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K-12 Education

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Valero Young Scientist Program

Applications for the Valero Young Scientist 2027 program go live on December 1st, 2026. Applications are only accepted after December 1st

The Valero Young Scientist Program is a FREE, immersive, multidisciplinary program for high school students to learn from infectious disease researchers at Texas Biomed. Students will explore different career pathways within bioscience research through panel discussions with researchers, postdoctoral fellows and graduate students.

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You can interact with Texas Biomed through tours, school events, and science roadshows!

High School Tours:

We offer in-person tours for high school students, grades 9-12. In person tours are available to area high schools. All tours can accommodate a maximum of 30 participants, including chaperones.

Each 3-hour in-person tour is aligned with specific learning objectives supplied by teachers. Weather permitting, students will tour our campus. The tour includes an opportunity for students to talk with our scientists and participate in a hands-on learning experience in our education outreach center.

As an alternative to an in-person tour, we offer virtual tours that are conducted via Zoom and are well suited for middle school through high school classes. Virtual tours include videos of Texas Biomed labs and the Southwest National Primate Research Center, as well as a conversation with a Texas Biomed researcher.

Science Roadshow:

Through the Science Roadshow program, the K-12 Education Outreach Team at Texas Biomedical Research Institute will bring exciting activities to your classrooms! Science Roadshow activities are aligned with K-8th grade TEKS, are interactive, and engage students in hands-on, minds-on experiences! We bring the supplies and the pedagogical expertise for each activity. The Science Roadshow activities cover topics such as bioscience, body systems, observation and research skills, data collection, graphing, and more! The Science Roadshow experiences are adaptable for one class or multiple classes and range from one to three hours.

Additionally, we offer a virtual Science Roadshow as an alternative to an in person Science Roadshow. A virtual Science Roadshow includes a demonstration of a hands-on experiment which can be simultaneously shared with multiple classes via Zoom.

Additional Education Outreach Programs:

We offer support for area Science Nights, STEM events, and school Career Days. Upon completing any of the application forms below, one of our Education Outreach Specialists, Beatriz Guajardo, M.Ed., or Frances Sto Domingo, M.S., will collaborate with you to design an education event unique to the needs of your students!

Virtual Tour Application

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Texas Biomedical Research Institute Virtual High School Tour Application

Virtual tours of the Texas Biomedical Research Institute (Texas Biomed) are available for middle school (6th-8th) and high school classes. Virtual tours are conducted via Zoom and can be viewed as a class or individually. If viewed individually, virtual tours can accommodate up to 50 participants. If viewed as a class, the limit is up to the coordinating teacher.

Virtual tours include videos of Texas Biomed labs and the Southwest National Primate Research Center, as well as a conversation with a Texas Biomed researcher. Students will have the opportunity for Q&A with the researcher and, if time permits, a closing activity.

Virtual tour availability is limited and will be honored on a first come first serve basis. Our primary point of contact, Education Outreach Specialist Frances Sto Domingo, M.S., will reach out to the coordinating teacher to discuss availability and application status. Zoom links and links to videos will be sent to the coordinating teacher upon confirmation of the virtual tour.

Coordinating Teacher:
Name(Required)

In-Person Science Roadshow Application

Through the Science Roadshow program, our Education Outreach Team will conduct activities that are aligned with K-8th grade TEKS. These activities are interactive, and engage students in hands-on, minds-on experiences! We bring the supplies and the pedagogical expertise for each activity. The Science Roadshow activities cover topics such as bioscience, body systems, observation and research skills, data collection, graphing, and more! The Science Roadshow experiences are adaptable for one class or multiple classes and range from one to three hours.

Science Roadshow availability is limited and will be honored on a first come first serve basis. Our primary point of contact, Education Outreach Specialist Frances Sto Domingo, M.S., will reach out to the coordinating teacher to discuss availability and application status.

Coordinating Teacher:
Name(Required)
Cell Phone
Grade Level(s) (check all that apply)(Required)
Note: The Science Roadshow program serves one class at a time, not to exceed 30 students. If more than one class participates, classes will rotate, and the Science Roadshow will be repeated for each class (3 classes maximum in a day).
Learning Topics (Select 3)(Required)

Curricular Units

Texas Biomedical Research Institute is pioneering and sharing scientific breakthroughs to protect you, your families and our global community from the threat of infectious diseases. The Texas Biomed education program supports this mission through free, downloadable curricular units which engage students in critical thinking, model making and hands-on lab experiences connected to current science issues.

SEPA Logo

Curricular units consist of multiple lessons and each lesson contains activities. Each unit is aligned with education standards (TEKS and NGSS) and provide instructional flexibility. Units and lessons can be implemented in their entirety or activities can be used as stand-alone explorations to support existing curriculum. Texas Biomed curricular units are funded through the National Institutes of Health Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA).

Chikungunya Virus 3D stock image

Chikungunya Unit

DNA Unit

DNA Unit

Ebola Virus Curricular Unit Cover image rendering of the virus

Ebola Unit

Going Viral Unit

illustration of lungs

Pulmo Park Unit

Tuberculosis Unit

Tuberculosis Unit

Classroom to Career Stories Ever wonder who can be a scientist or STEM professional? Our Classroom to Career Stories are short stories about the amazing people who work at Texas Biomed. Meet researchers, veterinarians and professionals enabling science to happen. Tim Anderson Eusondia Arnett Texas Biomed Helix Heather Guenther Shannan Hall-Ursone Eddie Meza Felicia Ponce Olena Shtanko Silvia Zemgals
Teachers in Anderson Lab

Teacher Professional Development

Science Education Partnership Award Logo

Texas Biomedical Research Institute has been awarded the NIH Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA). The SEPA program, Itโ€™s Contagious! Promoting the Biomedical Workforce Pipeline through Infectious Diseases, is seeking secondary STEM content teachers (high school and middle school science, math, and technology) to participate in this educational research program.

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