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Scientist Spotlight: Augustus White

Augustus White's biography includes, among other things, attending segregated schools as a boy, playing football in college, and receiving the Bronze Star for his service in the Army Medical Corp in Vietnam. He was the first African American to graduate from Stanford's school of medicine and the first African American resident in orthopedics at Yale. His research focuses on the biomechanics of the bones - especially the spine - and fracture healing. Dr. White additionally leads efforts to promote diversity in science and to explore the roles of unconscious bias in medicine.

1) Please click here Links to an external site. to read an article on Dr. White's biography. 

2) Now review the following two videos on the general topics of Dr. White's work: bone remodeling and fracture repair. 

Click hereLinks to an external site. (or copy and paste this address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux7xsXihQnY) to watch the video regarding bone remodeling. Then click hereLinks to an external site. (or copy and paste this address https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-P6LsendHxU) to view an animation of bone fracture repair (set to some very dramatic piano music!). Note in particular what types of cells and molecules are involved and what those cells seem to be doing at different stages in these processes. Do not worry about some of the less-familiar molecule names, like all the growth factors mentioned.

After reviewing these resources, write a 250 word or more reflection with your responses. You might wish to discuss any or all of the following topics:

1)   What was most interesting or most confusing about the these resources?

2)   What can you learn from these resources about the physiology of bone remodeling and fracture healing?

3)   What do these resources tell you about the types of people that do science?

4)   What new questions do you have after reviewing these resources?