Laboratory and co-director of the Harnessing Plants Initiative at Salk .
Parra was one of 12 applicants selected out of 250 candidates to participate in the eight-week program , which offers paid positions for talented high school students to assist Salk Scientists with projects . The program is part of Salk ’ s Education Outreach department . “ STEM opportunities are so lucrative for students . It helps us move the next generation forward ,” Monika Wert-Parkinson , who oversees the Heithoff-Brody High School Summer Scholars program as director of public programs at Salk shared with GB Magazine .
Summer Scholars first attend a oneweek bootcamp through Salk ’ s partnership with the Biocom Institute ’ s Life Science Young Leaders program , ensuring that students are trained on basic equipment and laboratory skills . Then they spend seven weeks in a lab , where they are involved with a fulltime research project - learning how to formulate and test hypotheses , prepare experiments and draw conclusions . They also learn to maintain laboratory notebooks and take part in regular lab meetings and group discussions . Students end the program by presenting their work to the Salk community .
Josh Sohmer was introduced to Salk when he participated in Education Outreach student programs and completed internships in 2013 and 2014 . He later became a research assistant in Salk ’ s stem cell core facility and is now a first-year medical student focused on regenerative medicine .
“ The summer internships and student opportunities Salk provides truly solidified my interest in science and gave me the necessary tools to build a career ,” Sohmer shared . “ These programs sparked my interest in stem cells and led me to pursue it professionally and apply it to my future medical practice . I am still involved in the summer student programs now as a mentor , providing guidance on the student presentations .”
The Institute ’ s Education Outreach programs , including Heithoff-Brody High School Summer Scholars , continue founder Jonas Salk ’ s vision for the Institute . “ Jonas Salk believed it is our responsibility to be good ancestors . That is really what the program is about - to train the next generation of scientists ,” says Wert- Parkinson .
The Salk Institute is now taking applications for Summer 2023 . Visit www . salk . edu for more information .
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