Angela Reevely

Future Teacher Takes Lab Experience into the Classroom

A future biology teacher and intern at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in the summer of 2006, Angela Reevely had some friendly advice for her fellow teachers working in a laboratory: Wear comfortable shoes.

Reevely conducted some experiments requiring 72-hour monitoring. Her research examined a bacterium called Shewanella oneidensis, which can break down toxic chemicals, such as chromium and uranium, in soil and sediment. This ultimately prevents leaching of the pollutants into groundwater.

Reevely graduated with a bachelor’s degree in biology from Tuskegee University in May 2006 and began a master’s program in science education in the fall. She interned at ORNL as a part of the laboratory’s Higher Education Research Experience program, which is administered by ORISE.

She applied for the program, she said, because of her positive experience at the lab in 2005 when she interned as a part of DOE’s Pre-Service Teacher Internship program.

Reevely, who will teach middle school and high school science, said she is looking forward to passing along to her students what she has learned in the lab, such as how to use a gassing station, which flushes out oxygen from bacterial cultures, and how to use a liquid nitrogen tank for freezing samples.

“My experience will ultimately help me to prepare my students for a well-rounded laboratory experience in the classroom and hopefully later in their careers,” she said.

One of the highlights of her experience at ORNL was when a group of former teachers, advisors, and fellow students from Tuskegee University visited and toured the lab. Reevely presented her research to the group, and she encouraged the students to apply for scholarships and internships.

“I informed the students that there are several programs and scholarships that are available and will fund…our education, but we must be proactive and apply,” she said.