The Innovation Institute (TI²)  in Newtonville has created a new series of laboratory sessions, Living in the Lab, for students in Grades 2-12 to learn about what different types of scientists and engineers actually do. Grade-specific sessions emphasize protocol and techniques to give students in each age group age-appropriate hands-on experience of life in a laboratory. Younger students start with the most basic questions: What is a scientist? or What is an engineer? Instruction is by research scientists and engineers who serve also as role models. The objective is to demystify these career paths for students who do not have informal exposure to them and inspire all students to explore becoming scientists or engineers.

Over four to six weeks, students spend most of their time in one of TI² four laboratories focused on one of several fields: microscopy, chemistry, anatomy, molecular biology, genetic engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering. Each of these lab fields has its own grade levels and schedule; see summary course descriptions and schedule and enrollment links for each. Enroll by December 31.