Teaching and Outreach

AI and machine learning to understand vast data generated by lipidomics. A special lecture by Dr. Bifarin. 

Prof. Das has been inducted into the 

Inclusive STEM Teaching Fellows program 2024.

During my time at Georgia Tech, I spearheaded the creation of an innovative course focusing on lipid biochemistry. Besides the regular lecture, we had two guest lectures. Professor Al Merrill delivered a captivating guest lecture specifically dedicated to a fascinating category of lipids known as Sphingolipids. Our coursework encompassed a comprehensive exploration of structural lipids, signaling lipids, as well as the intricate dynamics of protein-lipid interactions. Moreover, we delve into cutting-edge membrane-based technologies including Nanodiscs and proteoliposomes.

TEACHING BIOCHEMISTRY AT GEORGIA TECH

The PI is involved in teaching biochemistry courses at Georgia Tech at both undergraduate and graduate levels. 

CHEM 4512: Biochemistry II (Spring 2023)

CHEM 6502: Biochemistry II (Spring 2023)

CHEM 6573: Molecular Biochemistry (Fall 2023)

CHEM 8853: Biochemistry of Lipids (Spring 2024)

(From left to right)(A) Shiyu Qiu (I-STEM student) extracting proteins in our laboratory. (B) Summer research group. Circled are Shiyu (I-STEM), Yarelis and Pablo who were summer research minority students from SROP program. (C) PI is demonstrating to preschoolers (Pre-K) about chemical concepts (milk and color experiments) using harmless household chemicals. 

Pre-K, K-12 & HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS STEM PROGRAMS

Our goal is to encourage the "WOW" factor in science at an early age. 

Das lab hosts high school students from The center for Advanced Studies in Science, Math and Technology (Wheeler Magnet program) and project ENGAGES

https://projectengages.gatech.edu/

https://www.wheelermagnet.com/

Sherry Qiu, our former summer I-STEM student who joined MIT was in the news.http://www.istem.illinois.edu/news/HSResearch2012.html “This experience far exceeded my expectations in terms of being able to conduct experiments,” Sherry Qiu said. Working with Dr. Aditi Das, Qiu’s project sought to express and purify tobacco etch virus (TEV) protease.

We are involved in basic chemistry experiment demonstration to Pre-K students (ages 4-6) and elementary school students (ages 6-10) showing how to use household chemicals to understand science. We previously collaborated with the Children Development Laboratory (http://cdl.illinois.edu/) to bring the preschool kids to the labs and do basic chemistry experiments with harmless household chemicals. 

SUMMER RESEARCH PROGRAM 

Summer research program students Yarelis Dumengo and Pablo Marrero present their posters at the Illinois Summer Research Symposium (SROP) which brings together people who are under-represented meritorious students to do summer research at Illinois. http://www.grad.illinois.edu/srop 

- Pablo receives outstanding leadership award. 

- Pablo and Yarelis present posters at the SROP program

INVOLVEMENT WITH SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science)

We (Ms. Kimberly Sam leads this effort) are involved in the organization, SACNAS (Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science) that is involved in numerous outreach activities that is funded by NSF and the PEEC program, Cena y Ciencias (Supper and Science). This goal is to encourage students to pursue a career in science and to inspire them to continue in their education to advance towards higher education. iSTEM Article: http://www.istem.illinois.edu/news/cena.ciencias.html 

DISSEMINATION OF SCIENCE

PI Das is a participant in the summer school for Biophotonics. It is an intensive 10 days course with 4 hours of lectures and 4 hours of labs per day. It is an activity that is supported by NSF. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V56VnrLHaZc&feature=em-share_video_user

SOCIETY OF POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLARS

There is growing number of women obtaining Ph.D in the sciences but very few of them make it to faculty positions at research schools. PI Das organized a workshop of how to look for a faculty jobs along with other new assistant professors. PI Das also helped to organize another workshop "Demystifying the tenure process" along with Dr. Susan Odom. 

UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT TRAINING

Our lab has an active undergraduate training program. Undergraduates are recruited in their sophomore year and they are trained in all aspects of research including research design, writing papers, literature review and others. Our undergraduates have been awarded prestigious fellowships from the American Heart Association. Some of them have been awarded top honors from the school. They have all gone to pursue further career in science and medicine.