PEER Program and KAMU-TV Continue to Promote STEM
The spring 2017 semester continues to see a valuable partnership between the Partnership for Environmental Education and Rural Health (PEER) program and KAMU-TV with live STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) educational webcasts provided to K-12 students nationwide. These presentations feature professors, scientists, veterinary students, technicians, and clinicians who inform students about veterinary medical and STEM-related topics aligned with state science standards. Topics range from human and animal health to college preparation and enable K-12 students to make relevant connections between science and real-world careers. So far this semester, over 9,000 students from as many as 17 states have participated in the webcasts. KAMU-TV films each presentation in high definition, and they are uploaded to the PEER YouTube channel ( https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF) for future viewing.
Programs recently uploaded to the PEER YouTube channel include:
- Cool Cat – Veterinary technicians Paula Plummer and Katy Waddell, from the Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (CVM), discussed and demonstrated feline-friendly handling techniques. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiMbuSAokSQ&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF&index=5&t=167s
- Examining Plant and Animal Cells – Histology professor Dr. Larry Johnson showed vivid microscopic images of the organelles of plant and animal cells—including blood, muscle, and epithelium—and discussed the interactions of cell structure and function. A detailed examination of the cytoplasm and nucleus also revealed how cells differentiate. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubS0AdVkP6M&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF&index=4
- Stress and How to Overcome It – Going to school can be stressful. Social problems, difficult learning tasks, taking tests, and just being a teenager all create stress. In this presentation, Dr. Bill Klemm, a Texas A&M scientist who studies the brain, considered what stress is and how it affects the body and mind. Most importantly, he outlined ways for coping with and reducing school stress. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5HaIeLbKZ3Q&index=3&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF
- Bugs in your Blood: Malaria – Over 400 million people become infected yearly with malaria, and more than 1 million children under 5 years old die each year of malaria. How and why does this happen? How can it be prevented? If you lived in Texas 100 years ago, you could have become infected with malaria! Why doesn’t Texas have malaria today and why aren’t Texans becoming infected? Or are they? Dr. Jeffery Musser, of the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine, explored the biology of the disease, its role in history, where in the world malaria occurs, and how it can be prevented. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZMEObQszhA&index=2&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF
- Looking a Gift Horse in the Mouth: Dentition – Dr. Rachael Eckert, resident at Texas A&M Large Animal Teaching Hospital, described the structure and function of various animal teeth and also discussed the unique aspects and care of horse teeth. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBP3NqVku8A&index=1&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF
- Keep it Clean! – Dr. Mark Stickney, from the Texas A&M Small Animal Teaching Hospital, examined homeostasis—the role of microorganisms in the spread of disease—and how doctors use “aseptic technique” to protect their patients.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-24w6KPu_8&index=1&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF - Small Animal Oncology: Cancer in Pets – Dr. Carissa Wood, veterinary resident instructor with the Department of Small Animal Oncology at the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital, discussed cancer in pets, describing the pathology of cancer, types of pets affected, and treatments available. She also provided insight on how treating cancer in pets provides valuable research for human medicine! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wdwu8-jhFN0&list=PL3y6sVyaeCRrF3T5YJ-bQ97zUaVcyUUpF&index=1
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For more information about the PEER program, visit peer.tamu.edu.
