Outreach activities are central to IISAGE’s mission of bridging research with community engagement and interdisciplinary integration. Our outreach division concentrates on two key areas: first, amplifying the impact of IISAGE’s scientific breakthroughs and training programs; and second, fostering community involvement through citizen science initiatives aimed at pet hobbyists and museum visitors. By connecting with diverse audiences, we aim to enhance public understanding and participation in our scientific endeavors.
WORKSHOPS.
Our team is deeply committed to interdisciplinary collaboration, bringing together experts from various fields to enrich our research. Through these collaborations, our faculty members play a key role in organizing workshops at national scientific conferences, such as The Allied Genetics Conference and the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology meeting. These workshops highlight the collective efforts of IISAGE members, demonstrating how researchers from diverse disciplines can work together to advance the study of aging. See more in our photo gallery here.
THE SNAP: SEX AND AGING PROJECT.
SNAP (Sex aNd Aging Project) is a community science effort that aims to connect pet hobbyists with IISAGE scientists to build a comprehensive database including life history data from pet fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Our Zooniverse site is where you can join our collaboration. By creating a Zooniverse account, you can enter your pet information and then email us a photo of your pet and help grow our knowledge of fish, amphibians, and reptiles. See more
CONFERENCES.
Our team is deeply committed to active engagement with the scientific community, regularly attending a variety of domestic and international conferences. These gatherings provide us with invaluable opportunities to share our latest research findings on aging, particularly in the area of sex-specific aging, with a global audience of peers and experts. By presenting our work at these conferences, we contribute to the ongoing discourse on aging research and receive constructive feedback that helps refine our studies.
REPTILE SHOWS.
Members from Dr. Tony Gamble’s lab at Marquette University play a crucial role in extending the reach of our research by hosting booths on behalf of IISAGE at major reptile shows across the country. These events are highly attended by some of the world’s top reptile breeders, attracting a diverse audience that includes both the general public and specialized breeders. The booths serve as an engaging platform where IISAGE community members can interact directly with reptile hobbyists to discuss the exciting research being conducted on sex-specific aging and its implications for reptiles. Through these interactions, our team introduces attendees to the Sex and Aging Project (SNAP), sparking interest and fostering a deeper understanding of how aging processes may vary across species.
SKYPE A SCIENTIST.
Skype a Scientist is a non-profit educational organization that provides a unique opportunity for scientists to connect with students by Zooming into classrooms to discuss their research. Our team frequently participates in this initiative, bringing our institute’s research on sex-specific aging and other related topics directly to grade school classrooms. These virtual sessions allow us to engage with young students, sparking their interest in science and offering them a glimpse into the world of scientific research. By interacting with students in this way, we aim to inspire the next generation of scientists and foster a greater appreciation for the importance of understanding aging processes. See more
