We offer training for local and national informal science/nature center and conservation organization staff who are interested in collaborating with the DNALC to host Citizen DNA Barcode Network events. Staff must attend a DNA barcoding workshop before they may host CDBN programming. In the DNA barcoding workshop, participants will be introduced to the program, and learn campaign organism collection techniques, all the biochemical and bioinformatics techniques required for DNA barcoding, and how to implement DNA barcoding activities that align with collaborator programming.

Please contact us to inquire about training opportunities for out-of-state facilities, or to be connected with local trained faculty who may assist with event planning and implementation for trained collaborators.

TRAINING WORKSHOP

DNA Barcoding Workshop–Citizen DNA Barcode Network

Funded by the NIH NIGMS Science Education Partnership Award

The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center (DNALC) is offering a five-day, in-person workshop on DNA barcoding for the community-science driven Citizen DNA Barcode Network (CDBN) program. Applicants to this free workshop should be confirmed collaborators of CDBN. High school teachers* on Long Island with an interest in implementing authentic research experiences with students through Barcode Long Island (BLI) are also welcome to apply.

*The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center is an approved Sponsor of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE).

July 31–August 4, 2023, 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. EDT
at Dolan DNA Learning Center, Cold Spring Harbor, NY

Travel and housing will NOT be covered by the DNALC.

Register for the workshop

Participants in this workshop will learn:

• Introduction to DNA barcoding and biodiversity
• Sample collection and documentation
• DNA extraction
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)
• Gel electrophoresis
• Bioinformatics–DNA Subway’s Blue Line
• Phylogenetics
• Program implementation

The DNALC developed a Citizen DNA Barcode Network in collaboration with the New York Hall of Science. Just as the unique pattern of bars in a universal product code (UPC) identifies each consumer product, a “DNA barcode” is a unique pattern of DNA sequence that identifies each living thing. Science centers, nature preserves, and other informal science education facilities introduce DNA barcoding and biodiversity to citizen scientists as they obtain DNA sequences to identify potentially harmful, beneficial, and indicator insect species. Program participants provide important species barcode sequence and location information to global biodiversity databases that aim to advance range maps and show how species are responding to environmental change.