How do you suit up? With a crisp white lab coat and purple gloves? Or maybe in a fierce yellow hazmat suit? How about knee-high rubber boots and waders? However you SUIT UP, we want to see it! Take photos or video of you suiting up for Lab Week, and share on Instagram using #SuitUpforLabWeek.
Celebrate Lab Week April 21-27, 2019!
Join the conversation! Use and follow #LabWeek #SuitUpforLabWeek #APHL on:
Printables
Social media graphics
Sample social media posts
- When evil pathogens appear, public health lab scientists don’t run the other way… they SUIT UP! https://www.aphlblog.org/ #LabWeek #SuitUpforLabWeek
- Look at those ten little baby fingers and ten little baby toes! But does she have any serious heritable conditions? Newborn screening lab scientists SUIT UP to find out! http://bit.ly/2ERxbkQ #LabWeek #SuitUpforLabWeek
- Millions of gallons of mine waste spilled into a river. Public health and environmental laboratory scientists immediately SUIT UP and go into response mode! http://bit.ly/2ERSWBc #LabWeek #SuitUpforLabWeek
Stories that highlight public health, environmental and agricultural laboratory work:
- Rhode Island laboratory responds to toxic algae bloom, safeguarding health and the local economy [APHLblog.org]
- Indiana and Wisconsin Respond to Synthetic Cannabinoid Contamination [Lab Matters]
- Improving newborn sickle cell screening in Africa: ‘We can affect change there just like we did in the US’ [APHLblog.org]
- Minnesota’s Collaboration Solves Raw Pet Food Outbreak [APHL.org]
- Public health labs aren’t just on the frontlines of vaccine-preventable outbreaks. They’re often the only line. [APHLblog.org]
- Exploring bioinformatics: From fellow to full time in Virginia [Lab Culture podcast]
- Alaska Puts NGS into Action For Canine Parvovirus Outbreak [Lab Matters]
Videos
- What is a public health laboratory?
- What is an emerging infectious disease?
- What is environmental health testing?
- What is biomonitoring?
Celebration ideas
- Celebrate Lab Week internally with a social event, banners or other decorations. Print posters, stickers and activity sheets shared below!
- Hold an open house for media, elected officials, school groups, staff families and other members of the community. Check out the Milwaukee Health Department Laboratory’s story about their health fair for students.
- Visit local elementary, middle and high schools to talk with students interested in science and health.
- Write an op-ed piece for local newspapers and/or magazines to highlight the valuable contributions your public health laboratory staff are making in your community, city and/or state.
- Do you have other ideas? Share them in our Facebook group, APHL Off the Bench, so others can enjoy them too!
Earth Day is April 22 – here are some ways to incorporate it into your Lab Week celebration:
- Host a Green and Blue Day and ask staff to wear colors representing earth and water.
- Hold a grounds-keeping afternoon: Invite staff and their families to help with weeding, mulch, planting, etc.
- Ask if your regional EPA office plans to do something for Earth Day and join them as a partner.
- Encourage employees to do Meatless Monday or purchase items at a local farmer’s market instead of the supermarket.
- Encourage employees to carpool, take the bus, walk or ride their bike to work.
- Learn more about the Water Environment Federation (WEF).
APHL is part of the Lab Week coalition.
