iGEM大賽 台灣團隊抱六金二銀

台北美國學校隊與波士頓教育組長陳幗珍(前左三)合影。
(台中一中老師黃俊奇與經文處教育組提供)

(Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)台灣在2017年的國際基因合成生物工程競賽(International Genetically Engineered Machine Competition, iGEM)中表現亮眼，10隊參賽，抱回6金2銀獎牌。

其中台北美國學校隊，以Nanotrap這從廢水系統中去除納米顆粒的項目，奪得高中組大獎。

成大隊與波士頓教育組長陳幗珍(前左三)合影。
(台中一中老師黃俊奇與經文處教育組提供)

今年的國際基因合成生物工程競賽(iGEM)，於11 月9 日到13日在波士頓的海恩斯(Hynes)會展中心舉行，共有來自全球的300多個優秀隊伍參加。

台灣共有10隊參賽，包括中山醫學大學與中興大學聯隊，中正大學，長庚大學，成功大學，交通大學，清華大學，陽明大學等8個大學組成的7隊，以及臺中一中，明道中學，臺北美國學校等三個高中生隊伍。其中臺中一中第一次參賽，只派出七名學生。其餘隊伍各有十名以上學生。

明道中學隊與波士頓教育組長陳幗珍(前左三)合影。
(台中一中老師黃俊奇與經文處教育組提供)

iGEM 競賽辦法是由各參賽團隊先發現環境中存在的問題，透過訪問企業，政府機構，非營利組織，學術單位，以及團隊成員的腦力激盪，再設計可解決問題的基因合成生物。研究成果上傳到wiki後，於11 月9 日到13 日到iGEM 2017 大會中，以全英文海報展示，並做20 分鐘的英語口頭簡報。

除了台北美國學校隊的智能藻能源(Smart Alga Energy)項目之外，明道中學的基礎零件(basic part)贏得最佳應用設計獎(applied design)；成功大學隊的硝酸鹽感應和調節的生物方法(No problem A Biological approach to nitrate sensing and regulation)，贏得最佳環保項目獎。

中山醫學大學與中興大學聯隊的aflatoxout，交通大學的簡單易用，可藉人工智能驗證的肽預測系統(parabase A simple and applicable peptide prediction system with validation of artificial intelligence)，陽明大學的智能藻能源(Smart Alga Energy)等項目也都獲得金牌獎。

中正大學及清華大學的項目獲銀牌獎。

交通大學教授陳文亮曾多次帶隊參加iGEM競賽。他指出，iGEM是國際上少數為大學生舉辦的生物科技競賽，近年並向下扎根的延伸到高中。這比賽鼓勵團隊透過跨領域合作的腦力激盪，為更美好的世界做努力，也藉以燃起年輕學子心中的學術研究火苗。他們期許台灣團隊能夠因為參與世界競賽，和來自世界各國的優秀人才交友，開拓視野，建立真正的國際觀，將來能為台灣，世界做更多貢獻。

              第一次參加比賽的臺中一中學生吳柏慶表示，參加iGEM比賽，要設計出從來不曾出現過的基因合成生物，實在很不容易。他們的團隊成員從彼此意見不合到形成共識，實驗做到半夜三四點，最後結果不滿意，再重頭來過，真的很累，壓力很大，但最後做出成果，能與世界各國學生交流，一切的辛苦又都值得了！

世界傳統武術錦標賽 波士頓陳笑儀奪兩金

陳笑儀代表美國國家武術隊，奪2金牌。

       (Boston Orange)來自波士頓的陳笑儀，代表美國國家武術隊，日前在有武術界奧運會之稱的世界傳統武術錦標賽中奪得”少林拳”，”少林棍”兩枚金牌。

       世界傳統武術錦標賽( The World Traditional Wushu Championships)是兩年一屆，由中國武術協會主辦，被譽為武術界奧運會的武術界盛事，今年踏入第七屆，以”慧定峨嵋，武動世界”為主題，於11月9日至11日在中國峨嵋山市四川國際旅遊交易博展中舉行，共有來自57國的350多代表隊，3800多名武林高手參賽。

              這次的大賽，出席嘉賓包括國際武術聯合會執行副主席吳廷貴，中國武術協會會長張秋萍，國家體育總局武術管理中心副主任陳國榮，武術大師吳斌，四川省體育局副局長楊利民等人。比賽全程現場直播。

              三天的比賽項目，分個人，對練，集體等三大類，各國代表隊為隊友加油打氣的現場吶喊聲，持續不斷，震耳欲聾，氣氛熱絡非常。比賽現場的各種武術器械，各種拳腿派別，讓人目不暇給，對中國武術之精深博大，感受極深。

美國市長頒證書聘陳笑儀為中美友好使者。

       國際武術聯合會執行副主席吳廷貴，陳氏太極拳傳人陳正雷，太極皇后高佳敏，加拿大武術聯合會主席鄧華，世界咏春拳聯會主席冼國林，美國武術聯合會執行副主席王宗平，美國武術聯合會副主席呂曉林，峨嵋拳名家溫左惠等武術大師應邀在現場做教學示範，吸引了無數觀眾圍觀。

       陳笑儀表示，美國國家武術隊今年派出200多名隊員參賽，隊伍之龐大，為武術界比賽活動創下一項新記錄，也讓他們成為比賽中備受觀眾矚目的焦點。她個人認為，由此雖可見中國武術在美國的發展蓬勃，但仍需更多人來推廣，傳承，以期中國武術可以深入世界各個角落，在國際上鋪出更寬廣道路。

美國國家武術隊。

              陳笑儀畢業於北京體育大學武術學院，赴美攻讀碩士學位前，已是國家一級武術裁判員，國家一級運動員，國家一級健身指導員，也獲得過世界武術錦標賽冠軍，美國國際武術冠捐，當過美國國家太極拳裁判員，迄今共得過40多枚中國，美國及世界武術大賽金牌。

            陳笑儀個人並不熱衷於參加比賽。她表示自己更希望傳播武術文化，培養優秀學生，所以在2017年和衛斯理學院武術教練，目前在哈佛大學修讀碩士的王健豪(Calvin Wang)合作，創辦了新英格蘭武術冠軍公司(New England Wushu Championship, newwushu.com)，為傳承武術盡心力。她透露，該機構學員參加美國國際武術大賽，第七屆新英格蘭武術大賽，第四屆美國武術功夫大賽等三大比賽，共奪得幾十枚金牌，成績很讓人欣慰。她希望將來能帶動更多人習武修身。(所有圖片，陳笑儀提供)

比賽頒獎典禮。

美國國家武術隊獲獎人員。

陳笑儀(左一)與俄羅斯國家代表隊。

中國隊進場。

陳笑儀和得金牌的學生們。

大賽特邀嘉賓。

State and Local Officials Celebrate Start of Winter Farmers’ Market Season

State and Local Officials Celebrate Start of Winter Farmers’ Market Season

NEW BEDFORD – Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton, Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux and Department of Transitional Assistance (DTA) Commissioner Jeff McCue along with local officials today celebrated the start of the winter farmers’ market season during a visit to the New Bedford Winter Farmers’ Market. With over 50 winter farmers’ markets to choose from across the Commonwealth, the agriculture experiences serve as a way for residents to continue to have access to fresh and locally grown products over the winter and provide opportunities for Massachusetts farmers to extend their season and sell their products year-round. The event was part of a series of events members of the Baker-Polito Cabinet attended throughout the South Coast showcasing initiatives and announcing grants. The cabinet also hosted their weekly cabinet meeting earlier in the morning at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth School for Marine Science and Technology.

“Winter farmers’ markets are an excellent opportunity for residents of the Commonwealth to continue to buy local and support farmers and producers year-round,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Through opportunities like the Healthy Incentives Program, the Baker-Polito Administration continues to work with consumers and producers to ensure that all residents, regardless of income, have access to fresh, healthy, locally-sourced food provided by hardworking individuals committed to the Commonwealth’s agricultural future.”

The visit to the New Bedford Winter Farmers’ Market highlighted Massachusetts’ new Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) matching program- the Healthy Incentives Program (HIP). The new program, launched by the Baker-Polito Administration on April 1, 2016, provides a dollar for dollar match to SNAP participants when they buy fruits and vegetables from participating farmers at farmers’ markets, farm stands, mobile markets and Community Supported Agriculture farms. The maximum monthly incentive is based on household size: 1-2 member households can earn up to $40, 3-5 member households, can earn up to  $60, and households with 6 or more members can earn up to $80 month in incentives. The incentive dollars are immediately available on shoppers’ EBT cards for any future SNAP purchase. Already in 2017, over 2.4 million dollars have been spent on Massachusetts grown produce due to the HIP Program – more than quadrupling the value of SNAP benefits redeemed at the same agricultural retailers in 2016

“The demand for farmers’ markets is high, and they account for a significant amount of direct marketing sales which farmers rely on for farm viability,” said MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux. “The collaboration between DAR and DTA on the HIP program has been a true success story for farmers’ markets and the communities they serve.”

“DTA is committed to helping underserved communities overcome barriers to accessing local and affordable foods,” said DTA Commissioner Jeff McCue. “HIP is helping our SNAP clients to eat better and live healthier by giving them a greater opportunity to purchase nutritious fruits and vegetables at farmers’ markets, farm stands, mobile markets, and through Community Supported Agriculture farm shares.”

“Residents of Massachusetts have become increasingly interested in local food production and farmers’ markets pose an incredible opportunity to support local farmers and agriculture, especially in the winter months,” said State Representative Paul Schmid (D-New Bedford). “Through collaboration with the Department of Agricultural Resources and the Department of Transitional Assistance, Massachusetts is ensuring that all residents have access to healthy, local food regardless of income.”

“The Baker-Polito Administration, particularly Commissioner Lebeaux and his team at MDAR, continues to demonstrate their leadership when it comes to food security and making fresh, healthy foods more accessible to the citizens of the Commonwealth,”said State Representative Chris Markey (D-Dartmouth). “Collaborations like this typify what kind of government our taxpayers expect and deserve; one that identifies problems and offers concrete solutions that draw from multiple agencies and stakeholders with shared goals. Residents of cities like New Bedford, with greater ability to purchase healthy foods, and our farmers, able to move more product and reinvest in their own businesses, are the true beneficiaries of this collaboration, and I look forward to seeing programs like these continue to thrive under this Administration.”

“Fresh and healthy food should be accessible to New Bedford residents year-round,”said State Representative Antonio Cabral (D-New Bedford). “The New Bedford Winter Famers’ Market is a fantastic option for those seeking locally grown and nutritious food for their families.”

“The Healthy Incentives Program is a win-win for local growers and those in need, who will benefit greatly from the abundance of produce that is still available at farmer’s markets during the winter months,” said State Representative William Straus (D-Mattapoisett). 

“A winter farmer’s market is immensely beneficial for New Bedford families seeking access to fresh foods within our thriving downtown arts and cultural district,” said Senator Mark Montigny (D-New Bedford). “Fresh, healthy options help prevent costly chronic disease while also providing an economic boost to hardworking area farmers.”

“We were all told how important it is to eat your fruits and vegetables. Farmers’ Markets have a unique capacity to bring a community together by giving local residents the opportunity to support local farmers, while also supporting their own overall health,” said State Representative Robert Koczera (D-New Bedford). “Access to quality food should never be determined by your socioeconomic status alone, so I will continue to support programs, like the ones modeled here at the New Bedford Winter’s Farmers’ Market, which help make that a reality.”

“We are more than excited to kick off the Indoor Winter Farmers Market season in New Bedford. Our winter market will now be open on a weekly basis, providing residents with a one-stop location to buy all their locally grown and made goods, and providing farmers and other retailers with an outlet to directly sell to the public,” said Stephanie Perks, Co-Founder of Coastal Foodshed. “Our downtown winter market will also provide SNAP recipients with access to the extremely beneficial HIP program all year long, which was hugely successful during our summer and fall market season, so we are happy to be able to offer it throughout the winter and spring as well.”

To find a winter farmers market near you, visit the Mass Grown and Fresher interactive map.

Boston Public Schools Launches Summer Programming Application Process

Boston Public Schools Launches Summer Programming Application Process

Research Shows Students Make Significant Gains in College, Career Readiness Skills

BOSTON — Thursday, November 16, 2017 — Boston Public Schools (BPS) and the City of Boston today launched a competitive process for community partners to provide programming for city youth in the 5th Quarter summer learning initiative, a nationally-recognized, research-based effort to re-envision traditional summer education for city youth.   “Boston is leading the nation with this innovative 5th Quarter approach,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “Summer learning shows what’s possible when the Boston Public Schools and a robust network of community partners come together to set ambitious goals and invest in the future of Boston students and families.”   Superintendent Tommy Chang addressed nearly 200 education and community leaders involved in the summer learning initiative during a yearly meeting Thursday at the Bolling Municipal Building, the headquarters of Boston Public Schools.    “Summer provides us with great flexibility around time, place, and activities for students to have fun and learn new skills in engaging ways,” Dr. Chang said. “The 5th Quarter has brought learning alive for our young people, and is building relevancy between academic skills and how they relate to the world around them.”   More than 13,000 students were served in 2017 through BPS- or City-affiliated summer learning programs. In a report released today by Boston After School & Beyond, which highlights 132 programs serving 10,300 students, it showed that those students had an average daily attendance rate of 83 percent. A recent national report from RAND shows that students with a daily average attendance rate higher than 80 percent in voluntary summer programs see significant advantages in math, English language arts, and social and emotional skills, and that academic benefits persist through the school year.   “The 5th Quarter is a model for how schools and community partners can redesign the learning experience and address college, career, and life readiness throughout the year,” said Boston’s Chief of Education Rahn Dorsey.   “A robust and diverse network of programs coming together around the same measures helps reach a greater variety of students in more targeted ways,” said Chris Smith, executive director of Boston After School & Beyond.    BPS and the City are investing approximately $2.25 million for the 5th Quarter for 2018.   For the first time, 15 programs that are part of the 5th Quarter awarded badges to recognize proficiency and growth in key readiness skills. Sixty percent of eligible students earned at least one badge in communication, teamwork, perseverance, or critical thinking, amounting to 1,379 total badges awarded in summer 2017. Teamwork was the most frequently earned badge.    Of the 132 programs in the 5th Quarter network, 32 received funding last year from BPS to run Summer Learning Academies for high-need students, including English learners. These programs will have to re-apply for funding this year. “We are looking forward to a competitive application process that is based not only on promising ideas, but a track record of results,” said Jan Manfredi, director of expanded learning for the Boston Public Schools.  The summer network extends the classroom to the community, featuring a wide array of enrichment activities, from boat building to entrepreneurship, and a focus on social-emotional skills, like perseverance and critical thinking.   Boston is one of five cities that participated in the National Summer Learning Project, funded by The Wallace Foundation and evaluated by the RAND Corporation. The latest evaluation report, Learning from Summer: Effects of Voluntary Summer Learning Programs on Low-Income Urban Youth, explains the impact of programs in summers 2013 and 2014. The other cities include Dallas, Duval County (FL), Pittsburgh, and Rochester (NY).   Legislation filed by Representative Alice Peisch calls for an expansion of this research-based summer learning approach across the Commonwealth. The Joint Committee on Education reported favorably on House bill 2868, “An Act to increase access to high quality summer learning opportunities,” sending it to the House Committee on Ways and Means last spring.

CAPAC Chair Statement on Republican Tax Bill

CAPAC Chair Statement on Republican Tax Bill

Washington, DC – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1, a tax bill that slashes tax rates on corporations and eliminates deductions used by individuals, like the deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) and the deduction for interest on student loans. Rep. Judy Chu (CA-27), a member of the House Ways & Means Committee and Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), released the following statement:

“Instead of the tax reform we were promised, this Republican tax bill is just a massive tax cut for corporate interests paid for by the middle class, those we were supposed to be helping. First, Republicans eliminate the State and Local Tax deduction, which is currently used by millions of households – including many Asian American and Pacific Islander families who live in states like California and New York – to prevent their hard earned dollars from being taxed twice. Next, the bill rips away critical benefits that help our students to pay for their college education by ending the student loan interest deduction and the Lifetime Learning Credit that helps students afford graduate school. It even pays for the corporate tax cuts by taxing graduate students on the tuition assistance they receive for working for their schools. This bill even pinches students when they’re still in elementary school by taxing their teachers who claim a deduction for the school supplies they pay for out of their own paychecks.

“These are just some of the ways middle class Americans are asked to pay for corporate tax cuts. All in the name of trickle down economics, a theory that has been repeatedly tried and shown not to work. This was a wasted opportunity to do the right thing for our economy. As a member of the Ways and Means Committee, I offered amendments to improve this bill for the middle class by reinstating the estate tax, expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and allowing teachers to deduct out-of-pocket expenses for school supplies. But all were met with unanimous Republican opposition. Instead of true tax reform that would help families achieve the American Dream, Republicans have chosen to hand a massive debt to our children, while stripping away deductions and tax help that many struggling families depend on.”

Boston Public Schools and the American Heart Association Kick Off Initiative to Train District's 17,000 High-School Students in Lifesaving Skills

Boston Public Schools and the American Heart Association Kick Off Initiative to Train District's 17,000 High-School Students in Lifesaving Skills

Hands-only CPR kits will be distributed to all BPS High Schools

BOSTON — Thursday, Nov. 16, 2017 — The American Heart Association (AHA) today recognized the Boston Public Schools (BPS) for its implementing “Hands-Only CPR” curriculum for the district’s nearly 17,000 high school students during an event at Madison Park Technical Vocational High School where a physical-education class received a 30-minute training session in the lifesaving skills. “Thanks to the generous support of the American Heart Association and its funders, we are making it a priority to teach our high school students hands-only CPR as part of the health-related fitness component of their physical-education classes,” said BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. “We are really excited that we are giving our schools the tools to turn students into potential lifesavers in their communities.” The AHA, through funding provided by the Amos Fleischer Foundation, Bruins Foundation, ARC Light and PriceWaterhouseCoopers, is providing BPS a total of 47 CPR-In-School Bags and 280 CPR Anytime Kits to be used to train students and other members of their school communities. The training bags and kits, which include “MiniAnne” CPR mannequins and instructional DVDs, are valued at more than $41,000. “The American Heart Association is creating a generation of lifesavers by making sure students learn CPR before they graduate,” said Jay Blackwell, executive director and vice president of development of the American Heart Association. “Schools prepare students with essential life skills, and CPR skills are among the most critical life skills—and lifesaving skills—that make our communities safer, year after year. We are proud to partner with the Boston Public Schools to ensure that the city’s youth are empowered to help save lives.” All BPS 9-12th grade students, as well as some 8th grade students, will be trained annually in CPR during physical-education class as part of their school’s health and fitness curriculum. To date 45 teachers at 25 schools have already received training and kits. According to the AHA, more than 326,000 people experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital each year, and about 90 percent of those victims die, often because bystanders don’t know how to start CPR or are afraid they’ll do something wrong. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. Hands-Only CPR, recommended for use on teens and adults, requires less training than conventional CPR (with mouth-to-mouth breaths) and has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR in the first few minutes of a sudden, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. “Having BPS high schools train our students in CPR will provide our young adults the ability to know what to do during those precious few minutes after someone suffers sudden cardiac arrest,” said Amalio Nieves, BPS Assistant Superintendent of Social Emotional Learning and Wellness. “This knowledge can empower students to take ownership of a situation and help possibly save the life of a parent, relative, friend or even a complete stranger.”

UNLICENSED FOR-PROFIT NURSING SCHOOL TO PAY RESTITUTION TO STUDENTS AFTER MISREPRESENTING ITS TRAINING PROGRAMS

UNLICENSED FOR-PROFIT NURSING SCHOOL TO PAY RESTITUTION TO STUDENTS AFTER MISREPRESENTING ITS TRAINING PROGRAMS

Consent Judgment Bars Hosanna College of Health from Holding Classes in Massachusetts

BOSTON – A for-profit nursing school must pay restitution and is permanently barred from holding classes in Massachusetts after operating without a license and misrepresenting its training programs to dozens of local students, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Under the consent judgment, entered in Suffolk Superior Court, the Florida-based school – Hosanna College of Health, Inc. – will pay $190,000 in restitution for eligible students who attended between 2013 and 2015, and cannot collect any outstanding tuition payments from students who took in-person classes in Massachusetts.

            In February 2016, the AG’s Office sued Hosanna, along with its founding executive, Jackson Augustin, and one of its former officers, Michelle Desarmes, for making a series of misrepresentations to students from the Boston area’s Haitian community who were seeking to take nursing classes in Massachusetts. According to the complaint, the classes were held in greater Boston and the students were not properly prepared for their nursing examinations. 

            “Students in Massachusetts with dreams to become nurses were targeted by this school and misled into taking unlicensed and low-quality courses in order to generate a profit,” AG Healey said. “This settlement will bring critical funds back to students from the Haitian community who invested in this program but were never given the education they were promised.”

            In July 2016, the Court entered an order, preventing Hosanna from recruiting students for its nursing program and continuing with classes in Massachusetts. 

Dozens of Hosanna’s former students who attended these classes in Massachusetts are expected to be eligible for settlement payments. The AG’s Office will be reaching out to affected students with more information. Former Hosanna students who are looking for more information or assistance should call AG Healey’s Student Loan Assistance Unit Hotline at 1-888-830-6277.

AG Healey has taken a series of actions against predatory for-profit schools and made securing student loan relief a top priority. AG Healey has brought enforcement actions against student debt relief companies and filed lawsuits against ITT Tech, Corinthian, and American Career Institute alleging unfair and deceptive practices. 

AG Healey’s Office also reached settlements worth more than $8 million withKaplan Career Institute, Lincoln Tech, ACS Education Services, Sullivan & Cogliano, and Salter College. 

This case was handled by the staff of the AG’s Insurance and Financial Services Division, including Tiffany Bartz, Tim Hoitink, Claire Masinton, David Lim, Lilia DuBois, Katherine Hurley, Michael Beaulieu, Erica Harmon and Jasmine Jean-Louis, as well as Anthony Crespi of the Civil Investigations Division.

CAPAC Demands Passage of Clean Dream Act Before the End of the Year

CAPAC Demands Passage of Clean Dream Act Before the End of the Year

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Members of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) met with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Dreamers and held a press conference to urge the passage of a clean DREAM Act before Congress adjourns in December. Over 120 AAPI undocumented youth and advocates from all across the country participated in today’s convening, which included the largest number of AAPI Dreamers to ever gather at the U.S. Capitol. Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-27), Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, released the following statement:

“I was so moved to hear from dozens of Asian American and Pacific Islander Dreamers during their historic gathering on Capitol Hill today to urge the passage of a clean DREAM Act. President Trump’s cruel decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program has left the lives of nearly 800,000 Dreamers in limbo, including over 130,000 AAPI Dreamers from countries like South Korea, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, and China who were brought to the United States as children through no fault of their own and who call this country their home.  Our nation’s Dreamers are Americans in every single way except on paper, and it is unconscionable to force these young Americans to go back into the shadows and face deportation to countries that they do not even know.

“Since its founding, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus has been at the forefront of ensuring that AAPIs are included in federal legislation and policy discussions, especially when it comes to immigration.  And CAPAC Members are committed to finding a permanent legislative fix to enshrine DACA protections immediately.  Our caucus stands in solidarity with AAPI Dreamers and demands that Congress pass a clean Dream Act before the end of the year.

“We know that if the bipartisan, bicameral DREAM Act were brought to the floor today, it would have the votes to pass. CAPAC urges Republican leadership to allow us to vote on this bill and pass a clean DREAM Act immediately.”