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KANNAPOLIS Science can be scary stuff. But Marcy Corjay wants to change that.
“It's my hope to put a friendly face on science,” said Corjay, dean of science, biotechnology and mathematics at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College. “It's not a members-only type of club.”
Friendly and accessible is what Corjay and RCCC hope for with the “Biotechnology 101 Summer Series,” offered every Tuesday evening in July. All sessions – they target those with little or no science background – are free and open to the public.
The seminars will be at the David H. Murdock Core Laboratory Building at the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis.
The series will examine four biotech areas – agriculture, marine, health and industrial. Each 90-minute seminar will cover education and training, careers and specific jobs, terminology and practical applications.
Although growth at the research campus has slowed because of the recession, Cabarrus-Rowan community leaders anticipate that biotechnology will help revitalize a formerly manufacturing-based economy.
RCCC offers two associate degree biotechnology programs, with classes available in August. The programs prepare students for jobs as laboratory technicians, research assistants and quality control associates, or as lab technicians in various fields of biological, chemical and agricultural technology.
College spokesman Jeff Lowrance said the free summer series is perfect for career changers or non-scientists who would like to learn more about biotechnology, or for those “who simply want to know a little bit more about the kind of work going on at the research campus.”
At a similar seminar in April, about 100 people attended the single session, Corjay said. In the summer series, experts in each particular subject area will speak. She recommends bringing a notepad to jot down notes or questions for the speakers.
Corjay, a published researcher with a master's degree in genetics and a doctorate in molecular physiology, said seminar participants are encouraged to ask questions.
“Expect a casual event,” she said. “The more questions, the better. The hope is we can take some of the ‘fear factor' out of science.”
