Summer Programs for Undergraduates, High School Students and Teachers
Outreach and summer programs for high school students:
Campus visits to the UTHSCSA are encouraged and provided at no cost to the visitor. Group visits must be pre-arranged and the typical visit is 2 hours in length. Visits will be tailored to the group according to the age of the group members and the group interest. Visits may include an overview of the UTHSCSA's five schools, the application process, a walking tour, student panels, meetings with faculty, and interactive lab sessions. Form to request such a visit can be found at www.uthscsa.edu/outreach/visit.asp.
Contact: Dr. Irene Chapa chapai@uthscsa.edu
Speakers Bureau
UTHSCSA faculty, staff and students welcome the opportunity for community service in the form of speaking engagements. We are happy to assist in finding a speaker for school career days, PTA meetings, school organization meetings, or classroom panel discussions. Form to request a speaker can be found at www.uthscsa.edu/outreach/speakers.asp.
Contact: Dr. Irene Chapa chapai@uthscsa.edu
Science Expo
This annual event is held the first Saturday in November and offers students the opportunity to explore through hands on demonstrations, opportunities in the health professions programs offered at the Health Science Center. Pre-registration is required. Limited number of students will be allowed to attend, so early registration is essential. Save the date cards will be mailed in May. Registration deadline is October 15th.
Contact: Dr. Irene Chapa chapai@uthscsa.edu
Voelcker Biomedical Research Academy
The vision of the Max and Minnie Tomerlin 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 rising sophomores, from a broad array of San Antonio school districts with outstanding biomedical scientists from UTHSCSA 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-week, faculty-mentored research experience. Students will be supported through stipends during the summers of the program and parental involvement is also required. The 7-week program will begin on June 16, 2010. Application deadline is Feb. 1, 2010. For more information, please visit website at http://voelckeracademy.uthscsa.edu or contact directors at:
Contact: Dr. Irene Chapa chapai@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3941 or
Dr. Sophia Pina pina@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3984
Student Internship Program
A year-round program for high school, college, premed or pre-Ph.D. 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 updated resume/CV including GPA, a personal statement, and a note about long-term goals via e-mail ahujas@uthscsa.edu.
Contact: Dr. Sunil Ahuja ahujas@uthscsa.edu
Northside ISD Summer Research Mentorship Program
This class is only open to 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: Roy Baldwin, Director, roybaldwin@nisd.net
Med Ed Field Experience II
Junior and Senior High School students, as well as undergraduate college Freshman Students, in the Laredo area or in the Lower Rio Grande Valley are encouraged to apply for a week long summer program on the UTHSCSA campus. The program includes career exploration experiences in the fields of allied health sciences, biomedical sciences, dentistry, medicine and nursing. The program is offered at no cost to the students and includes room and board for the duration of the program which will be held July 6-10. Contact Griselda Rubio in Laredo at rubiog@uthscsa.edu or Lisa Gutierrez in the lower Rio Grande valley region at gutierreze2@uthscsa.edu for more information.
Contact: Roy Baldwin, Director, roybaldwin@nisd.net
Outreach and summer programs for college students:
Pharmacology Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship Program (Pharm SURP)This 10-week program provides undergraduate students an opportunity to work with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students in an on-going research project. The students will give an oral presentation of their research results at the end of their summer experience. Students will also attend a weekly class and the graduate student journal club. Preference will be given to students who are considering applying to a PhD program in pharmacology or biomedical sciences. A stipend is provided. Program dates: June 7, 2010 to August 13, 2010. Application deadline: March 5, 2010.
Contact: Emma Carreon, CarreonER@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-4220
Physiology Undergraduate Research Experience (PURE)
The PURE program allows talented undergraduates interested in pursuing a career in academic research the opportunity to spend two months (June and July) during the summer doing research in a lab. Undergraduates will work with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students in an on-going research project. The students will present their research results in a poster session at the end of the program. Preference will be given to students who are considering applying to a PhD program in physiology or biomedical sciences. Stipend provided. Application deadline: March 12, 2010. For more information , visit the website http://www.physiology.uthscsa.edu/teaching/undergrad_sum_program.asp.
Contact: Nakia Scott, physiologygrad@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-4324
UTHSCSA Volunteer/Shadowing Program
This program is designed to give undergraduate students interested in pursuing a medical/health related career an opportunity to gain clinical, research, and professional experience, ultimately giving them insight into the health careers and possibly making them more competitive applicants into professional programs. This is a year round program, that is run on a semester basis, for San Antonio area collegiate students. Forms required for participation can be found at www.uthscsa.edu/outreach/volunteer.asp.
Contact: Dr. Irene Chapa, chapai@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-3941
Outreach and summer programs for teachers:
Positively Aging®: Maximizing the HealthspanWe 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.
Contact: Linda Pruski, 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, pruski@uthscsa.edu, 210-567-2747