Research at Fox Chase »Pre-Graduate Research Programs »High School Student Scientist Program

Partnership for Cancer Research Education

The Opportunity

The Student Scientist program can give you a chance to work on a cutting-edge research project and to try out the life of a scientist. You will be part of a research group and work with a scientist mentor on a project.

Previous projects included:

• Determining if doctors are taking family histories adequate to identify patients at risk for inherited cancers.
• Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine if patients' tumors are responding to treatment.
• Designing a computer program to analyze changes in gene expression in cancer cells.

FCCC Student Scientists are not paid; they work as volunteers. They must participate in the program for one full year. Any 9-11 grader can apply.

Requirements for the FCCC program are 1 school year twice a week and one summer 8 weeks. You will have volunteer status and will receive $4 per day towards food. Minorities are encouraged.

The Cost: Time, Work, Motivation

Being a Student Scientist takes a lot of time and work! Many of you have very busy schedules already. Being a Student Scientist will erase at least two afternoons a week from the time you have to manage homework, sports, school activities, and life in general. It can be done, but it is not easy. So before you apply, please think HARD about whether you are willing and able to:

• Work four to six hours a week during the school year: 2 to 3 hours x 2 afternoons per week. This requires having reliable transportation to get you to the Cancer Center promptly after school, as most mentors leave by 5 or 6 PM and are not available on weekends.
• Work eight weeks full time in the summer (40 hours per week). This means nearly all of summer vacation!
• Come to one meeting day in July 2009, and to one meeting per month the rest of the year.
• Give an oral and poster presentation of your work and keep a detailed written lab notebook.

To do all that and enjoy it, you need the right motivation. If you are curious and fascinated by science, think the chance to participate in a real research group is worth any amount of work, appreciate the effort your mentor puts in for you and let your enthusiasm show you will be a great Student Scientist. If you want to be a Student Scientist to look good on your college applications, are "too cool" to show any enthusiasm, and think it's your mentor's job to spend time on you, please don't apply!

To Apply

1. Get the "Requirements for Participation" for FCCC Student Scientists by any of the following methods. Read it carefully. You must agree to the requirements, sign the page, and include it with your application.
• Ask your science teacher for a copy of the requirements.
• Click here to see the requirements on a web page. You can print it from the web page, but it will work better using one of the other options below.
• Click here to download requirements in Microsoft® Word.
  (This link requires Microsoft® Word to view.)
• Click here to download requirements in a PDF format.
  (Adobe® Acrobat Reader required; You can get it free by clicking here.)
2. Get an application form by any of the following methods:
• Ask your science teacher for a copy of the application.
• Click here to see the application form on a web page.
• Click here to download the application form in Microsoft® Word.
  (This link requires Microsoft® Word to view.)
• Click here to download the application form in a PDF format.
  (This link requires Adobe® Acrobat Reader to view. You can get it free by clicking here.)
3. Fill out the application form. Email addresses are essential.
4. Get a letter of recommendation from your science teacher.
5. Find a teacher who is willing to talk about you by phone or email and provide their contact information on the application form (this can be the teacher who wrote your letter of recommendation or a different teacher).
6. Get a copy of your transcripts: this year's plus the past two years.
7. Give the signed requirements form, completed application, letter of recommendation, and transcripts to the Program Leader at your school (who must get the applications to Fox Chase Cancer Center no later than March 6, 2009). Do not send the application directly to Fox Chase! A list of Program Leaders can be see in the Application Information section of the teacher instructions page.
8. If your school is not on the list, have your science teacher contact Sue for information on submitting applications.

Selection Process

1. April 2009 Advisory Committee selects the top 24 students. Those who don't make this first cut will be notified by the end of April 2009. Twelve of these students will be placed with mentor scientists; twelve will be Alternates.
2. April-May 2009: Program Director interviews students and selects the top twelve.
3. May-June 2009: The selected students then interview with scientists for placement. Scientists can decline a student based on the interview. If that happens, we will try to place the student with another scientist.
4. June 2009: Students are notified of their final status: Student Scientist or Alternate.

Program Dates

1. It is mandatory that students spend at least two weeks working in their lab during Summer 2009 to gain familiarity with their project and lab procedures prior to the start of the school year.
2. July 2009: Student Scientists attend orientation and safety meeting.
3. September 2009: Student Scientists begin working in their research groups.
4. July 2010: Student Scientists give poster presentation and complete forms summarizing their experiences.

Questions

If you have any questions about the program or the application procedure, please contact the Program Director Susanne Johnston by email at Susanne.Johnston@fccc.edu, or by phone at 215-728-5682.