Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy
The vision of the Max and Minnie Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy is to provide an immersive biomedical research education and college preparatory program for San Antonio high school students. The Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy will partner the very best high school freshman students from the San Antonio and surrounding school districts with outstanding biomedical scientists from the UT Health Science Center at San Antonio to promote excellence in scholarship and biomedical research training for a 3 year period. In year 1, the Academy will consist of an immersive hands-on 7-week summer research program, in addition to participation in a number of special research oriented activities throughout the academic year. In years 2 and 3, students will participate in an 8-10 week, faculty-mentored research experience. Students will be supported through stipends during the summers of the program and parental involvement is also required.
For more information, visit the website
Contact: Dr. Sophia Pina - pina@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3984
or Dr. Irene Chapa - chapai@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3941
New Health Careers Summer Program for High School Students
The goal of The BEAT Academy at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio is to expose high school students to a unique opportunity to medical and biomedical research and provide them with guidelines for a successful future in a health career of their choice. The curriculum is based on an interaction between the medical and biomedical faculty at UTHSCSA through seminars and hands-on activities in these fields. Subjects will include ongoing biomedical research occurring at the UTHSCSA such as anatomy, physiology, medicine, molecular biology, aging, neurodegeneration and more. The academy will provide students with a behind-the-scenes view of the science and health professions- including visits to the human anatomy lab, interactions with real and state-of-the-art simulated patients for medical training, a glimpse of the latest advances in biomolecular technology, student-based biomolecular experiments and more. In addition, students will enjoy a college prep session to gleam more information on the career of their choice and ways to achieve this goal.
Additional information: application, instructions and brochure
Contact: Dr. Sophia Pina - pina@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3984
or Dr. Irene Chapa - chapai@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3941
Student Internship Program
A year-round program for high school, college, premed, or pre-PhD students designed to provide an intensive, hands-on, discovery-rich, creative and interdisciplinary research experience. This is a unique experience in learning and interdisciplinary research, with senior investigators serving as mentors and role models. Trainees will have opportunities to work in one of three broad areas: immunology, molecular pathogenesis, or genetics/clinical epidemiology. Current areas of investigation are HIV/AIDS, atherosclerosis, bone disease, neurobiology, lupus, and alcoholism. For inquiries contact Dr. Sunil Ahuja, along with an updated resume/CV including GPA, a personal statement, and a note about long-term goals via email.
Contact: Dr. Sunil Ahuja - ahujas@uthscsa.edu
Northside ISD Summer Research Mentorship Program
This class is only open to students in the San Antonio Northside ISD students who have completed PreAP Chemistry, have at least one year of high school remaining, and are willing to commit to an 8-hour-a-day research assignment for 8 weeks in June and July. Teacher recommendations and a student essay are required for the application. Applications are accepted during the spring term for placement in the summer program. Selected students will be assigned a mentor from the faculty at UTHSCSA. The students will meet once a week as a class to discuss the research process and are expected to keep a lab journal, write research abstracts, and present their research to the class at the end of the summer. Students will present their research both orally and written to their home school during the ensuing school year. Upon successful completion of this course, students will receive an elective honors science research credit. No stipend is provided.
Contact: Sunni Dickerson, Director - roybaldwin@nisd.net
Positively Aging®: Maximizing the Healthspan
We are recruiting 10 experienced science teachers with 5-to-15 years of classroom experience. They will be randomized into control/intervention groups with 5 teachers per group for summer 2010 through Spring 2012. A second group will be recruited for a repeat of the trial summer 2012 through Spring 2014. This program is sponsored by the National Center for Research Resources. Visit www.teachhealthk-12.uthscsa.edu (or google Positively Aging). This website contains nearly 400 FREE downloadable health science lessons with cross-disciplinary components, games, teacher resources, student masters, and more.
Contact: Linda Pruski, Educational Development Specialist - pruski@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-2747
Using Community Health Priorities to Improve Health Science Education
Along with the Area Health Education Center, we will recruit 5 middle and high school science or health teachers into a two-year program to: 1) explore ways in which community engagement instruction and strategies can be used to generate teaching materials that address community health priorities, and 2) help teachers understand the nature of health science research. Program training will be held in conjunction with folks from Southwest Biomedical Research and the Southwest Primate Research Center. This program is funded by the CTSA Supplement.
Contact: Linda Pruski, Educational Development Specialist - pruski@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-2747
