CSI at the LSI is the equivalent of combining your favorite CSI TV show and a murder mystery all in one.  High school students are invited to explore science through this annual outreach activity designed by the UBC Life Sciences Institute-Graduate Student Association (LSI-GSA) and UBC Post-Doctoral Association (UBC-PDA).

Drs. Caylib Durand and Santiago Ramón-García are changing the way scientific outreach is done. While completing his PhD at UBC’s Life Sciences Institute, Caylib acknowledged that there are many limitations in bringing science to a traditional classroom, but bringing the students into the laboratory where science occurs daily is a far more rewarding experience and a more effective approach.  Teaming up with former Post Doctoral Fellow, Santiago, and former members of the LSI-GSA, Sarah Cohen, Meaghan Jones, Stephanie Mancini, Jenna Riffell, Amanda Starr, and Kathryn Westendorf, they created the annual outreach activity “CSI at the LSI”.

The story line tells us that there has been a murder and many suspects have their reasons.  Students are then invited to perform real scientific experiments to collect evidence.  They work their way through techniques such as DNA and protein analysis, electron microscopy or mass spectroscopy to eliminate suspects one by one.  By the end of the day, the “student crime scene investigators” are able to identify and capture the murderer.

Recently, Dr. Durand and Dr. Ramón-García received news that the “CSI at the LSI” program was accepted for publication in the Journal of Microbiology and Biology Education.  Exciting news since it will allow other scientific institutions to adopt this animated and interactive outreach activity.