Table 4 A representative selection of student intern alumni responses.
Pathway component | Intern alumni student responses |
|---|---|
Course of study | “My time at ISB opened my eyes to the diversity of degrees in biological research. I came in with the misconception that people who do biology research have degrees in biology. I was surprised to find there were scientists with degrees in math, chemical engineering, and physics, and this has shaped the way I think about majors.” (2017 Intern) |
“The internship was very influential in deciding my college major: I barely knew what bioinformatics was before it, but now I plan to apply for it.” (2019 Intern) | |
Career pathways | “The mentors I got to interview came from a multitude of backgrounds and experiences that opened my eyes to what potential pathways I could pursue. I also was able to see how broad STEM careers could be and how many different paths I could take to pursue any given career.” (2018 Intern) |
“My internship at ISB was one of the reasons why I chose to pursue Microbiology. Working there I realized that there were so many different career options outside of just medicine. I learnt a lot from interviewing the researchers and attending talks.” (2016 Intern) | |
Content & practices | “This program truly gives students a ‘career-launching starter kit.’ I learned how to pipette, use a centrifuge, manipulate data in Excel, keep a lab notebook, and so much more that I use in college constantly. Moreover, I learned how to read a scientific paper which has been an invaluable skill in university courses.” (2017 Intern). |
“It was one of the best experiences I had to prepare me for proper lab etiquette. It also was a safe place to step outside my comfort zone.” (2015 Intern) | |
“I also really appreciated being able to sit in on presentations by faculty/staff at ISB; I observed a lot of analytical/critical audiences responding to preliminary data which is an important exchange to understand within research.” (2013 Intern) | |
“I think one of the biggest impacts was having the experience of WORKING. Understanding what being in a lab might be like, what waking up every day and going into work is like.” (2013 Intern) | |
Barriers | “It was helpful to see many researchers in different roles and at different points in their careers and illuminated the different barriers and career options in the STEM field.” (2018 Intern) |
Societal connections | “Definitely got to see how the research being done at ISB could go on to practically help people, clearer societal motivation than with most other STEM experiences I had.” (2010 Intern) |
“I got to see how the science that I do could positively impact the world to a great extent and the plethora of options that are available for me to pursue.” (2019 Intern) | |
General | “This experience provided one-on-one mentorship which helped the guidance be more specific to my interests.” (2019 Intern) |
“My ISB experience helped me feel confident in pursuing an undergraduate degree in biological sciences since I had a positive internship experience.” (2013 Intern) | |
“I was treated with a great deal of respect at ISB. My mentors were patient and generous with their time. It made me feel like being a scientist was really possible. I think the experience grew my confidence.” (2012 Intern) |
