GSSM hosts International Biotechnology Workshop, expanding global STEM opportunities for students
June 8, 2026
Dickson Monk, Executive Director, Columbia World Affairs Council; Doyle Stevick, Executive Director, The Anne Frank Center at USC; Danny Dorsel, President of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science & Mathematics (GSSM)
More than 20 students and educators from five European countries recently gathered at the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics (GSSM) for an international biotechnology workshop that school leaders say reflects the growing importance of global collaboration in science education.
The weeklong program brought participants from Germany, Slovakia, Poland, Lithuania and the Czech Republic to GSSM’s Hartsville campus, where they worked alongside students on a research project examining the presence of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, in the global food supply.
According to GSSM officials, the event is believed to be the first international STEM workshop of its kind hosted by a South Carolina high school.
The workshop reflected GSSM’s commitment to providing students with immersive international learning experiences that combine scientific inquiry, cultural exploration and real-world problem solving. From June 1-3, students participated in intensive biotechnology workshops on GSSM’s Hartsville campus, conducting research and examining the scientific, ethical and societal implications of genetically modified organisms. The experience extended beyond the laboratory on June 4 with an educational and cultural tour of Columbia that included visits to the South Carolina State House, the Columbia Museum of Art and the Anne Frank Center. The program concluded June 5 with a tour of Clemson University’s Pee Dee Research & Education Center in Florence, exposing participants to the cutting-edge agricultural and biotechnology research being conducted in South Carolina.
Erturk said global engagement is becoming increasingly important as scientific research and problem-solving efforts cross national boundaries.
“None of the world’s problems are local or regional problems,” she said. “Issues such as agriculture, nutrition, climate change and food security require global solutions and global interactions.”
She said exposing students to international perspectives early in their academic careers helps prepare them to become future leaders in science, public policy and other fields.
While scientific principles remain universal, Erturk noted that different countries often approach research and innovation from unique perspectives shaped by culture, economics and environmental priorities.
“Global literacy is extremely important because the world is increasingly global,” she said. “We want our students to understand how people from different backgrounds approach the same challenges and work together to find more effective solutions.”
The workshop also highlights GSSM’s expanding international partnerships. In February 2027, GSSM students are scheduled to travel to Athens, Greece, where they will participate in a similar biotechnology program involving students from 17 countries.
Founded in 1988, GSSM is South Carolina’s public residential high school for students with strong interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. School leaders say international collaborations such as the biotechnology workshop are becoming an increasingly important part of preparing students for careers in a globally connected economy.
As South Carolina continues to attract advanced manufacturing, biotechnology and technology-related industries, educators say experiences that expose students to international collaboration and cross-cultural problem solving are helping prepare the state’s future workforce for the demands of a global marketplace.
