Timothy Ratliff and Sandra Amass, professors in the School of Veterinary Medicine, are starting a new program called "Fat Dogs and Coughing Horses: Animal Contributions Towards a Healthier Citizenry."
The program will be funded by a $1.3 million grant called the Science Education Partnership Award from the National Center for Research Resources, a component of the National Institutes of Health.
The program will create a new health science curriculum for third-, sixth-, and ninth-graders.
To help students learn, the team will develop a faculty mentor program in Indiana schools, create fitness programs centered on animals and construct a museum exhibit focused on the links between animal and human health.
The School of Veterinary Medicine is working with other Purdue departments and organizations to increase involvement within the program.
Organizations involved include the College of Consumer and Family Sciences to develop programs that incorporate pets into everyday healthy living, the department of agricultural communication to develop an interactive exhibit with the Children’s Museum of Indianapolis for traveling sites, the College of Education to partner with Indiana teachers to develop a curriculum focused on health science education and the Discovery Learning Research Center in Discovery Park to develop programs for effectiveness.
"We are always seeking to diversify our classes and classrooms," said Kauline Davis, director of diversity initiative for the veterinary school and leader of the faculty mentor program.
She believes children have little information about opportunities available within the animal health industry.
"Youths get a lot of advice for careers in health and medicine, but often veterinary medicine is left off the list," Davis said.
The team hopes the health science education program will be available to all students in Indiana and nationally.
Source:
The Purdue Exponent