About the Program
Cancer biology research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Cell-based therapy research at Pervasis Therapeutics. Environmental science education and resource management with the Quebec-Labrador Foundation.
Brooks School’s Students on the Forefront of Science program has continued to provide challenging internships in science-based research and cutting-edge industries since launching in 2004. Awarded to Brooks’ most talented and passionate fifth-form science students, these summer experiences impact the students’ approach to their final year in high school sciences, as they return to the classrooms with an impressive set of lab skills and a more mature sense of the scientific method.
“The independence that this internship gave me was phenomenal,” said Nithyaa Venkataramani ’09, who interned at Massachusetts General Hospital. “By the end of the summer, I was no longer just a 16-year-old high school student. I became someone that the other members of the lab could trust; someone who could hold up a conversation about where to go next with a research project in immunology. This experience gave me a lot of confidence with complex concepts in the sciences.”
The science department takes pride in the accomplishments and passion displayed by these young men and women. By allowing students to see scientific disciplines in a different context outside of the classroom setting, they return with a thorough grasp of the material and a mature sense of purpose in the lab.
The program owes much of its success to the commitment and support provided by individuals at each host institution, who offer the necessary supervision on a daily basis. Many of these researchers and professionals maintain ties to Brooks, being alumni or parents themselves. And they often report that their experience is just as rewarding as the students’ — if not more so.
“It was a tremendous pleasure to host Nithyaa at the lab this past summer,” said Dr. Joshua Mollov ’96, a transplant biologist at MGH. “Beyond her impressive motivation, diligence and aptitude, she was well liked and respected around the lab. Our lab is like a big family; Nithyaa is now a member of our family and I speak not just for myself when I say that we all anticipate great success from her.”
Students on the Forefront of Science Summer 2012 Internships
MGH Perioperative Medicine | Isabel Hancock '13
MGH Perioperative Medicine | Kevin Chang '13
Tufts Medical Center, Orthopedic Research | Caroline Trustey '13
Quebec Labrador Foundation | Nick Gates '13
Want to learn more about the program? Contact program director Dr. Mary Jo Carabatsos. |