This year UMBI, along with the J. Craig Venter Institute and the MdBio Foundation, hosted the 4th annual Mobile Laboratory Coalition (MLC) Conference. The MLC Conference took place on August 24-26 at the Center of Marine Biotechnology (COMB) in Baltimore. Sponsors for this year’s conference included OBS, Inc., American Custom Coach and Farber Specialty Vehicles. Some of the topics covered at the conference included science education policy, preparing students for science-related jobs, starting and maintaining a mobile program, and communicating about science and science education.

The MLC Conference is a gathering of science education community members that focuses on sharing best practices in the field of mobile scientific education. Participants in the conference attended keynote speeches, panel discussions and workshops which all focus on the goal of understanding and promoting the best practices in mobile laboratory programs and hands-on, inquiry-based science education outreach. Mobile laboratories are self-contained, custom built vehicles designed to bring a variety of educational experiences directly to students. There are many of these vehicles currently being used across the country for outreach education activities. During the conference, three mobile laboratories were set up in the UMBI parking lot and were open for tours, including the MdBioLab tractor trailer and the Discover Genomics! bus, both designed and built by OBS, Inc. and the M.O.S.T mobile bus designed by Farber Specialty vehicles. This year’s conference was a great success in the continuing effort to expand and improve science education.