With funding from CIRM, ten high school students pursued a summer research project in stem cell or developmental biology at UC San Francisco. For eight weeks, these students conducted research under the guidance of a mentor scientist. In addition, they met weekly to learn to: 1) successfully apply to college and for financial aid, 2) communicate in writing about their research, and 3) give a poster presentation and a scientific talk. The program culminated with a Poster Session and Celebration with keynote addresses by UCSF Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost Dan Lowenstein. Over 200 families, friends, and UCSF community members attended. The ten high school interns also participated in the CIRM SPARK Meeting Poster Session held at City of Hope in Southern California.

In the words of one 2017 intern:
My world got a lot bigger after meeting all the people on my journey and I learned that I can definitely be a scientist….

Past alumni from this program have been shown to pursue careers in the sciences in significant percentages; thus, many of these students will likely continue working in stem cell research in their undergraduate years and beyond. These ten students developed a deeper understanding of scientific research generally and stem cell biology specifically, thereby becoming “science ambassadors” who can help others in California and beyond better understand the importance of this work.