Summer/Fall 2010 at Gerstner Sloan Kettering

Saturday, September 19, 2009

Summer Undergraduate Research Program student Leslie Chang at the 2010 Poster Symposium.

Twenty-four undergraduate students joined our community of scientists for ten weeks, working with faculty mentors who helped them to define and realize their research projects. The school welcomed our new class of PhD students, who have completed their first laboratory rotation, while our second-year students have completed their core curriculum courses and selected their thesis laboratories. Although many of the summer’s activities took place in the labs, collaborations in settings where students and faculty, as well as their families and friends, could interact informally were also part of the summer’s agenda.

See slide show highlighting the summer’s events.

2010 Summer Undergraduate Research Program

The summer experience that I had at Gerstner Sloan Kettering was incredible. From the moment I got here, I felt so much support from both the program administration and my fellow SURP students. Once I got into my lab, all of my labmates were willing to assist me in any way possible. The activities that we attended were also excellent in allowing us to grow as scientists. The seminars were an excellent way to learn about other areas of research to which I have not been previously exposed. Also, meeting with current graduate students and learning about their experiences about applying to graduate school and life in graduate school was very helpful. I have a much better understanding of what it takes to be a scientist after my experiences here and feel I have the capabilities to succeed in my future graduate education.

Jeannie was mentored by faculty member Luca Cartegni.

See slide show of 2010 Poster Symposium.
See what other students had to say about their summer experience.

Shaps Scholars
Four summer students are named Rubin and Sarah Shaps Scholars each summer. Students are selected on the basis of their outstanding undergraduate credentials and their performance in our summer program.

Jeannie Camarillo, a junior majoring in physiology at the University of Arizona. She was mentored by Luca Cartegni, in the Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program.

Emily Grzybowski, a junor double-majoring in molecular genetics and fine arts at the University of Rochester. She was mentored by Zhirong Bao, in the Developmental Biology Program.

Nathaniel Kim, a junior majoring in chemistry at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. He was mentored by Jason Lewis, in the Department of Radiology.

Daniel Triner, a junior majoring in biology at Walsh University. He was mentored by Cole Haynes, in the Cell Biology Program.

Summer Students’ Research Recognized at National Conference

Three 2010 summer students — Jeannie Camarillo, Mariela Martinez Rivera, and Cynthia Sandoval — won poster awards at the Annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students in November. Over 1,200 posters were submitted and only 140 awards presented.