Matters Microbial #96: Molecular Microbiology in High Schools June 19, 2025

Today, Bob Kuhn, biotechnology teacher at the Fulton County Schools Innovation Academy STEM high school in Alpharetta, Georgia joins the #QualityQuorum to discuss his strategies for teaching molecular microbiology skills and concepts to high school students — and why that matters.

Host: Mark O. Martin

Guest: Bob Kuhn

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Links for this episode

• An article on Mr. Kuhn's original microbiological interest: salt marsh foraminifera.
• Another interest: a video of the beautiful organism Volvox.
• An overview of the fantastic world of protists.
• A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the Tiny Earth program.
• A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the SEAPHAGES program.
• A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the Evolving Stem program.
• A classroom CURE that Mr. Kuhn uses: the Discover the Microbes Within program.
• Mr. Kuhn's classroom received help from the University of Georgia Microscopy Center.
• A video of the Wolbachia Project with which Mr. Kuhn has collaborated for years.
• An overview of wonderful and various isopods, including the "roly polies" used in some Wolbachia work.
• The Journal of Emerging Investigators, in which some of Mr. Kuhn's high school students have published.
• The LTEE program that studies evolution in E. coli.
• The Experiment.com program that supported some of Mr. Kuhn's students.
• The very inspirational MEGAplate video that demonstrates how quickly antibiotic resistance can occur.
• Innovation Academy STEM program in Georgia, where Mr. Kuhn works with high school students.

Intro music is by Reber Clark

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