Intern Programs through Systems Education Experiences
One of the key objectives of ISB involves transferring knowledge gained through research to the community for the benefit of society. The Systems Education Experiences (SEE) program within the Baliga Lab meets and surpasses that objective through a variety of internship programs. During the summer of 2020, we are offering two different opportunities.
- One is based on the current research happening within the Baliga Lab and other ISB labs. Learn more by viewing information about this 8-week internship below.
- CANCELED – The second is based on new curricular and research initiatives being launched throughout ISB. Learn more about this summer’s Carbon’s Fate Course by reading the section at the bottom of this page.
The application process for all positions was the same and has since closed.
8-Week Summer Internship for Rising Seniors In this internship, high school interns complete systems biology research and, if applicable, help develop hands-on instructional modules for students to use as part of school-based science curriculum.
More detailed information on the 8-week summer internship – Each January, Systems Education Experiences posts a job opportunity on the ISB careers website, enabling high school juniors to apply for a competitive, paid summer internship. This internship is very different than those typically found in research labs. The systems biology approach allows students to work with many specialists, directly involving the students in a variety of projects, using many types of technology and techniques. Students gain valuable microbiology, engineering, and computational experience. Due to the unique nature of this curriculum building and research-based laboratory experience, students are highly engaged in creative problem solving as well as both independent and group learning. The internships are focused on bringing these key opportunities to students who typically would not have access to a professional work environment and a state-of-the-art research lab.
In addition to the scientific and educational components of their 8-week internship, students also meet with a variety of the ISB staff allowing them to explore many types of professions and career paths. Who they speak with is up to the students, but usually students meet with faculty members, research scientists, as well as administrative, legal, development, financial, and other “Minds of ISB.”
The program has been highly successful and is externally evaluated promoting the best experience possible. Jessica, a 2007 intern who went on to attend UC Berkeley, had the following to say about her time at ISB. “I learned how to work collaboratively in a lab setting. It was also great to get a feeling for what it is like to be a research scientist. I realized that I can come into something being completely ignorant and gain an understanding of what is happening by asking questions and doing research.”
“This was a really great thing to realize because it made the knowledge of people in the lab seem a lot more accessible to me and a more realistic goal,” Jessica added. “It taught me that I can, although it will take a while, become as knowledgeable about science as the researchers in the lab.”
To showcase their work and to document their experience, students learn from a skilled web designer to develop their own web pages. View the pages to learn more about what the interns do during their summer at ISB. If you are wondering what a standard day might be like for an intern, the 2012 interns put together a quick glance into a typical day at the end of their About Us page. Our 2014 interns also put together a page with information for applicants. For more student comments on the internship, please view this short video featuring our 2011 interns and the above-referenced video featuring one of our 2016 interns. For general information and intern news items, see our main ISB Webpage and search using appropriate terms, such as “intern” and/or topics you are specifically interested in.
If you have questions, please view our frequently asked questions (FAQ) page. Also, view this 3-minute video for more information on SEE and our 8-week internship.
Even years after their internships, students stay in touch. Sue Yi, a 2008 intern, emailed us after she completed her BS at the University of Notre Dame in 2014. She was preparing to enter an MD/PhD program and wanted to let us know that her high school internship was, “…a great experience and really good to get started early. My experience in the Baliga lab is what inspired me to try research out in college and look where that has lead me!”
2020 summer internship projects are being defined and planned now. The specific topics depend on who is selected for this summer’s internships. Possible internship topics include but are not limited to: systems medicine (medicine that is predictive, preventative, personalized and participatory), bioengineering with algae, computational modeling, and researching with model organisms (including archaea, algae, diatoms, anaerobes, bacteria, and/or yeast). All projects are aligned with a current ISB project which is driven by a mentor.
CANCELED - Course: Carbon's Fate in a Changing World In this 2-week course, high school students will work with scientists, educators and other students to explore how carbon moves through air, sea and ice. This work is based on the oceanographic research of Dr. Monica Orellana of ISB and the Polar Science Center in the Applied Physics Lab at University of Washington. You will use physics, chemistry, biology, technology and math to gain insight into how we can take action with current inventions and/or interventions. You can be a current 10th or 11th grader when applying. This course will tentatively be held Monday – Friday, 10:00am-2:00pm, August 3 – 14, on the University of Washington, Seattle campus.