Science Outreach

  • On this page you will find the following outreach initiatives I am involved in:
    • Program Coordinator for the FMI Summer Science Program
    • GeoKids Graduate Fellow
    • Project SHORT Mentor
    • The Social Scientist Mentor
    • Skype a Scientist Guest
    • Letters to a Pre-Scientist Pen Pal

G. John DiGregorio FMI Summer Science Program

During the summer of 2021, I served as the Program Coordinator for The Center for Forensic Science Research and Education for the Forensic Science Mentoring Institute (FMI) Program. In this program, rising seniors and recent high school graduates participate in a five-week hybrid forensic science program where students learn about forensic biology, chemistry, and toxicology. On-site students gain hands-on lab experience using state-of-the-art technology and forensic science equipment to work through a forensic case, ultimately culminating in a moot court trial at the end of the program. In this role, I supervised three college mentors studying Forensics who lead 15 high school students to succeed in their moot court trial by the end of the summer.

For more information and updates follow our Instagram and TikTok @forensicscienceFMI !

GeoKids

As an undergraduate and graduate student at SJU, I have been involved in science education outreach as a GeoKids teaching fellow in partnership with the Wagner Free Institute of Science. I have taught both elementary and high school honors levels science classes on a wide range of topics in many schools of the Philadelphia School District, which can be seen below!

My master’s thesis project at SJU incorporated live C. elegans experiments from the Nelson lab into elementary and high school classrooms! In partnership with the Wagner Free Institute of Science, I have implemented virtual STEM Clubs where students plan and conduct live experiments with other SJU graduate teaching fellows during 2021 and 2021.

Learn more about the GeoKids program below!

Project Short

Project SHORT: A free pre-grad or pre-health professional school student mentor and applicant mentee initiative. I am currently the mentor for a student applying for the 2023 application cycle into a PhD program in the United States.

The Social Scientist

The Social Scientist: A non-profit, virtual, STEM mentor and mentee initiative.

Skype A Scientist

Skype a Scientist: ​”Creates a database of thousands of scientists and helps them connect with teachers, classrooms, groups, and the public all over the globe. We want to give students the opportunity to get to know a real scientist and get the answers to their questions straight from the source.”

I have given three talks so far to elementary and middle school classrooms about my journey as a scientist and the work I do as a student researcher. The three classrooms have been from Colorado, Boston, and Delaware!

Letters to a Pre-Scientist

Letters to a Pre-Scientist matches students to STEM professionals through letters to broaden students ’ awareness of what STEM professionals are and do! I have been matched with two Pre-Scientist pen pals so far!