Delgado Community College Biotechnology/Synthetic Biology Initiative and Biotechnology Incubator

Since hurricane Katrina, the New Orleans regional area has undergone a massive infrastructure transformation towards technology-driven and knowledge-based industries. National and local growth predictions for employment in the STEM fields and biosciences highlight an increasing need for a skilled workforce ranging from highly qualified technicians to senior research scientists. The Division of Science and Mathematics faculty at Delgado Community College (DCC) have initiated a new Science Laboratory Technology (SLT) Program with a concentration in Biotechnology to support the need for highly qualified technicians in the biosciences. 

This project aims to further enhance the SLT program. DCC faculty will: (1) develop a biofuels special topics course working in partnership with the Joint BioEnergy Institute (JBEI), (2) develop a Biotechnology Colloquium featuring speakers from industry as well as faculty from local institutions, and (3) expand the Summer STEM Challenges activities to support iGEM team activities. Efforts will also be initiated to recruit and retain underrepresented students in the SLT program. Project outcomes will be disseminated via the ATE Center, BioLink, and ATE Central.