ASCUS Art & Science
*Update: We regret to announce that due to the current public health crisis, Find – Grow – See: Microbiology Skills Course 2020 has been postponed to an unconfirmed date. Keep an eye out for updates.*
Did you know this is more life in a drop of puddle water or a single gram of soil than there are people on the planet? Join us and gain the skills to explore this microcosmos.
Find – Grow – See 2020
Beginners Microbiology Skills Course
6.30 pm – 9.00 pm, Tuesdays 8th Sept – 6th October
This is a series of 5 weekly workshops including tuition and hands-on experiments in microbiology led by our microbiology expert lab technician. We will take you through the fascinating hidden world of microbes. Each day you will gain new insights into microbiology and have a chance to work independently in ASCUS Lab supported by Jiri. Work with microbes often used in research, including baker’s yeast and bacteria. Find out how some microbes produce light, antibiotics, and pigments.
Our hands-on workshops includes culturing, sample collection, inoculation, incubation, and observation. Explore and gain an understanding of how our world is inhabited and literally covered with microbes and how these organisms interact with each other and can be used in creative projects, food production, and biotechnology.
All you need is yourself, a notebook and an open mind. All other materials are provided.
Course Details
8th Sept – 6th Oct 2020
*full time students; unemployed persons, senior citizens, residents of Summerhall, and disabled persons. If you have booked as a concession you must provide proof of status on arrival.
Course Outline
This is a series of skills workshops combining presentation, demos and hands-on learning activities for anyone interested in learning the basics of microbiology in a fun, creative and experimental environment.
What’s in store?
HOW MICROBIOLOGY WORKS
‘WHAT CAN I SEE GROWING?’
‘WHAT DO I NEED TO CONSIDER?’FOOD MICROBIOLOGY
‘HOW MICROBES HELP US?’
‘HOW MICROBES AFFECT US?’
‘HOW MICROBES INTERACT?’- Introduction to microbiology – groups of microbes, inoculation, media preparation
- The biology of microorganisms – the kingdoms of life
- How to isolate microorganisms
- Sample collection and inoculation – what to consider
- Food microbiology and fermentation
- Microbes under the microscope
- How to study antimicrobial resistance and how to lower the risk of it
- How microbes interact with us and how we affect them
- Scientific microbiology – biology and ecology
- Creative microbiology – agar art, concepts and approaches
Dr Jiri Jirout, Course Tutor
Who is it for?
- those interested in microbiology and developing lab skills
- artists interested in using microbiology for creative projects
- scientists not usually work with microorganisms
- students interested in exploring the field of microbiology
- the ever-curious
- anyone interested in looking deeper into the microbes that live all around us!
Booking Refund Policy
Please note that purchased tickets can only be refunded in the following circumstances:
- If the event/workshop/course is canceled, rescheduled or has changed location.
- If an event is rescheduled to another date, your tickets are still valid. If you can’t make the rescheduled date, then you’re entitled to a full refund.
- Refund requests will be accepted up until 1 week before the date of the event. We are unable to guarantee that refund requests received after this time will be possible.
- When events are canceled or rescheduled we will do our best to inform all participants using the contact details provided when the order was made.
