WinSPIRE hosts summer STEM research for high schoolers
Led by Tar Heel volunteers, the group brought students to campus for six weeks of labs and a career fair.
Over the summer, high school students gained early research experience through Carolina’s Women and underrepresented genders in STEM Promoting Inclusion in Research Experiences.
WinSPIRE, a volunteer-led organization started in 2017, provides experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for both Carolina and high school students.
The organization held a six-week summer research program from mid-June to late July to expose high schoolers to different STEM concepts. Students from nine schools across the state worked with Carolina students, post-doctoral candidates and faculty who are WinSPIRE volunteers or mentors.
“I’m very passionate about science communication and making sure that scientists are being trained in this new age of technology. Especially (for those) coming from more rural areas, it’s great for them to know science is always an option for you. I love that we’re making science an option for everyone,” said Raeanne Lanphier, WinSPIRE secretary and fourth-year doctoral candidate in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy.
The program pairs students with a research mentor who helped them with practical lab experience, focusing on STEM topics. Every Monday, students participate in three-hour mini labs led by a graduate student or faculty member. Labs have science-adjacent activities like extraction of DNA and natural products from berries or clinical genomic variant classification in a rare disease patient.
Each high school student is paired with a research mentor who helped them with practical lab experience, focusing on STEM topics. (Submitted photo)
“It’s nice to see the students come to a lab and see what research looks like. They don’t necessarily get that at the high school level,” said Lanphier. “We’ve had quite a few students from the high school program come to UNC and are now volunteers as part of WinSPIRE.”
The organization also provides a college preparation program where students learn about different funding opportunities, scholarships and application cycles. To help students think about their life after college, WinSPIRE also hosts a career fair during the program where various professionals from the Chapel Hill area talk about their job and how they progressed in their career.
This summer, employees from nine science and technology companies came to the fair and talked to students. Students unable to attend the entire program could come to the career fair for a taste of the program experience.
The program ends with a symposium for students to explain their research to attendees, like their families, other organization members or mentors. Students leave interested in a variety of topics, from the environment to disease and cancer research.
“I hope the students take away that anyone can do this type of research no matter what background they come from,” said Lanphier. “There is a network of people who want to support you in doing this research, so you don’t feel alone going through higher education.”
