Testimonals

Matthew Wieder The Cooper Union for Advancement of Science and Art

I had an amazing time at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering. From the other participants in the program to all of the planned activities, the summer as a whole was one of my favorites. The sessions on interview skills and the works-in-progress sessions will help me now as well as in the future. For me, the highlights of the program were the seminar series, the actual research, and the "chalk talk." The faculty seminars were extremely interesting and engaging, especially the last two by Mary Baylies and Charles Sawyers. My personal favorite was Charles Sawyers' talk, as it showed the interconnection between the benchwork in the lab and the immediate effects that that work had on clinical application.

Matthew was mentored by faculty member James Fagin.

Myrdich Toribio Florida International University

I definitely became a better bench scientist this summer at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering. The summer experience taught me that a PhD is definitely an attainable degree for me, and that science can be a very rewarding field to work in. I also got to experience New York with the other SURPEEs, which was another great part of the summer at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering. The poster session was also very enjoyable in that I was able to explain the thought process that I engaged in through my project to various scientists, often leading to scientific discourse about other possibilities for my project.

Myrdich was mentored by faculty member David Gin.

Guangnan Tian Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

It is probably the best summer I have ever had. I am grateful that I have had a wonderful mentor, my labmates were helpful, and the SURP staff were supportive. It is hard work in the lab, but I had great fun. I enjoyed the scientific communications, which broadened my horizons, and I am more orientated and motivated about my future career in research. In addition to that, New York City really amazed me with its great cultural diversity. I enjoyed the journal club sessions and the works-in-progress presentations the most. They were great opportunities to train my scientific communication skills.

Guangnan was mentored by faculty member Kat Hadjantonakis.

Artem Serganov SUNY Stony Brook

This was a very eye-opening experience. I've never ever spoken to kids (young adults) my age that were involved in research similar to my own. My experience in this summer program has made me really rethink my own abilities and push for a greater amount of knowledge. I transformed over this summer thanks to this program, and I became several steps closer to thinking and working like a scientist. The journal clubs were absolutely critical in this because they made me read scientific articles and analyze them in a way that I never have before, which may have been very difficult and frustrating, but nevertheless very important. I enjoyed the interactions that we had with other SURPEEs, particularly the journal club, where we read and analyzed articles together. I loved most of the lectures we listened to every Wednesday.

Artem was mentored by faculty member Dinshaw Patel.

Caitlin Sengelaud Yale University

My experience at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering has been truly phenomenal. To be surrounded constantly both inside and outside the lab by people who are so passionate about biomedical research has truly been inspiring. I have learned so much science from my PI, the other members of the lab, and the other SURPEEs, as well as from the many outstanding scientists at Sloan-Kettering Institute. It is clear to me that this is an exciting and dynamic place to conduct research, and I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to be a part of it for this summer. From learning how to analyze a scientific paper to giving a "chalk talk" to presenting a poster, this program has helped me develop skills that will be critical as I continue to pursue a career in science. There is so much innovative and influential research going on at the Sloan-Kettering Institute, and it has been eye-opening to learn about it and rewarding to be a part of it. I appreciated how diverse the seminars were and learned so much because of this. The scientists who spoke to us are clearly very influential in their fields, yet they spoke to us as colleagues and were incredibly willing to field all of our questions.

Caitlin was mentored by faculty member Minkuo Luo.

Dierdre Kelly Franklin & Marshall College

I thoroughly enjoyed the "complete" experience this program offered as an introduction to the community of science. Not only did I get to work in a top research institution and have a fantastic research experience, but my work was supplemented with interesting research seminars and helpful graduate school talks. This is not just a summer job where you are dropped into a lab and left alone, this is a whole experience! These combined qualities give that sense of whole-ness that makes me feel better prepared for applying to and studying in graduate school. I loved it here. Not only did I have the city at my fingertips, great new friends in the program, and a supportive lab, but I also got to work on a challenging project and continued my development as a scientist. I wouldn't want to spend my summer any other way (no really, not even at the beach).

Dierdre was mentored by faculty member Jayanta Chaudhuri.

Jenny Karo Tufts University

My summer at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering was irreplaceable. In this one summer I feel like I have grown both intellectually and personally. Most importantly, I was very lucky when assigned my mentor and lab. The Varmus laboratory provided a very inspirational and intellectually challenging atmosphere. Levi allowed me to work independently, but was always available to guide and answer my questions. Overall, I had a great time hanging out with the SURP students in the program and outside in NYC. NYC provided the greatest atmosphere to study and work in. On Saturdays we would all go into lab together and then spend the afternoon in Central Park -- it was great! I can't wait to bring all of my experiences and knowledge back to Tufts in the fall.

Jenny was mentored by Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center President and faculty member Harold Varmus.

Dorina Imami New York University

My experience at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering was nothing short of excellent. It went beyond my expectations in every way. I loved that this program gave me the opportunity to choose the department and lab I was interested in doing research with and gave me the opportunity to work with them throughout the summer. I am really grateful and honored that I was able to be a part of this exceptional program. This summer undergraduate research program is unbeatable -- providing its students with the best resources and the ability to work in such an extraordinary institution. Gerstner Sloan-Kettering provides an exceptional academic and nonacademic experience to its students. First and foremost, it provides its students with access to state-of-the-art facilities, resources, and laboratories. The program provides great attention to all of its students and offers a rich, dynamic, and interactive learning environment.

Dorina was mentored by faculty member Eric Pamer.

Emily Casey Cornell University

Spending another summer at Gerstner Sloan-Kettering was just as fulfilling, if not more so, the second time around. I really learned to appreciate how special Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center is. Of course there is great research going on here, and getting a chance to learn about it firsthand through weekly seminars and hands on training is a great experience, but what I think is more important is the daily reminder of why research scientists are doing what they're doing. Being located next to the hospital and seeing the patients and medical staff makes you remember how important your research is and that it may one day save someone's life. I think being reminded of that makes everyone a little more motivated and excited to do science, and it gives Memorial Sloan-Kettering a really welcoming and friendly atmosphere.

Emily was mentored by faculty member David Scheinberg.