Tiny Earth

2025 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium
2025-06-11 - 2025-06-12
June 11: For Tiny Earth Partner Instructors
June 12: For students and TEPIs

Save the date and stay tuned for more information regarding the in-person 2025 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium this June! This year’s theme is “Tiny Earth, Big Connections.” This event brings together students and instructors to showcase student research, explore advancements in antimicrobial discovery, and share innovative teaching practices. The event will take place at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Register here

Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub (TECH) Genomics Webinar
2025-03-04 11:00 - 12:00 (America/Chicago)
This webinar, designed for students and instructors, features an overview of Tiny Earth, the Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub, current projects, and recent genomics analyses on Tiny Earth strains. Hear from researchers, including staff and students, at the Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub (TECH) about downstream genomics research that happens to many of the antibiotic-producing isolates submitted by Tiny Earth students.

Join Tiny Earth’s “Every Step Counts” Photo Contest for World AMR Awareness Week
2024-11-18 - 2024-11-24
Tiny Earth is participating in the World Health Organization’s annual World Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Awareness Week November 18-24. This year’s theme for the week is “Educate. Advocate. Act Now.” Tiny Earth and the WHO aim to motivate individuals to raise awareness about AMR and take decisive actions. Students are encouraged to participate in Tiny Earth’s “Every Step Counts” photo contest to raise awareness about the AMR crisis and showcase how they are finding solutions. The name of the contest reflects the importance of recognizing the small, yet crucial steps that make up the antimicrobial-discovery process and lead to valuable scientific breakthroughs. The WHO advocates for increasing AMR education and changing local and global policy to protect community and environmental health.
Interdisciplinary approaches to science communication help educate communities about complex scientific issues like antimicrobial resistance. Tiny Earth is looking for creative and impactful photos from your classrooms and laboratories that highlight the essential steps of the Tiny Earth research flow (e.g., screen plates, gram stains, teamwork, etc.). Each photo contributes to a greater understanding of antimicrobial awareness and showcases the importance of scientific inquiry.

“Every Step Counts” Photo Contest Submission Guidelines

Refer to the calls to action on pages 5-7 in the WHO campaign guide when creating your submissions
Take 1-3 photos from your Tiny Earth class or laboratory, focusing on key moments of the antibiotic discovery process.
Write a 1-2 sentence caption for each photo that creatively connects your work to the WHO’s calls to action.
Submit your photos and captions in the submission form below by November 24th.

Submission Form

Tiny Earth Headquarters will choose winners to receive swag and a shoutout in the newsletter and on social media. Winning submissions will be selected based on creativity and relevance to WHO’s calls to action.

Looking for other ways to get involved during World AMR Awareness Week?

Display posters: Post WHO World AMR Awareness Week posters and infographics throughout your institution
Go blue: Light blue is the color for World AMR Awareness Week. Wear light blue and/or change your social media profile to light blue, post on your Instagram or Facebook and share a post explaining why you’re going blue along with an AMR resource.
Stay connected: Repost and engage with Tiny Earth World AMR Awareness Week Instagram posts. We will be posting all week with trivia, games and resources related to World AMR Awareness Week @tinyearthnet
Spread the word: Share WHO World AMR Awareness Week Resources with your colleagues, classmates, friends, and family.

Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub Webinar
2024-10-16 13:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago)
Join the Zoom

Instructors — Invite your students!
Join us for this special event showcasing the Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub’s (TECH) innovative approach to antibiotic discovery beyond the classroom. At TECH, an interdisciplinary team of researchers investigates high-priority student-sourced bacterial strains to discover new antimicrobial compounds. Meet the TECH scientists and hear exciting updates on emerging research. Students and instructors are encouraged to bring questions.

2024 August TEPI Training
2024-08-05 - 2024-08-09 | UW–Madison, Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI, 53715, United States

2024 July TEPI Training
2024-07-15 - 2024-07-19 | UW–Madison, Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI, 53715, United States

2024 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium
2024-06-12 - 2024-06-13 | UW–Madison, Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI, 53715, United States

TECH Webinar
2024-03-07 14:30 - 15:30 (America/Chicago) | Zoom

2023 January TEPI Training
2024-01-08 - 2024-01-12

2023 Tiny Earth Virtual Winter Symposium
2023-12-14 12:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)

2023 Tiny Earth Winter Symposium - Tiny Earth in Titletown
2023-12-11 17:00 - 19:30 (America/Chicago)

2023 World AMR Awareness Week with Tiny Earth
2023-11-18 - 2023-11-24

TECH Webinar: Advancing the Tiny Earth Pipeline
2023-10-18 11:00 - 12:15 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Wednesday, October 18 @ 12-1:15 PM ET (11 AM-12:15 PM CT) | Via Zoom
For Tiny Earth students and TEPIs
Meet the Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub (TECH) scientists and learn about how your isolates move through TECH’s antimicrobial discovery pipeline!
Students and their Tiny Earth Partner Instructors (TEPIs) have contributed over 3,600 isolates to TECH’s isolate collection in Dr. Jo Handelsman’s Lab at UW-Madison. At TECH, our interdisciplinary team of researchers investigates high-priority student-sourced bacterial strains to discover new antimicrobial compounds. Join us for this special event showcasing Tiny Earth’s innovative approach to antibiotic discovery beyond the classroom. Meet the TECH scientists and hear about exciting updates to research priorities featuring student-led studies, the Tiny Earth Chemistry Course, and more. Ask your pressing questions during a brief Q&A session at the end.
For a meeting link ask your instructor or email tinyearth@wid.wisc.edu with your Tiny Earth Partner Instructor name and course enrollment details. Instructors can view details on the TEPI website.

2023 July TEPI Training
2023-07-24 - 2023-07-28 | UW–Madison, Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI, 53715, United States

2023 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium
2023-06-13 - 2023-06-14 | UW–Madison, Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI, 53715, United States

2022 Tiny Earth in Titletown
2022-12-09

UN's World Soil Day
2022-12-05
World Soil Day (WSD) is held annually on 5 December as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and to advocate for the sustainable management of soil resources.
An international day to celebrate soil was recommended by the International Union of Soil Sciences (IUSS) in 2002. Under the leadership of the Kingdom of Thailand and within the framework of the Global Soil Partnership, FAO has supported the formal establishment of WSD as a global awareness raising platform. The FAO Conference unanimously endorsed World Soil Day in June 2013 and requested its official adoption at the 68th UN General Assembly. In December 2013, the UN General Assembly responded by designating 5 December 2014 as the first official World Soil Day.

2022 Tiny Earth Winter Symposium
2022-12-02 | Zoom
Visit the event page for details & registration

2022 WHO's World Antimicrobial Awareness Week
2022-11-18 - 2022-11-24
Celebrated annually, the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) aims to increase awareness of global antimicrobial resistance and to encourage best practices among the general public, health workers and policy makers to avoid the further emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections.
A global action plan to tackle the growing problem of resistance to antibiotics and other antimicrobial medicines was endorsed at the Sixty-eighth World Health Assembly in May 2015. One of the key objectives of the plan is to improve awareness and understanding of antimicrobial resistance through effective communication, education and training.

2022 July TEPI Training
2022-07-25 - 2022-07-29 | Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States

Juneteenth
2022-06-19
Juneteenth celebrates the freedom of enslaved people in the United States at the end of the Civil War. For more than 150 years, African American communities across the country have observed this holiday. It’s a time to celebrate their power, brilliance and tenacity.
More details to come!

2022 June TEPI Training
2022-06-13 - 2022-06-17 | UW–Madison, Discovery Building, 330 N Orchard Street, Madison, WI, 53715, United States
Interested in teaching Tiny Earth? Join us for the next Tiny Earth Partner Instructor (TEPI) Training! Virtual trainings are held the second week in January, and in-person trainings are held every summer (depending on local COVID-19 restrictions).
The next TEPI Training will be held at UW-Madison June 13-17, 2022. More information and link to application.

2022 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium
2022-05-25 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Save the date! The 2022 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium will be held virtually on May 25th for students and instructors. Join us to celebrate antibiotic discovery, learn more about the antibiotic resistance crisis, and showcase student research presentations! Tiny Earth students from around the world are encouraged to attend, present their Tiny Earth research.
REGISTRATION, STUDENT ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS, & TAPAS TALKS

Registration is free for students, community, & TEPIs with students presenting
Registration fee for TEPIs without students presenting is $20
Submissions for Student Presentations & Abstracts will be open April 1—May 1
Instructors interested in giving a 5-minute Tapas Talk about Tiny Earth instructional ideas, research, and other innovations can submit their talks starting April 1 More info!

2022 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium (Instructor Day)
2022-05-24 10:00 - 14:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Save the date! The 2022 Tiny Earth Summer Symposium will be held virtually on May 24th for TEPIs (Tiny Earth Partner Instrutors) and on May 25th for students and instructors. Join us to celebrate antibiotic discovery, learn more about the antibiotic resistance crisis, and showcase student research presentations! Tiny Earth students from around the world are encouraged to attend, present their Tiny Earth research, and invite their families and friends to listen and learn!
REGISTRATION, STUDENT ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS, & TAPAS TALKS

Registration is free for students, community, & TEPIs with students presenting
Registration fee for TEPIs without students presenting is $20
Submissions for Student Presentations & Abstracts will be open April 1—May 1
Instructors interested in giving a 5-minute Tapas Talk about Tiny Earth instructional ideas, research, and other innovations can submit their talks starting April 1

APIDA Heritage Month
2022-05-01

Women's History Month
2022-03-01

Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub Webinar for Students & TEPIs
2022-02-25 12:30 - 13:30 (America/Chicago)
February 25 & March 25, 2022
1:30-2:30pm EST (12:30-1:30pm CST)
Ever wondered where students’ isolates and research goes beyond the classroom? Tiny Earth has an exciting opportunity for students and instructors to learn more about the Tiny Earth Chemistry Hub (TECH). For the first time ever, we are inviting students to join us in a two-part series to showcase our lab’s research and connect various processes in the antibiotic discovery pipeline! From genome extractions to genomic characterization, metabolomic analysis, and antibiotic induction, our scientists will share details about their work and role in Tiny Earth. Join us to learn how student research directly contributes to exciting studies conducted at TECH and the variety of individuals that help advance our fight against antibiotic resistance.
This event is intended only for Tiny Earth Partner Instructors (TEPIs), their students and teaching/lab assistants. To receive Zoom information and event reminders, fill out this sign-up form or contact your instructor.
Check back on this page for updates about event information and agenda!

UN International Day of Women and Girls in Science
2022-02-11
Full and equal access and participation for women and girls in science
Science and gender equality are both vital for the achievement of the internationally agreed development goals, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past decades, the global community has made a lot of effort in inspiring and engaging women and girls in science. Yet women and girls continue to be excluded from participating fully in science.
In order to achieve full and equal access to and participation in science for women and girls, and further achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, the United Nations General Assembly declared 11 February as the International Day of Women and Girls in Science in 2015. read more..

Black History Month
2022-02-01
Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential components to the success of our fields. In recognition of that fact, the American Institute of Physics adopted a Strategic Framework in 2019 that aims to “advance the physical sciences with a unifying voice of strength from diversity.” Further, we are committed to becoming an institution that “leads the physical sciences community toward an impactful understanding of how to be more welcoming to, and supportive of, the full diversity of physical scientists throughout their [education and] careers.” Read more from the American Institute of Physics

2022 January TEPI Training
2022-01-10 - 2022-01-14 | Zoom
