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Ayoob JC, Boyce RD, Livshits S, Bruno TC, Delgoffe GM, Galson DL, Duncan AW, Atkinson JM, Oesterreich S, Evans S, Alikhani M, Baker TA, Pratt S, DeHaan KJ, Chen Y, Boone DN. Getting to YES: The Evolution of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Academy. J STEM Outreach 2022; 5:10.15695/jstem/v5i2.02. [PMID: 36910569 PMCID: PMC9997544 DOI: 10.15695/jstem/v5i2.02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hillman Cancer Center Academy (Hillman Academy) has the primary goal of reaching high school students from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds and guiding them through a cutting-edge research and professional development experience that positions them for success in STEM. With this focus, the Hillman Academy has provided nearly 300 authentic mentored research internship opportunities to 239 students from diverse backgrounds over the past 13 years most of whom matriculated into STEM majors in higher education. These efforts have helped shape a more diverse generation of future scientists and clinicians, who will enrich these fields with their unique perspectives and lived experiences. In this paper, we describe our program and the strategies that led to its growth into a National Institutes of Health Youth Enjoy Science-funded program including our unique multi-site structure, tiered mentoring platform, multifaceted recruitment approach, professional and academic development activities, and a special highlight of a set of projects with Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. We also share student survey data from the past six years that indicate satisfaction with the program, self-perceived gains in key areas of scientific development, awareness of careers in STEM, and an increased desire to pursue advanced degrees in STEM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph C Ayoob
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Computational and Systems Biology
| | - Richard D Boyce
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics
| | - Solomon Livshits
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics
| | - Tullia C Bruno
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology (Tumor Microenvironment Center and Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program).,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
| | - Greg M Delgoffe
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Immunology (Tumor Microenvironment Center and Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy Program).,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
| | - Deborah L Galson
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Division of Hematology/Oncology, McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine).,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
| | - Andrew W Duncan
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Pathology (McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine).,University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Bioengineering.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
| | - Jennifer M Atkinson
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology.,Women's Cancer Research Center, Magee Women's Research Institute.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
| | - Steffi Oesterreich
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology.,Women's Cancer Research Center, Magee Women's Research Institute.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
| | - Steve Evans
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Surgery
| | - Malihe Alikhani
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Computing and Information, Department of Computer Science
| | - Tobias A Baker
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics
| | - Sheila Pratt
- University of Pittsburgh, School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Communication Science and Disorders
| | | | - Yuanyuan Chen
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology
| | - David N Boone
- University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Informatics.,UPMC Hillman Cancer Center
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Fung EB, Frey MR, Valmont ME, Caffey-Fleming DE, Fraser M, Williams J, Killilea DW, Bogenmann E, Livshits S, Boone DN. Success of Distance Learning During 2020 COVID-19 Restrictions: A Report from Five STEM Training Programs for Underrepresented High School and Undergraduate Learners. J STEM Outreach 2021; 4:10.15695/jstem/v4i3.03. [PMID: 35252781 PMCID: PMC8896852 DOI: 10.15695/jstem/v4i3.03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
In 2020, STEM training programs across the country were challenged to provide support to students during a nation-wide shutdown of research institutions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Five U.S. high school science internship programs funded by the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, with a history of collaboration, developed innovative strategies for distance-learning (DL) opportunities during the pandemic. Forty under-represented high school and undergraduate students were paired with scientific mentors at one of the programs for a DL scientific internship. Summer training combined synchronous and asynchronous programming with research projects adapted for DL success. Ninety-five percent of students who participated were satisfied with the training experience, nearly identical to exit survey responses from 2019 when our programs were held in-person. More students were interested in pursuing a career in research at the end of the program and credited the DL experience with increasing interest in research careers. Some DL elements were ideal for underrepresented youth, including a more flexible schedule and elimination of cost and time for travel. While the lack of in-person instruction challenged our ability to create a strong student community, we found that preparation, communication, and flexibility were key elements to these successful DL programs. The increased emphasis on interpretation and analysis of data, rather than data collection, enhanced student learning. This manuscript highlights the changes made to our curricula, elements which were most successful, and recommends strategies for future distance-learning programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen B. Fung
- Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute Summer Student Research Program, Oakland, CA
| | - Mark R. Frey
- Samuels Family Latino and African-American High School Internship Program, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | | | - Marilyn Fraser
- Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, Health Science Academy, Brooklyn, NY
| | - Janille Williams
- Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health, Health Science Academy, Brooklyn, NY
| | - David W. Killilea
- Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute Summer Student Research Program, Oakland, CA
| | - Emil Bogenmann
- Samuels Family Latino and African-American High School Internship Program, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
| | | | - David N. Boone
- Hillman Academy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA
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