Newswise — This marks the sixth week of an eight-week internship for twenty one students and three teachers participating in the Summer Research Internship Program at The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, CA. Over the summer, each intern becomes a member of a basic biomedical lab at Scripps, contributes to one or more research projects, and attends specially designed events including lunch seminars and a biotech company tour.
"Unbelievable!" reports intern Karena Haro in describing the experience so far. Haro, who will be starting her senior at Castle Park High School in Chula Vista says that she has learned more at Scripps than she did in an entire semester in a science classroom. "The environment, the experience, it's all great! I've learned technique and skill, and because of this internship, I'll never see science the same."
The program has provided internships to local high school juniors, seniors and secondary school teachers for the past 13 years. Special emphasis is placed on selecting students from cultures and ethnic backgrounds traditionally underrepresented in the sciences and educators who teach in schools with a culturally diverse student population. Funded through individual donations, educational grant funding and private foundations, the mission of the program has been to use the institute's intellectual and material resources to expose students and teachers to contemporary issues in biomedical research, to provide intensive, hands-on laboratory experiences, and to encourage students to pursue scholarship and careers in the biological and chemical sciences.
"[This internship] has allowed me to apply the knowledge I gained in high school to lab situations," says San Diego High School senior Claire Luciano, who, like Haro is interning in the Department of Immunology at Scripps Research. "Before this internship I knew what gel electrophoresis does, but I had no idea how to physically load and run a gel and interpret the results. Working in a lab has helped me develop my goals. I will definitely be taking a second year of advanced biology in the upcoming school year."
Tom Thomas, who will soon begin his final year at University of San Diego High School, adds, "It's not often that you can do real biomedical research as a high school student. It's science as it truly is—fun and intriguing." Thomas is hoping to continue working part time in the Department of Molecular and Experimental Medicine this fall.
Sally Nguyen teaches life science at Diegueno Middle School in San Diego and is working in a computational biology lab in the Department of Molecular Biology at Scripps Research Institute. "Exposure to technology that the scientists created and presently use has allowed me to create curriculum incorporating that same technology into my classroom," she says. "What an amazing opportunity my students will have this coming year!"
The internship program wraps up on Friday, August 12 with a special program at which each summer intern submits a written report and makes an oral presentation describing the research he or she conducted, offering personal reflections on how the program has affected future plans. Mentors, parents, teachers, school officials and program funders are invited to this event.
A similar internship program was launched this summer at the new Scripps Research facility in Palm Beach County, Florida. Two teachers and three students spent seven weeks in labs at the temporary facility on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter.
About The Scripps Research Institute and Scripps Florida The Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California, and Palm Beach County, Florida, is one of the world's largest, independent, non-profit biomedical research organizations. It stands at the forefront of basic biomedical science that seeks to comprehend the most fundamental processes of life. Scripps Research is internationally recognized for its research into immunology, molecular and cellular biology, chemistry, neurosciences, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and infectious diseases, and synthetic vaccine development. The Scripps Research Institute employs approximately 3,000 scientists, postdoctoral fellows, scientific and other technicians, doctoral degree graduate students, and administrative and technical support personnel in 14 buildings overlooking the Pacific Ocean in La Jolla, a part of the City of San Diego. Scripps Florida will be a 350,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art biomedical research facility to be built on 100 acres of undeveloped land in Palm Beach County. Scripps Florida will focus on basic biomedical science, drug discovery, and technology development, employing more than 500 researchers and support staff by 2010. Palm Beach County and the State of Florida have provided start-up economic incentives for development, building, staffing, and equipping the campus. Scripps Florida is now operating with more than 100 researchers and technicians at a 40,000 square-foot facility on the campus of Florida Atlantic University in Jupiter.
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