The Aspirnaut™ Discovery Science Pipeline in the Arkansas Delta launched on September 12th, 2024, with a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the state-of-the-art Aspirnaut™ Chemical Biology Lab (ACBL) and the adjacent freshwater and salt-water aquariums.

The novel iteration flips the location of the Aspirnaut™ holistic STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) training from research labs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) to the Aspirnaut™ Chemical Biology Lab (ACBL) at Wynne High School and is an extension of the highly successful Aspirnaut™ residential summer research internships at VUMC. The pipeline is an innovative model for closing the STEM divide between rural K-12 schools and research universities.

The pipeline brings hands-on discovery science experience to high school students at Wynne High School, focusing on real-world problems of health, environment, and agriculture, including diabetic kidney disease and toxic microplastics. Students engage in research with invertebrate animal models, such as flies, waxworms, and brine shrimp, and earn academic credit for advanced coursework in chemical biology. Students are mentored by teachers and an in-classroom scientist working in collaboration with scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Arkansas Biosciences Institute at Arkansas State University.

The holistic training includes a guided discovery science experience augmented with guided development of professional and wellness skills. These include activities in science communication, ACT/SAT prep, long-term mentorship, psychological thriving skills, wellness training, and college counseling.

The project focuses on the Arkansas Delta, a rural region with high poverty, health disparities, low educational attainment, low STEM employment rates, and high rates of adverse childhood experiences. The anticipated outcomes will increase the number, diversity, and wellness of rural high school students entering STEM disciplines and the STEM workforce, ultimately improving public health and STEM education in the region. STEM careers are among the fastest-growing occupations in the United States.

The activities enhance science education down to the kindergarten level as K-8 students observe live animals in the aquariums and observe high school students working in the lab in their white lab coats. Community engagement activities involve earlier learners and the broader community.

We seek support for the ongoing growth and development of the lab including additional equipment, the Delta Discovery STEM Camp for grades 5 and 6, scientists in the lab, community science cafes, and discovery science projects.