New Program to Prepare Local High School Students for Leadership in Biotechnology
High school students from the Capital region will explore how biotechnology, AI and precision manufacturing can tackle local and global challenges through free hands-on learning experiences at the University of California, Davis, in a new program led by Professor of Biomedical Engineering Marc Facciotti.
The nine-month “NextGen BioFab: AI-Powered Training for Tomorrow’s Biotech Innovators” will recruit 45 high school students and nine educators, primarily from Sacramento and Yolo counties, with an emphasis on the neighborhoods close to Aggie Square, such as Oak Park.
Through NextGen BioFab’s location at Aggie Square, students will have the opportunity to interact with industry professionals and use cutting-edge technology to prototype their sustainable product ideas at Tech Foundry, a 7,500-square-foot device development facility part of the Department of Biomedical Engineering.
At the UC Davis BioInnovation Lab, students will work with microbial systems capable of producing biodegradable plastic from agricultural waste to develop sustainable products, while considering how AI can support greener product development. Regional biotechnology employers will also participate to provide industry examples and help students plan successful careers.
Overall, the program aims to cultivate a locally rooted, inclusive biotechnology workforce.
“We are thrilled to launch the NextGen BioFab initiative and to inspire local youth to see themselves as integral partners, innovators and leaders in the future of our regional bioeconomy,” Facciotti said.
In November, the NextGen BioFab team will host a workshop with students, educators, community organizers, local governments and employers to connect and co-design the program’s curriculum. Workshops with students will begin in winter and continue through spring, ending in a three-week summer boot camp where student teams will prototype sustainable products.
To realize the project, Facciotti is joined by Denneal Jamison-McClung, director of UC Davis Biotechnology Program, Beth Broome, executive director for teaching and learning and STEM Initiatives at the UC Davis Center for Educational Effectiveness, Sumiko Hong, director of Aggie Square community engagement, Andrew Yao, manager and research and development engineer of the Bioinnovation Lab, and Steven Lucero, director of Tech Foundry.
NextGen BioFab is made possible through funding from We Prosper Together, administered by Sacramento-based non-profit Valley Vision. We Prosper Together is supported by the California Jobs First state fund and is an inclusive economic development initiative working to elevate diverse voices, encourage investments, amplify local solutions and create high-quality jobs for families across the eight-county Capital region.