Book Review: Breath From Salt by Bijal Trivedi (Part 2 - Reflections)
This is a continuation of my previous post, Book Review: Breath From Salt (Part 1 - Summary). Trivedi’s narrative of these scientific...
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Our Mission
Our Mission
Ageless Science brings high school students and guest speakers to retirement communities to host science discussions which increase understanding of scientific advances and create intergenerational connections.
About
From the Founder
As a high schooler, I have constant access to information about new scientific advances. However, other members of our community lack this level of exposure. I began to wonder whether this gap could be bridged through the creation of scientific discussion groups at retirement communities, run by passionate and inquisitive high school students.
With the rapid pace of scientific advances, the need to understand their societal impacts has become all the more imperative.
By bringing students to introduce these new topics to retirement communities, Ageless Science allows residents to develop greater understanding of changes in the world around them and enables students passionate about science to share their excitement.
When misinformation is prevalent and can so easily misguide the public, understanding the context and applications of scientific topics is an essential precursor to establishing sound public policy.
- Ellie Tillman-Schwartz
Our Goal
Ageless Science is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit which will enable communities to engage in these essential discussions– providing non-scientists with the knowledge and tools that allow them to participate knowledgeably in policy debates, and allowing disconnected sections of the community to connect in meaningful discussion.
Why Ageless Science?
How do we overcome geographic and generational barriers between communities?
What do we do?
We organize diverse events varying across all STEM domains. We create a curriculum for each discussion, which includes articles to distribute to the residents beforehand, a lesson to introduce the topic at the start of the discussion, and discussion questions to facilitate resident participation and engagement. The curriculum for each discussion can be found on the "resources" tab.
Ageless Science is driven by this dynamic exchange between generations; the senior citizens’ life experiences teach us countless lessons in return. Their insights into the evolution of science throughout their lives illuminate how science informs the way we live.
Event Highlights
November 2022: We led a discussion with Dr. Tracy Kambara, Head of Molecular Biology at Catalog, a Cambridge-based biotechnology company. Together, we discussed her work developing DNA digital data storage.
March 2023: We partnered with Ms. Christine Chiodo, our high school biology teacher and Ageless Science Vice-Chair, to run an interactive DNA isolation experiment.
January 2024: Our discussion on organ engineering and transplantation will be attended by Dr. Paul Russell, renowned surgeon and founder of the clinical transplantation program at Massachusetts General Hospital and the New England Organ Bank.
PAST EVENTS
Wed, Oct 18NewBridge on the CharlesOct 18, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PMNewBridge on the Charles, 5000 Great Meadow Rd, Dedham, MA 02026, USAOct 18, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PMNewBridge on the Charles, 5000 Great Meadow Rd, Dedham, MA 02026, USADream of a future in which physical traits are customizable, illness is ‘curable,’ and the biosphere is strengthened against climatic changes. With CRISPR-Cas9, maybe this future isn’t as distant as you’re imagining.
Wed, Sep 13Fox Hill VillageSep 13, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PMFox Hill Village, 10 Longwood Dr, Westwood, MA 02090, USASep 13, 2023, 4:00 PM – 5:00 PMFox Hill Village, 10 Longwood Dr, Westwood, MA 02090, USADream of a future in which physical traits are customizable, illness is ‘curable,’ and the biosphere is strengthened against climatic changes. With CRISPR-Cas9, maybe this future isn’t as distant as you’re imagining.
Wed, May 24North Hill Retirement CommunityMay 24, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAMay 24, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAImagine if Google could compose college-level essays. Speak and analyze every language. Pass the US Medical Licensing Exam. Enter ChatGPT. But as the technology threatens to create malicious software, spread misinformation, and eliminate jobs, do its dangers outweigh its revolutionary capabilities?
Wed, Mar 15North Hill Retirement CommunityMar 15, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAMar 15, 2023, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAHave you ever wondered how scientists extract DNA from an organism? Or what this DNA looks like when removed from cells? Together, we performed a DNA isolation lab; we swabbed our cheeks, isolated DNA from the samples, and visualized the strands of our own genetic information!
Wed, Jan 25North Hill Retirement CommunityJan 25, 2023, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USA
Wed, Nov 16North Hill Retirement CommunityNov 16, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USA
Wed, Sep 28North Hill Retirement CommunitySep 28, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USASep 28, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAHow much time do we have left to reverse climate change? Some say nine years, some say seven, and others say we've already passed the point of no return. Will nuclear energy be the technology that revolutionizes clean energy or that diverts funds from renewable sources such as solar or wind power?
Wed, Jun 15North Hill Retirement CommunityJun 15, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAJun 15, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USATrue local story: Brigham and Women’s Hospital decides to take a young man off of the cardiac transplant list with ensuing protests. In our discussion, we covered why BWH made this controversial decision and contributed our ideas on ways to address the tragic shortage of organs.
Wed, May 18North Hill Retirement CommunityMay 18, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAMay 18, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USACan you imagine storing the entirety of the world's data in the trunk of a car? To learn about nature's mechanism for storing huge amounts of information (spoiler: DNA!), we were joined by Dr. Tracy Kambara, Head of Molecular Biology at Catalog, a Cambridge-based biotechnology company.
Mon, Apr 04North Hill Retirement CommunityApr 04, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USA
Mon, Mar 07North Hill Retirement CommunityMar 07, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USAMar 07, 2022, 4:00 PMNorth Hill Retirement Community, 865 Central Ave, Needham, MA 02492, USADream of a future in which physical traits are customizable, illness is ‘curable,’ and the biosphere is strengthened against climatic changes. With CRISPR-Cas9, maybe this future isn’t as distant as you’re imagining.
PODCAST EPISODES
Ageless Science Podcast is the companion podcast to the nonprofit organization, hosted by founder Ellie Tillman-Schwartz. We discuss scientific topics to allow people of all ages develop to greater understanding of changes in the world around them. Our episodes include both interviews with guest speakers and reviews of topics covered at our discussion events. Click here to view our full podcast feed.
RESOURCES
We have compiled a wide variety of educational resources for each discussion topic, including articles, books, documentaries, videos, and our full discussion curricula. These resources can be used to organize similar discussions within your own community! Click here to visit the resources page.
PUBLISHED BY:
Excerpts from the article:
“It was phenomenal,” resident Mary Tess said. “These kids are amazing. I really appreciate how they could present all of that information.”
“We cover a lot of topics: I try to mix in physics, biology, and chemistry,” Eliana said. “The idea is to allow everyone to connect with the community. As high schoolers, we’re learning, and we’re hoping the senior citizens are learning with us.”
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