Mentoring with Jumpstart & SSRP
LAB Jumpstart and SSRP 2024 will take place on campus at The Rockefeller University. LAB Jumpstart is a springtime after-school program that focuses on the development of laboratory and scientific inquiry skills for NYC high school students. The SSRP runs each summer and offers students the opportunity to dive into authentic scientific research as part of themed research groups. Each student will have opportunities for guided research, with the support of prepared activities and foundational learning.
How Can Tri-I Scientists Get Involved?
We are actively recruiting scientists to support LAB Jumpstart and SSRP in a variety of ways that vary in content and commitment level. Regardless of the path you choose, all scientists will receive professional development training designed to strengthen mentoring skills and better engage with students.
Learn more about the RockEDU Fellows Program
The RockEDU Fellows program is an initiative that guides scientists through the process of developing and implementing a scientific research framework based on their experience and expertise. Scientists will build core professional skills related to teaching and mentorship through dynamic workshops and discussion. For 2024, we will have two LAB Jumpstart Fellows who are facilitating all LAB Jumpstart after-school sessions, one lead Bioinformatics Fellow, 4-8 SSRP Fellows that will plan and manage research groups of 8 students in the summer. See here for more details on the RockEDU Fellows program.
Stay tuned for upcoming opportunities within the RockEDU Mentorship Ecosystem:
LAB Jumpstart Advocates
Advocates provide support to LAB Jumpstart Scholars through one-on-one mentorship check-ins and guidance throughout their time with RockEDU through the spring and summer. This is a commitment of approximately 30 min-1 hour per week during this time. Recruitment for LAB Jumpstart Advocates will begin in January 2024.
SSRP Support Scientists
SSRP support scientists offer complementary research skills and interests while gaining mentorship skills and experience guiding SSRP scholars through the process of designing and carrying out independent research. You may also contribute a specific talk, workshop, skills-based tutorial, etc for a given research group during the summer. Support scientist mentors will start working with RockEDU Fellows and begin planning for summer 2024 at the beginning of spring. This is a flexible time commitment of on average ~3-5 hours per week in the summer and is designed to accommodate your availability.
We hope that these opportunities will allow you to build skills and experiences within the comfort of your current schedule. If you don’t see a perfect role listed for you and would like to be involved with our research education programs, please still reach out to Jen Bohn on the RockEDU team at jbohn@rockefeller.edu.
Learn about the Jumpstart & SSRP Structure:
In Spring 2024, 16 LAB Jumpstart scholars will be welcomed from high schools across NYC. They will work after school with two LAB Jumpstart Fellows to learn scientific skills and build cohesion and science identity within the Rockefeller community.
In summer 2024, the LAB Jumpstart scholars will be joined by 16 summer scholars who will collectively participate in the SSRP: on-campus research education programming designed to promote a deepened understanding of biomedical research, and its relationship with society. Components of the SSRP include:
Core Sessions: Regularly scheduled throughout the week, all SSRP students participate in sessions designed to showcase the vast diversity in experimental approach, with invited speakers including Rockefeller Heads of Lab and their trainees. Importantly, we integrate important social, political, and economic discussions related to scientific topics that the students are studying and seeing in their communities.
Research Teams: Groups of 8 SSRP students will be assigned to a research team, to be mentored in a specific scientific discipline by a team of scientist-mentors actively conducting research at The Rockefeller University or within the Tri-I community. In small, highly supported group settings, students will learn the foundations and experimental techniques necessary to carry out their own research project that builds on their own assets and inspiration and allows them to experience iteration on their own scientific ideas.