A future Nobel Prize winner is sitting in a classroom right now, fascinated by science but unsure how or where to apply that curiosity. A push in the right direction could set them on a track that not only changes their life but also contributes to the next generation of scientific research. That鈥檚 exactly what the Partners for the Future Program (PFF) at 黑料吃瓜资源 (CSHL) aims to provide. Through this unique opportunity, high school seniors spend months gaining real-life experience in a working laboratory and present their research at a symposium alongside their peers.
鈥淲e think it鈥檚 very important to train the next generation of students,鈥 says PFF Director and CSHL Professor David Jackson. Training comes with one-on-one guidance from a lab mentor specifically chosen for each student accepted into the program. Shadowing their mentor, students get to use the high-tech equipment available to CSHL scientists and conduct cutting-edge experiments across a variety of biological sciences. After seven months of immersive lab work, each student presents their research to friends, family, and fellow scientists. High schoolers come away from the program with hands-on experience in a world-class laboratory, extraordinary insight into the life of a scientist, and, in some cases, author credits on published research.
For the mentors, the experience can be just as rewarding. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not [just that] we mentor the student. We also learn from them,鈥 says postdoc Vijina Varapparambath. 鈥淚 take benefit from that. And I鈥檓 also like a student in front of them.鈥
Press play to hear firsthand from students and mentors who took part in CSHL鈥檚 2025 Partners for the Future Program.