If you’ve never worked in a research lab and you aren’t close to someone who has, you’d likely have a number of questions: What is day-to-day life like for a scientist? How do scientists think and act? What do scientists look like, and are they someone I can see myself in?
Tina DaSilva recently sat down with Elliott Hagedorn, PhD, Gwen Beacham, PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Zewde Ingram, PhD student and Khaliun Enkhbayar, Research Associate of the Hagedorn lab to learn about the BU-BMC Summer Science Scholars program – a program designed to help answer the above questions for local high school students.
Developed through the BU-BMC Section of Hematology & Medical Oncology’s Anti-Racism Committee, the long-term goal of the program is to inspire the next generation of scientists and ultimately advance diversity and inclusion in the sciences. For one week, research labs in the Section welcome five high school students and plan activities and experiments for the week to ensure that the students have an enriching experience in the lab. The hope is that the students get to see active scientists, who are from similar backgrounds as themselves, gain confidence in a research lab setting and become inspired to continue in science. For the past two summers participating students have left saying they were indeed inspired to pursue science and wishing they had more time in the lab.
Perhaps the most unique and impactful component of the program is the long-term mentor pairing. Each student is matched with a mentor (a researcher at BU-BMC) who will offer continued career support to the student as they move on to college and beyond. Examples of this mentoring support include advising the students on college programs, matching them with internships, and proofreading their college application essays. Although the program’s cohort is small, this emphasis on continuous and tailored mentorship will ensure a more meaningful, lasting impact. According to Elliott Hagedorn one of the most fulfilling experiences is to witness the students’ curiosity and the relationships they form that extend beyond the lab.
Once the summer program ends, participating labs return to their day-to-day research. The Hagedorn lab, for example, uses zebrafish to understand differences in blood-tissue interfaces of distinct organs and translate findings into therapeutic agents to help treat human diseases. If you would like to learn more about research breakthroughs in the Hagedorn lab, check out its website.
We are so grateful to the Section of Hematology & Medical Oncology for their commitment to investing in the next generation of research scientists and for the American Society for Cell Biology COMPASS outreach grant that helped fund this program. Please email Gwen Beacham if you are interested in sponsoring the program or know of someone who might be interested in participating in the summer 2024.