The Use of Popular Fiction to Present a Professional Scientific Career to High School Students

Abstract

In a previous Tips & Tools article, Patricia J. Baynham advocated for the introduction of science to students by hosting scientists in classrooms. We approached the issue from a different perspective. Since the ability of scientists to demonstrate science could be hampered with limited time and classroom resources, we proposed to introduce students to a professional and active scientific environment for a one-day outreach program. Our goal was to give students hands-on training, mentorship, career information, and an opportunity to ask questions to facilitate a possible career choice in research. Briefly, the “CSI at the LSI” outreach program (LSI, Life Sciences Institute), based on the popular fiction “Crime Scene Investigation” (CSI) TV show, was a murder mystery involving a plot with real characters (grad students, postdocs, and professors) to generate a fun and interactive learning environment. The students carried out experiments using modern scientific techniques to collect “evidence.” At the end of the day, they share the results to identify the suspect.