Hampton Bays Students Tour Plum Island

Students in the high school Research in Science program were given the rare opportunity to tour the federal Plum Island Animal Disease Center, run by the Department of Homeland Security on Friday, Oct. 3.

This visit was supported by the center’s goal to educate those about the research conducted on the island and to engage the public in this process.

“This was a highly educational experience with once-in-a-lifetime lessons and research opportunities for our students,” said science teacher Dr. Stephanie Forsberg.

During the trip, which required federal background checks and security clearances, students received lessons about the island’s status and foot-and-mouth disease, a virus contracted among animals that comprises the majority of research performed on the island. Research students have been learning about Plum Island in their course curriculum for months leading up to this experience.

The students were also taken on a historical tour of the island and met world-renowned researchers, who shared their personal research experiences.

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