"Participating in the program allowed me to synthesize research, explore its real-world implications, and develop valuable professional skills through presenting our findings. It fostered my curiosity for research and motivated me to continue pursuing it in college."
Lindsey Coralie Nguegang, Duke Class of 2028
“The opportunity to mentor participants and see them grow in the confidence to tackle lab problems first-hand was incredibly rewarding. The supportive community and transformative experiences made a lasting impact on both mentors and mentees.”
Colton Kim, MIT Class of 2028
"The Research in Focus summer program helped me step outside my comfort zone and become a better public speaker. It taught me how to become a better researcher and opened many doors for career exploration by sparking an interest in cancer research."
Nyiema Collier, UCLA Class of 2029
"After several women in my family of Asian descent were diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer despite never smoking, I explored numerous research journal databases through Research in Focus, searching for keywords such as 'secondhand lung cancer,' 'non-smoking Asian American women,' 'EGFR mutations,' and 'environmental tobacco smoke exposure.' This research helped me draw conclusions related to my own family’s health history, enabled our group to present our findings to the UCLA Liquid Biopsy Lab faculty, and ultimately solidified my goal of supporting preventative healthcare as a future physician-scientist."
Chloe Na, Johns Hopkins Class of 2029
“Presenting our team’s findings on Acute Lymphoid Cancer to a panel of university researchers gave me my first real taste of professional presentations and preparation. From spending time researching and discussing ideas, this program made research feel exciting and social, not isolating or intimidating.”
Caleb Baek, University of Chicago Class of 2029