RPS Voices: The Rutgers Prep Blog

The science department has eagerly welcomed students back to campus and to the lab this year. Our goal has always been to give students direct, hands-on experience in the lab, and, from plexiglass dividers to physical distancing and PPE, we have been able to continue to offer this experience even during the current pandemic. Our program is designed to build from an introduction to the lab in the beginning years to student-directed research projects in higher-level courses. 

Chemistry classes teach students lab safety and how to use lab equipment correctly, laying the foundation for future science successes. They have the opportunity to conduct experiments that cannot be done safely at home but can in our modern labs.

Biology students are carrying out studies in evolution using real bones, practicing competition, and the survival of the fittest. They are learning microbiology techniques to study bacteria. AP students are designing and carrying out their own experiments measuring the nutritional value of foods. Students in Human Anatomy and Physiology master detailed anatomy by creating clay models and dissecting a variety of animals.

Students in our research courses are learning and carrying out advanced molecular biology techniques. They are identifying genes in plants with the ultimate goal of publishing their DNA sequences and protein analysis.

And our labs provide opportunities for more expressive, collaborative discussions where students and teachers draw out their ideas on a lab table and visit other’s ideas on different tables.

Our science classes and lab spaces are vibrant and exciting places to learn! We look forward to more students returning to campus to take advantage of all they have to offer.