Incentive Will Provide Bioscience Career Information to High School Students Across the Wiregrass and State of Alabama
DOTHAN (May 19, 2025) – HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology was recently awarded a $50,000 grant by the Alabama STEM Council to develop and distribute bioscience career materials to high school students across the Wiregrass and state.
The initiative, led by Aubri Simpkins, Educator Professional Learning Specialist at HudsonAlpha Wiregrass, is designed to spark student interest in bioscience and biotechnology by providing accessible, engaging, and informative resources about careers in the life sciences.
The grant allows HudsonAlpha to develop bioscience career cards that will feature real-world profiles of professionals already working in the life sciences — from genetic counselors and lab technicians to bioinformatics specialists and agricultural biotechnologists. Each card will highlight the role, required education and skills, salary range, and potential career pathways.
“By making bioscience careers more visible and relatable, we’re opening doors for students who may not have previously considered opportunities in this growing field,” Simpkins said. “This grant allows us to build curiosity, confidence, and a stronger local talent pipeline for the bioscience and agtech sectors.”
The project supports HudsonAlpha’s broader workforce development goals in the Wiregrass and aligns with efforts to strengthen STEM education and economic opportunity. Distribution of the bioscience career cards will begin in August 2026 with outreach to schools coordinated through partnerships with local school districts and community partners.
The STEM Council was formed by Governor Kay Ivey in 2020 with the purpose of “advising the legislature, governor, lieutenant governor, and the Department of Education on ways to improve STEM-related education, career awareness, and workforce development” across Alabama. The council is a part of the Department of Commerce and is responsible for building Alabama’s roadmap for STEM Success.
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About HudsonAlpha Wiregrass
In 2022, HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology announced the expansion of its physical footprint outside of Huntsville. The public-private collaboration with the city of Dothan is called HudsonAlpha Wiregrass and extends HudsonAlpha’s agricultural focus in the region through agricultural research, economic development and genomics education.
Next year, HudsonAlpha Wiregrass will become the anchor tenant of the Wiregrass Innovation Center. This 45,000-square-foot City of Dothan facility, funded by the state of Alabama and the Wiregrass Foundation, will open in 2026.
The Wiregrass Innovation Center will serve several major functions, including being a home for hands-on training and practical learning in science, genomics, research, technology and innovation, and will create an ecosystem for entrepreneurs and innovators in Dothan and the Wiregrass area. For more information, visit hudsonalpha.org.
