ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Janet Standeven of Lambert High School in Suwanee, Georgia has been selected as the 2016 Georgia Bio Biotechnology Teacher of the Year.
The Teacher of the Year award recognizes excellence in STEM teaching and support for the biotechnology pathway, part of Georgia’s Career Clusters, by a current high school biotechnology teacher. The award winner is nominated by peers and selected by the Georgia BioEd Institute Board of Advisors.
Ms. Standeven graduated from Millersville University in Pennsylvania and earned her Master’s of Science degree in Chemical Life Science through the University of Maryland. She has 19 years of teaching experience, 14 of which are here in Georgia. She was a former Teacher of the Year at Riverwatch Middle School before moving to Lambert High School in Forsyth County in 2012.
Ms. Standeven became interested in Molecular Biology and Synthetic Biology in particular during a fellowship with the Styczynski Lab at Georgia Institute of Technology in 2012. This cooperation with the Styczynski Lab continues through a National Science Foundation Grant to encourage more minority and female participation in engineering fields. Her experiences propelled her to initiate the first high school iGEM team in the state of Georgia. iGEM is the International Genetically Engineered Machine competition which is was formally a collegiate competition in the field of synthetic biology. During the competition the students research, develop and use standard interchangeable DNA parts called Biobricks by using engineering principles to create new cell machines. Ms. Standeven currently serves on the high school advisory committee for the iGEM foundation. In this role she promotes the field of synthetic biology, serves as a mentor for other teachers and is piloting an online platform for collaboration between researchers, high schools and community labs.
“Biotechnology is an economic driver and teachers like Ms. Standeven are helping to prepare students for this highly skilled industry,” said Melissa Nikolic, Director of Programming for the Georgia BioEd Institute. “Her enthusiasm encourages young minds to embrace biotechnology, and prepare students for the many opportunities in STEM.”
Ms. Standeven was a recipient of the New England Biolabs Teacher Scholarship in 2015. This scholarship allowed her to participate in the New England Biolabs Molecular Biology Bootcamp offered at Smith College along with professionals and researchers from around the world.
Alumni from Ms. Standeven’s programs have continued their interest in the life sciences at universities including Yale, Stanford, Dartmouth, Georgia Institute of Technology, and the University of Georgia among others. In addition to her teaching duties she sponsors Lambert’s iGEM team, Biotechnology Club, and HOSA, for students interested in healthcare.
Her husband and three sons continue to be supportive of her efforts to promote interest and careers in the life sciences.
Ms. Standeven will be honored at the Georgia Bio Annual Awards Dinner, January 28, 2016 from 6 pm to 9 pm, at the Atlanta Fox Theatre. Other leading companies, executives, researchers and dedicated individuals will receive Georgia Bio Awards. Learn more and register at www.gabio.org/awards.
For a list of past Georgia Bio Award recipients, click here.
Georgia Bio (www.gabio.org) is the state’s life science industry association whose members include pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical device companies, medical centers, universities and research institutes, government groups and other business organizations involved in the development of life sciences related products and services.
Note to Editors: Credentialed members of the news media are invited to attend. Registration is complimentary. Please contact Maria Thacker (404-920-2042; mthacker@gabio.org).