The Basic Science Symposia have been an integral part of STARS since its inception. In fact, it was the overwhelming success of the very first symposium, “DNA in Biology and Medicine,” that ultimately led to the development of STARS.

The symposia are presented by UT Southwestern Medical Center faculty and cover a variety of current topics in biomedical research. In order to help teachers infuse this up-to-date information into the classroom, specific learning activities are developed by STARS staff to accompany each symposium. 

Due to increasing demand, the Basic Science Symposia has recently been expanded to include two six-hour symposia and four two-hour “mini-symposia” each school year. Many teachers use these sessions to help fulfill state certification and school district requirements for professional development.