The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research

Yesterday, students in anatomy class with the Piedmont Governor's School of Mathematics, Science and Technology participated in an outdoor scavenger hunt on our campus to learn about the different parts of the immune system.

Award-winning! The IALR Communications department won four awards from the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)! ?? Our podcast, Inside IALR, won two gold awards! ?? Our newsletter, IALR at a Glance, won one gold award! ?? Our 2023 annual report won one silver award. Congratulations to our communications team of Caleb Ayers, Daniel Dalton and Allison Moore. Read more and check out our award-winning content: https://ow.ly/5Fom50VlCnl

The Virginia Secretary of Agriculture & Forestry, Matthew Lohr, will host another free networking event for beginning farmers on April 1 at the IALR Conference Center. This event is perfect for learning about farm financing options and cost-share conservation opportunities. Register by March 30: https://ow.ly/2MSM50VlnKG

"Work is underway on the site of the Microporous development in Pittsylvania County. The battery company is promising to invest more than $1 billion dollars and add more than 2,000 jobs to the community. It took decades of work to get Danville and Pittsylvania County to the point where it could attract even the promise of a billion-dollar investment, according to economic development officials. Linda Green (our VP of Economic Development and Executive Director of the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance) said the turnaround began with a focus on training workers and determining what the region had to offer. That includes programs like GO TEC? Virginia, which expose middle school students to careers like advanced manufacturing, machining, and health care. “They focused their attention and said how do we move forward? How do we train our workers for better jobs, for better pay? What are our niches,” Green said. Check out the full story from WSLS: https://ow.ly/TIxK50Vl598

When Nadia Orlowski began researching how starch impacts dental plaque formation, she knew meticulous planning and careful experimentation would be crucial. She conducted experiments introducing the sugar maltose to bacteria prevalent in the human mouth, comparing the results from two different individuals. Surprisingly, this scientific experimentation wasn’t taking place in a university lab. Orlowski, a Galileo Magnet High School senior, planned and executed the project with guidance from Dr. Chuansheng Mei, Chief Scientist at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR). “Dr. Mei has helped me actually do the experiment,” she said. “It’s one thing to have it on paper and research it, but to actually do it is a whole different thing.” Orlowski was one of nine students in the dual-enrollment Senior Research course from the Piedmont Governor’s School for Mathematics, Science and Technology (PGSMST) who received support from scientists in IALR’s Applied Research division. Students spent months researching and planning their projects. During the spring semester, IALR researchers helped the students complete them, sharing their expertise and assisting them with using high-end equipment and labs. “We identified topics that were of interest to them and their future fields of study, and we helped them design and perform experiments in our labs.” – J. Scott Lowman, Ph.D., Vice President, Applied Research, IALR Danville Public Schools Danville Community College

The application deadline is coming up quickly! Interns at IALR: ? Do meaningful work ? Contribute to our mission of economic transformation ? Get paid There are nine different open positions! Apply by March 28. Learn and apply: https://bit.ly/4bIMs5m

149 young people participated 82 volunteers supported the event 37 activity stations 9 resource stations Family Literacy Night was a wonderful success! Until next year ?? https://ow.ly/BUcI50Vkfgy

Dan River Year AmeriCorps is looking for STEM and Literacy Tutors and Coaches for the summer of 2025 who can build and introduce curriculum and activities for students, helping prepare them for middle school by improving their literacy, math and/or STEM skills. Learn more about these unique opportunities: https://ow.ly/RQKP50Vjwq4

Did you know companies with fewer than 150 employees can get matching funds for internship programs? IALR and the Virginia Talent + Opportunity Partnership are creating opportunities for students AND businesses. Find out how your company can benefit! Hear more about internship support from IALR's Work-Based Learning Coordinator, Kiana Dillard, in the most recent episode of Inside IALR: https://bit.ly/4hIj68C Read: https://bit.ly/4iAPo6K

Textbooks matter, but nothing beats trying something yourself. IALR emphasizes practical application across our diverse programs. “We’ve seen impressive results when students can test what they learn right away. That combination pushes them to think critically and perform with confidence.” - Julie Brown Ph.D., Vice President, Advanced Learning, IALR https://ow.ly/jtzA50Vjl9g