Jump Start 1999

Sponsored by the College of Life Sciences, University of Maryland
through a grant from the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute

In the summer of 1999, 57 high school students from 28 high schools participated in the first offering of Jump Start, a week-long science immersion program at the University of Maryland. The theme for the program was Forensic Science. Students learned how modern biological techniques are used to investigate and solve crimes. Topics of investigation included DNA typing, forensic entomology, soil analysis, forensic anthropology, and serology.

At the conclusion of the program, students applied their knowledge to investigating crime scenes that were recreated in miniature.

Comments from 1999 Jump Start participants:

• "Saliva typing was really cool because we were all able to...learn something about ourselves we may not have known."
• "Forensic entomology was NASTY but cool."
• "I enjoyed the crime scene analysis. It was a chance to test all of the skills we had aquired through the week."
• "I wanted the experience of working in a university laboratory. I feel much better about college. Thank you!"
• "I would recommend this program to all my friends. The instructors were awesome and they seemed to really care."
• "This is fun science!"