Lauren Nolin, a senior from Willow Canyon High School, was chosen to be a part of the University of Arizona KEYS Research Internship program.

The KEYS program is a unique summer opportunity where 52 Arizona high school students with a strong interest in bioscience, engineering, environmental health, data science and biostatistics will work with the top University of Arizona faculty on professional research projects that address the world’s greatest challenges.

This seven-week program allows students to network with established researchers and use state of the art research equipment.

The application process included an essay demonstrating Ms. Nolin’s passion and experience with science and a 30-minute interview with the program donors to further specify her research interests.

For the next two months, students will be matched with research laboratories based on their interests. Ms. Nolin said she is hoping to study neurogenetic research pertaining to the drug development in abnormal psychological disorder medications.

Prior to engaging in research, KEYS interns are immersed in a one-week crash-course in a variety of bioscience and data science techniques, as well as the foundations of science literacy to ensure they have the base knowledge necessary to begin their assigned projects. KEYS interns are paired with leading University of Arizona researchers spearheading innovative projects that span multiple disciplines.

Faculty, university students and other lab personnel mentor the students to provide an invaluable opportunity to these budding scholars. At the close of the program, KEYS interns present what they’ve learned and experienced to friends, family, and the academic community at a research showcase.

“Being accepted into this program has meant a great deal to me. It has taken me two years of hard work to get to this point. I had to take the reins of my own education to uncover my passion for research,” Ms. Nolin said.
“I hope to learn valuable skills that will assist me in my future career. I also hope to attain an accurate glimpse into how professional research is conducted. I can’t wait to see where this journey will take me!”.

The KEYS program is led by the BIO5 Institute and funded by BIO5 and generous supporters including individuals, families, companies, foundations and various UArizona faculty, colleges and departments. The Technology and Research Initiative Fund that helped launch BIO5 almost 20 years ago continues to be a catalyst in enabling effective, cross-disciplinary bioscience research, innovation and impact at the university