Baker Demonstration School 7th and 8th graders visited the Morimoto Lab and engaged in a Q & A with Dr Morimoto
In an exciting educational journey that bridges classroom learning with real-world science, Baker Demonstration School’s 7th and 8th grade students recently visited Northwestern University’s prestigious Morimoto Research Lab. This immersive two-hour experience provided our young scientists with an unprecedented opportunity to witness cutting-edge research firsthand and interact with leading experts in the field.
The highlight of the visit was a special meeting with the distinguished Dr. Richard Morimoto, himself, who graciously welcomed our students. Dr. Morimoto engaged our students in an inspiring Q&A session, sharing his personal journey into science and offering insights into building a career in scientific research. His dedication to fostering scientific curiosity in young minds exemplifies the type of inspiration we aim to provide our students at Baker.
The Morimoto Laboratory team thoughtfully designed an interactive experience featuring four distinct demonstration stations throughout their facility. Students rotated through these stations, where they:
- Learned fundamental concepts of molecular biology through hands-on activities
- Observed demonstrations by lab members showcasing their current research
- Gained practical experience with the tools scientists use to study biology and disease
- Engaged in meaningful discussions with graduate scientists about their research projects
Graduate Student, Tyler Masuda leads Baker students in a workshop
The experience at Northwestern’s laboratories has opened our students’ eyes to the exciting possibilities that await them in higher education and scientific careers. This type of exposure to advanced research facilities and interaction with working scientists helps our students envision themselves in future scientific roles and also deeper their understanding in current classroom investigations.
Lab Manager, Sue Fox, leads a demonstration
At Baker Demonstration School, we believe that connecting our students with leading professionals and providing hands-on experiences with advanced scientific research helps inspire the next generation of scientists, researchers, and innovators. We are grateful to Dr. Morimoto and his laboratory team for creating such an engaging and educational experience for our students.
This visit represents just one aspect of Baker’s commitment to hands-on, experiential learning in science. Our students regularly participate in dynamic experiments and investigations that nurture their natural curiosity and develop their scientific thinking skills.
Stay tuned for more updates about our middle school scientists’ adventures in discovery, both in and out of the classroom!