Day One - Biology
We will dive deep into DNA, cells and cell energetics, and reinforce the learned knowledge with labs such as DNA extraction and microscope use! We will also cover lab safety.
Camp Information
We aspire to provide an engaging and interactive experience for motivated students who are interested in pursuing a STEM career. We are very excited to welcome you to our in-person camp this summer!
About the Camp
This is the sixth annual science summer camp hosted by CCA’s iGEM team! We teach advanced pre-high school students who are interested in pursuing a STEM career in the future, or want to explore different possible career options. We are very excited for this year’s iGEM camp after last year being such a success.
Our camp, led by CCA iGEM members, will teach several important science topics such as biology, synthetic biology, chemistry, and forensics and organize daily labs to reinforce the students' learning in a hands-on environment. The content we teach will thoroughly prepare students for high school biology and chemistry coursework and for potential participation in CCA's iGEM team. You can view pictures from last year's camp here!
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the camp take place?
We will be holding two sessions over the 2023 summer, one from June 5-9th, and one from June 12-16th. Daily times will be from 9 am to 2 pm, which includes a lunch and snack break. The registration form currently doesn't have an option for the second session--we'll be sure to get that updated soon!
Where will the camp be held?
We expect this year's camp to be held in-person at Canyon Crest Academy, but due to the unpredictability of COVID, we cannot guarantee that the camp will be in-person. If we need to move to an online format, we will notify all parents and give a full refund for those who are unwilling to attend the camp online.
How much does it cost to attend?
$350 early bird, $400 after May 10th. Tuition will pay for the fun labs we prepare every day, as well as help us enroll in the iGEM competition in October. Tuition will NOT be refunded if our camp stays in-person.
Is lunch provided?
Lunch is not included. Students should bring their own lunches daily, which can be eaten during the lunch break. Students may also bring a snack, but snacks may be provided by us.
Topics covered
Day Two - Chemistry
Don't fear—chemistry can be a really fun and interesting topic when learned the right way! We'll start off with how the periodic table is arranged and how chemical reactions happen, and get into pH as well. We'll be doing three labs on this day corresponding with each of the concepts we learn.
Days Three and Four - Synthetic Biology
Synbio is what we do best at iGEM! It's the science of altering DNA and genes. We'll teach how genetic editing is done in labs and even discuss the ethics of it, as well as how enzymes work. Throughout the two days, we'll be inserting genes into bacteria to see it glow.
Day Five - Forensics
For the last day of camp, we'll be tying in all our knowledge to investigate a crime scene! Students will be analyzing blood samples, chemical properties of different substances, and more!