Jump Start: Our Microbial World

Jump Start Program

The Jump Start Program is a University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical and Natural Sciences Education Initiative. The Jump Start Program will invite 75 rising high school juniors and seniors to participate in a summer science program sponsored by UMD. The program was initially developed through a grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and is now sponsored by UMD CMNS. The high school students will gain important experience in a variety of scientific topics, while being exposed to a university environment. More information, including application information, can be found HERE. The Jump Start Program is coordinated and overseen by Professor Kaci Thompson. The Jump Start: Our Microbial World course is designed and taught by Prof. Wade Winkler

This enrichment course will take you on a guided tour of Earth’s invisible realm. There is a rich world of microbes surrounding us, which we cannot see with the naked eye but that can be viewed with microscopes or felt by its influence. Some of these microbes are pathogens, specialized to live in or on humans as their hosts. But not all microbes are bad; in fact, most are not! Microbes have developed unique abilities that allow them to thrive in nearly every available niche, from places like the open ocean to pools of boiling acid. And we rely on them to perform many tasks, such as helping us farm our crops, or oxygenate the air we breathe. In this Jump Start course, we will learn about different microbes and their capabilities. Meanwhile, you will ‘design’ your own microbe, based on what you learn from the course.