NIH Radio
NHGRI Launches Genomics Careers Resource for Students
Brief Description:
To help students planning their professional careers understand the opportunities in the fields of genetics and genomics, the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) launched the Genomic Careers Resource on the institute’s Web site, genome.gov/GenomicCareers. The careers resource showcases nearly 50 career opportunities through video interviews, career profiles, tools to rate potential career choices, and an interactive game.
Transcript:
Akinso: The National Human Genome Research Institute has launched a website to help students plan their professional careers in genomics.
Easter: The name of the website is the NHGRI Genomic Careers website.
Akinso: Dr. Carla Easter is a NHGRI science education specialist.
Easter: This is really meant for just about anybody who is interested in a career that has to do with genetics and genomics. And mainly our focus has been on students, so high school students, middle school students, community college students, college students—anybody who’s looking to find out what it is they’d like to do in the field.
Akinso: NHGRI staff unveiled the Genomics Careers Resource Web Site at the annual National Science Teachers Association in Philadelphia. Science teachers were encouraged to share the resources with other educators and school counselors.
Easter: The site was designed mainly because there really was nothing really cool or interactive out there. And we wanted to make something that students would look at that wasn’t considered bland or pretty much what was out there already. So we really put a lot of effort into making it video driven and interactive.
Akinso: On the website students and visitors can find nearly 50 career opportunities through various resources.
Easter: So besides the interactive videos we also have a database with 50 careers that provides an overview of career including how much does this person make. What are the job outlooks for this individual who might pursue this career? What are the educational requirements? And then resources if you’re interested in this career—what are the types of places you need to be finding information out more about this. We also have what I think is the coolest part of this site, which is an interactive game where you can guess what people are going to be when they grow up. The final part of the website, is actually a way for students to create their own website and keep track of careers and individual videos and database entries that their most interested in.
Akinso: Dr. Easter hopes that this website excites the next generation of students about careers in genetics and genomics and shows them how they can contribute to improving human health. If you would like to check out this Web site, visit genome.gov/GenomicCareers. This is Wally Akinso at the National Institutes of Health Bethesda, Maryland.
About This Audio Report
Date: 4/02/2010
Reporter: Wally Akinso
Sound Bite: Dr. Carla Easter
Topic: Genetics, Genomics, Students, website, careers
Institute(s):
NHGRI
Additional Info: NHGRI Launches Genomic Careers Resource for Students
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