‘Murder mystery’ focus of 4-H biotech camp

2:42 p.m., July 26, 2005--Eighty students, ages 8-14, from around New Castle County are set to figure out "who-done it" Aug. 8-12 at Townsend Hall. Specifically, they will be looking into who killed the mythical Prof. Halftrack and stole his top secret cloning formula, and what the motive might have been for doing so.

The murder mystery is part of a special camp--"Solving Crimes, Curing Disease, Feeding the World, and Developing Careers in the New Millennium at 4-H Biotechnology Camp 2005." All 80 camp spaces for have been filled.

Campers will learn firsthand from John Ingle of the medical examiner’s office and law enforcement officers how evidence is collected at a crime scene and how technology can be used to solve crimes. They will then work in teams to gather evidence, question suspects and solve the mystery. Along the way, they will be given the opportunity to conduct experiments that will help them solve the crime--and better understand biotechnology.

Although the campers will have clues to help them solve the “murder,” they will first have to master GPS (Global Positioning System) technology to find where the clues are hidden. Another workshop will include a visit to the “body farm,” where students will try to determine how long Henrietta Hen and her friends have been deceased, based on insect samples they collect from the scene.

Campers also will participate in other hands-on sessions conducted by Delaware Biotechnology Institute (DBI) and UD faculty and staff. Noted “virus hunter” Erin Bernberg, a research associate at DBI, will share her experiences in tracking down the avian influenza virus that appeared in Delaware last year. These sessions will help students to better understand how biotechnology is used in fields other than law enforcement, such as medicine and agriculture to cure disease and develop higher-yielding crops.

Campers will learn more about what careers are available in the emerging field of biotechnology and what type of education is required to enter these fields. They also will join in a debate about bioethics.

Partially funded by a grant from the Delaware Department of Education’s 21st Century Community Learning Centers, the camp is sponsored by the 4-H program of Delaware Cooperative Extension. For more information, contact Mark J. Manno, state 4-H Extension Educator, at (302) 831-2997 or e-mail [mmanno@udel.edu].

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