Monell Science Apprenticeship Program

Growing Roots in Science

Summer 2016 Program

Report to the Community Monell Chemical Senses Center 1

Christina, HS Senior

Overview The Monell Center is proud to report on the 35th annual Monell Science Apprenticeship Program (MSAP). This seven-week internship continues to inspire young people to pursue science education and careers in the biomedical sciences by providing apprentices with high quality, hands-on learning experiences in a professional laboratory setting.

Our mission is to provide Philadelphia area students – especially those from groups underrepresented in the sciences – opportunities to engage in scientific discovery through laboratory-based biomedical research. This mission is deeply rooted in a commitment to the Philadelphia community and to training the next generation of scientists and STEM professionals. The 2016 application pool was impressive and made the committee’s job of selecting candidates a a challenge. We received over 200 applicants this year, 25 percent more than last year, and accepted a total of 19 apprentices (also known as SAPlings). These high school and undergraduate students joined the Monell scientific community for seven weeks (June 27 August 12, 2016), working directly with PhD and MDlevel scientists and highly skilled lab staff and technicians. The MSAP Executive Committee is committed to providing each student with a unique summer internship experience. Unlike other internships, MSAP employs a mentor-apprentice model that is designed to provide SAPlings with high quality technical training, science education, and accessible role models who can help guide apprentices in their academic and professional pursuits. The Committee carefully matches each SAPling with a full-time scientist mentor, and apprentices work closely with the primary investigator and lab staff on an independent research project. Each apprentice conducts their own research while immersed in a rich, hands-on learning environment that fosters technical skill-building and developing a thorough understanding of basic scientific principles.

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SAPling High Schools Science Leadership Academy Parkland High School MAST Community Charter School JR Masterman Freire Charter School William Penn Charter School Philadelphia High School for Girls Marple Newtown HS Mastery Charter Shoemaker Campus SAPling Colleges La Salle University Lehigh University Lincoln University Swarthmore College Bryn Mawr College Mount St. Mary's University University of Pennsylvania

Apprentices become part of the lab staff and attend and contribute to lab meetings and other routine laboratory activities. Monell’s Human Resource Department is responsible for ensuring that apprentices receive appropriate training and follow all safety procedures. Mentors also hold individual meetings with SAPlings on a weekly basis to track their progress. Many mentors make an effort to meet at least once a day to answer questions and provide guidance. We require a minimum of two one-on-one meetings per week with the principal investigator. As supervisors, mentors answer daily activity questions, assist with day-to-day problems, and confirm that lab notebooks are used correctly. Other lab members, such as postdoctoral fellows and lab technicians, contribute to SAPlings’ overall mentorship throughout the seven weeks.

Providing apprentices with proper supervision and resources ensures that they have a complete understanding of the hypotheses and research objectives of their individual projects and of the mentor’s larger research program. This comprehensive understanding is critical to learning and understanding and is reflected in the Apprentice’s Capstone Presentations.

“Science is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world..." - President Barack Obama

“If we want more STEM graduates, then we must promote ideas, language, people, and programs that demonstrate relevance and foster a sense of belonging.” – Barbara McAllister, Director of Strategic Initiatives and Planning, Intel Corporation

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Funding It is our great pleasure to thank those who made the 2016 Monell Science Apprenticeship Program possible. Organizations, agencies, and individuals who donated to MSAP 2016 are listed below.

Monell Circle ($1,000+) Altria Client Services Robert Bedoukian, Bedoukian Research, Inc. Paul Breslin Dolfinger-McMahon Foundation The Ellis Trust for Girls Eugene Garfield Robert Harkins Deborah Hayes John Labows The Christopher Ludwick Foundation National Institutes of Health– National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Philadelphia Activities Fund Society of Flavor Chemists Jeng-chyi Tsai

Individual Donors Osama Ahmed

Marissa Kamarck

Natasha Rivers

Donna Antonucci

Susan Knox

Maurice Savard

Angelica Au

Joel Mainland

Greg Shaffer

Susan Catherwood

Robert Margolskee

Slidemakers

Dennis Coleman

Moira McAndrews

Leslie Stein

Pamela Dalton

Michelle Niedziela

Nicholas Termini

Michelle Dibattista

Lisa Norris-Downing

Jenifer Trachtman

Kathleen Dorries

Maureen O'Leary

John Tran

Mark Friedman

Hilary O'Neil

Casey Trimmer

Barbara Glotzhober

Mehmet Ozdener

Catherine Tyree-Davis

Glen Golden

Valentina Parma

Ana Maria Ulloa Garzon

Jean Haskell

Rachel Poole

Thomas Venanzi

Yusuke Ihara

Yumei Qin

Hong Wang

Cristina Jaen

Tara Redmond

Paul Wise

Delores James

Johannes Reisert

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The Program The foundation of the MSAP experience is conducting hands-on bench research alongside professional scientists. However, each year the MSAP Executive Committee carefully plans additional enrichment activities designed to supplement the apprentices’ laboratory work. A popular seminar series has been a key part of the program for several years. This year, the series focused on exposing SAPlings to the breadth and depth of scientific research, with speakers from fields ranging from industry to government. Speakers shared their personal stories and their perspectives on the STEM Field. Kali, HS Junior, with her mentor Dr. Stephanie Gervasi

Each year, Monell postdoctoral fellows organize enrichment activities including a discussion of how to read and prepare scientific articles, journal clubs featuring in-depth discussions of select scientific articles, and a day of “open labs” during which apprentices can observe the various biomedical disciplines practiced in Monell’s labs. Ashley, College Sophomore

Open lab day is a popular event for the apprentices, who choose from five demonstrations: confocal microscopy; using biosensors to study body odor and disease; assessing olfactory ability in a clinical or research setting; an overview of metabolic and taste testing in animals; and examining odor coding and perception in humans. This event is especially popular because students often have wider interests in other branches of biology or are interested in learning new techniques not typically used in their mentors’ laboratories. MSAP also includes a professional development component in the enrichment programming. The professional development seminar this year, lead by Monell’s HR Generalist Jessey Baker, included an instructional lecture aimed at helping SAPlings build interview and professional communication skills. Also included in this year’s programming were the following enrichment lectures: Science Communication and How to Create and Present Scientific Posters. Taken in tandem, these seminars were designed to better prepare SAPlings to create and present their research and results at the Capstone Presentations. Elijah, College Freshman and Valentina, College Freshman, with their mentor Dr. Johannes Reisert

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Schedule of Events Date Mon. June 27

Wed. June 29

Time 9:00 - 10:30 AM

10:00 – 12:00 PM

Event Program Kickoff and Welcome

Safety Training Session

Lecture 1: Casey Trimmer Postdoctoral Fellow, Monell 11:00 – 12:00 PM

Title: “Intro to Smell and Taste”

Thurs. June 30

4:00 – 5:00 PM

Fri. July 1

12:00-1:00

Ice Cream Social

Enrichment Seminar: “How to Read a Paper” with Stephanie Gervasi, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Beauchamp/Kimball Lab Networking Lunch

Tues. July 5

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Lecture 2: Joel Mainland, Assistant Member, Monell Title: “Hypothesis Testing” Thurs. July 7

11 – 12 PM

Journal Club – Casey Trimmer Fri. July 8

12:00 – 1:00 PM

BYOL (Bring your own lunch)

Lecture 3: State Representative James Roebuck Thurs. July 14

Fri. July 15

11:00 - 12:00 PM

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Title: “Politics, Education & STEM”

Enrichment Seminar: “How to Interview” with Jessey Baker, HR Generalist BYOL (Bring your own lunch) Mid-term evaluations for students and mentors July 18th- July 22nd. Dates and times of individuals meetings TBD.

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Tues. July 19

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Journal Club – Casey Trimmer

Lecture 4: Paul Breslin Thurs. July 21

Fri. July 22

11:00 – 12:00 PM

Topic: “Pain is Good: Irritants”

12:00 – 1:00 PM

Enrichment Seminar: “How to Present a Poster” with Nuala Bobowski, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Mennella Lab Lecture 5: Paul Breslin “The Nutrition Primer”

Thurs. July 28

Fri. July 29

Thurs. August 04

11:00 – 12:00 PM

12:00-1:00 PM

Enrichment Seminar: “Science Communication” with Leslie Stein, Director of Science Communications and Chris Maute, Lab Manager in the Dalton Lab

1:00-2:00 PM

Lecture 6: Nancy Rawson, Associate Director, Monell Bill Ludlum, COO, MORRE-Tec Industries Robert Margolskee, Director and President of Monell Topic: “Science and Business” Fri. August 05

11:00 – 12:00 PM

Open Labs Final Symposium: Student poster presentations

Thurs. 3:00 - 5:00 PM August 11

Family members and friends are cordially invited.

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Capstone Presentations The Capstone Presentations mark the end of the program. SAPlings present the results of their research and learning to family, friends, and fellow scientists at a conference-style poster session. This year the event was attended by over 100 people, including the apprentices’ families, Monell scientists and staff, local legislators, donors and several MSAP alumni. The Capstone celebrates the apprentices’ accomplishments during a summer full of hard work and discovery. It is a very proud Sara, College Sophomore, with her mentors Dr. moment for the apprentices, their mentors, and especially their Pamela Dalton and Chris Maute families. Each apprentice creates a scientific poster using the data they have analyzed, graphed, and tabulated. The posters describe their hypotheses and results, and SAPlings give oral presentations in a conference-style environment to the Capstone guests. This is the second year MSAP received an in-kind donation from a local printer, Slidemakers, who produced the posters at a discounted rate. This event is an excellent opportunity for apprentices to exercise their science writing and presentation skills and learn how to deliver their results to a diverse audience. Apprentices also learn how to engage in academic exchange by demonstrating that they understand: i) their hypothesis, ii) why the research question was asked, iii) whether their data support their hypotheses, and iv) what this work means in the broader context.

Nina Cao, HS Junior

The sixth annual “Monell Sense-sational Science Award,” for best project, was chosen by a panel of Monell staff. This year’s recipient was Nina, who worked in the Tizzano Laboratory. Her project was titled, “Murine Exposure to Arachnid and Fungal Molecules Evokes an Epithelial Change.” Congratulations Nina!

Sense-sational Science Award Winner Nina, Tizzano Laboratory

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