These projects form the core of the research and application portion of the curriculum. However, there are also projects designed to break up the monotony of constant lab work. These include, Games - Students play Jeopardy and Binge. The questions posed are geared at reinforcing their knowledge of terminology and equipment. Collocluia - Students held colloquia which focus on current topics in microbiology, and microbiology related careers and events.
Some student groups write and conduct plays, some perform step routines, some perform raps, etc.
On the first day of JSI students view a video in which JSI staff pose as news reporters and report on a disease that is affecting citizens of the Pittsburgh area. In groups of 4-5 students are then faced with the challenge of uncovering the cause of the outbreak. Their task is to determine what type of microbe causes the illness, how it is transmitted, and how it could be stopped. Lab researchers analyze samples to determine what infectious agents might be present. Library researchers consult the world wide web and text references to correlate symptoms with known diseases.