The Educational Outreach Program, known colloquially as the EOP, gives elementary and middle school students access to and experience in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields through engaging, hands-on activities such as science fairs and community events.
Butterflies in the stomach, a cold sweat, a feeling of dread: most of us know and fear the nervousness that accompanies public speaking. It was a pleasant surprise, therefore, to see apparently fearless Werner H. Kirsten student interns speak at NCI at Frederick’s WHK Student Intern Program Winter Poster Session. The event gave the dozen or so high school students a chance to present their hard-won research to NCI at Frederick staff. For many, it was their first time speaking about their projects in public.
Former Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) intern Kaylee Towey spent her most recent college semester drafting policy proposals to solve education issues in Prince George’s County. It was part of a semester-long project for the Public Leadership Scholars Program, an extracurricular activity she fits into her busy schedule as a student at University of Maryland, College Park.
In retrospect, it’s not surprising that Smruti Hariprakasha, the daughter of two scientists, ended up at the National Cancer Institute as a Werner H. Kirsten intern. She says that the family profession spurred her interest in science from an early age, and her experiences on the NCI at Frederick campus, such as attending Take Your Child to Work Day with her parents when she was young, helped her feel at home when she began her internship.
The first open house event for the Office of Scientific Operations’ (OSO) Educational Outreach Program (EOP), held at the Advanced Technology Research Facility (ATRF), was a success according to program coordinator Cathy Cullen. “We had more volunteers sign up in person than in response to the emails, and it was a lot more fun, too.”
Ashley Babyak once dreamed of being a physician. But after multiple internships at NCI at Frederick, she realized she could also make a difference as a laboratory scientist, and she now seeks to protect public health by researching infectious diseases.
You’re probably familiar with NCI at Frederick’s Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program, but did you know that the organization’s involvement in Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) goes much further?
The NCI at Frederick Scientific Library recently hosted the popular Student Science Jeopardy Tournament for the 12th year running. Nine teams of summer student interns competed for the chance to be named Jeopardy champion.
Each year at NCI at Frederick, high school student interns stand shoulder to shoulder with their undergraduate and graduate-school colleagues to share posters about their scientific research and enhance their communication and networking skills.
After spending a total of five years as an intern for Occupational Health Services (OHS), former Werner H. Kirsten (WHK) intern Esther Shafer moved across the country to join the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She now works on a reservation in southern Arizona, where she is providing medicine—and reading material—for the Tohono O-odham Nation.
