Mentors are needed for the Student Research Program which is part of the Scientific Enrichment Program for Students (SEPS) administered by the Neurology Research Laboratory of Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.
Dr. Adrienne Scheck works with students in her lab at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix.
SEPS provides an academic environment for “hands on” fundamental biomedical research for high school and college students.
The objectives of this program are to:
- enhance knowledge of basic biological principles and the mechanisms that contribute to the cause and treatment of disease;
- teach students to evaluate scientific literature and to develop communication skills;
- teach students to use advanced scientific techniques and to address scientific questions; and
- provide the environment to develop scientific projects that are presented at local and national scientific competitions and/or in scientific literature.
This is an on-going program that allows highly motivated high school students to participate in scientific research. In the Fall of each academic year, a letter is sent to the Chairperson of the Science Department and/or the Principal of each area high school requesting that two students be nominated from their school.
Teachers select students from their school who they feel are highly motivated and would benefit from this laboratory experience. Students must have completed their Freshman year in High School, and are expected to work a minimum of two to three hours per day at least two weekdays totaling about 6 hours per week during the school year. Summer participation varies and is arranged between the student and his/her mentor but usually is about 30-32 hours per week for about 10 weeks during their summer break. Applications are reviewed and students are interviewed by mentors from all participating institutions. Selected students must maintain their grades at school while participating in the program.
Mentors Needed
Scientists are needed who are willing to mentor highly motivated high school students that want to do research are needed now.
Students start in their Sophomore, Junior or Senior years and typically remain until they graduate (some even stay as college students).
The SEPS team will do all the administrative work, but the program is essentially mentor-driven. All mentors interview the students during a “mass interview night” and then the students are selected by the mentors. Once student(s) and mentors are paired, the mentor develops the schedule, expectations, etc.
“It is amazing how much some of these students can accomplish” shared Adrienne C. Scheck, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Neuro-Oncology Research in the Barrow Brain Tumor Research Center at Barrow Neurological Institute.
Learn More:
This program is made possible through donations from Corporate, Foundation and individual donors.
For additional information or to contribute to the Scientific Enrichment Program
please call 602-406-4092 or contact us by E-mail at seps@dignityhealth.org