras, Sydney Zhang and Andrew Van Camp. Standing (L to R): Lin Xie, Anna-Samsara Daefler, Harsha Philip, Dr. Robert Saar, Amrita Makhijani and Molly Hirsch.)