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Samantha López Clinton

Bioinformatics and genetics PhD student

Science communication - Foldscope workshops


Microcosmos explorer student using their cellphone to capture a photograph of a prepared rhizome slide through the Foldscope.
Microcosmos explorer student using their cellphone to capture a photograph of a prepared rhizome slide through the Foldscope.
Students assembling their own Foldscope during the workshop.
Students assembling their own Foldscope during the workshop.
(Para español, vea abajo)

For my social service -a graduation requirement at all universities in Mexico- I decided to do community service. I applied for and received a material grant from One World Science, an FPI initiative dedicated to promoting diversity and inclusion in science.

The material grant consisted of 100 foldscopes, a type of portable paper microscope. I designed a science workshop around the microscope called Explorers of the Microcosmos (or, Exploradores del Microcosmos, in Spanish) and offered it at schools in Mexico City that lacked well-equipped biology laboratories.

The workshop was a success, so after I had handed out all 100 foldscopes through the workshop and completed my social service, I continued to offer the course by purchasing foldscopes myself.

A couple of years later I received an invitation to participate in a special issue on science education at Biology Methods and Protocols. I gladly accepted and wrote a paper about the workshop (click here to access the paper), which was my first publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
Scroll down to see photographs of the workshops! And if you'd like to support my work, you can buy me a coffee using the link below:

Divulgación científica - Talleres de foldscopes


Para mi servicio social -necesario para graduarse de cualquier universidad pública en México- decidí realizar el formato de servicio a la comunidad. Para ello, recibí una concesión material de parte de One World Science, una iniciativa de FPI dedicada a promover la diversidad e inclusión en la ciencia.

La consesión trató de 100 foldscopes, una clase de microscopio portable de papel. Diseñé un taller alrededor del microscopio llamado Exploradores del Microcosmos y lo impartí en escuelas en la Ciudad de México y Guadalajara que no tenían laboratorios de biología bien equipados.

El taller fue muy exitoso, así que una vez entregados los 100 foldscopes a travéz del taller y mi servicio social completado, continué con los talleres comprando yo misma más foldscopes.

Un par de años después recibí una invitación a contribuir a una edición especial de educación de la ciencia en Biology Methods and Protocols. Con gusto acepté y escribí un artículo sobre el taller (haz click aquí para ver el artículo), el cual fue mi primer artículo publicado en una revista científica.

¡Aquí abajo hay fotografías de los talleres! Si te gustaría apoyar mi trabajo, puedes usar el link debajo para invitarme un café:
Photograph of a classroom where a woman at the front is pointing to a screen showing the Foldscope website. In the foreground, the photographer has held a Foldscope up to the camera.
Microcosmos explorers workshop in Mexico City. Credit: Jehiel Retana.
Workshop at the Taxqueña Fleming Institute. Taller en el Instituto Fleming plantel Taxqueña.
University of Guadalajara, Faculty of Exact Sciences and Engineering. Centro Universitario de Ciencias Exactas e Ingenierias de la UdeG.
Mexican Muralists Education Centre. Centro Educativo Muralistas Mexicanos, Jalisco, México.
Workshop at a local sports facility in Guadalajara. Taller en un centro deportivo en Guadalajara.
Workshop at the Ecological Community "Los Guayabos", Guadalajara, Jalisco. Taller en "Los Guayabos" Comunidad Ecológica, Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Workshop at learning community "ALAS", Guadalajara, Jalisco. Taller en la comunidad de aprendizaje ALAS, Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Workshop at the Taxqueña Fleming Institute. Taller en el Instituto Fleming plantel Taxqueña.
Workshop at "Signos" school in Guadalajara, Jalisco. Taller en el colegio "Signos" en Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Private workshop for kids! ¡Taller privado para pequeñxs!
Workshop at the Metropolitan Autonomous University Xochimilco Campus. Taller en la Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Unidad Xochimilco.
Open workshop for citizens interested in the microcosmos. Taller abierto para ciudadanos interesados en el microcosmos.
Microcosmos explorers workshop at Cinvestav, the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute in Guadalajara.
Workshop at the Ecological Community "Los Guayabos", Guadalajara, Jalisco. Taller en "Los Guayabos" Comunidad Ecológica, Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Workshop at learning community "ALAS", Guadalajara, Jalisco. Taller en la comunidad de aprendizaje ALAS, Guadalajara, Jalisco.
Image shows a while surface with several items laid on top, including a foldscope paper microscope, some test tubes, tweezers, scissors, paper and glass slides, and a notebook.
Preparing material for one of the Microcosmos Explorers workshops.
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