Lab experience can become a real speed bump in a young scientist’s journey. Sure, you can master the materials of a textbook, but those first moments tinkering in the lab can fill a young scientist with imposter syndrome in a hurry.
That’s where SEFTY, or Science Education For The Youth, comes in. The UNLV program aims to change that mindset and — within a matter of weeks — create some confidence in students before they even reach college.
“I get the question a lot, ‘Hey, can we come into the lab and see how it all works?’” said SEFTY founder Edwin Oh, a professor at UNLV’s Kirk Kerkorian School of Medicine. “And my answer is really simple: ‘Sure, why not?’”
High school students in the program, a joint venture between the medical school and College of Sciences, are given the opportunity to work with DNA, RNA, and proteins with a focus on neurogenetics.
They develop a foundational understanding of research techniques and cell growth, while networking with other young scholars in the field.
“The goal here is to link all of the work they’re doing with a scientific paper,” said Oh. “This means there’s both an appreciation of the science described in the paper, and hands-on interaction with the research they’re reading about.”
SEFTY has been showing students how research is performed in a university setting since its inception in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw hands-on lab experiences become less accessible because of enhanced restrictions.
And much like the research in the lab, the program has evolved. It now includes faculty from psychology, engineering, chemistry, and physics disciplines who talk to the students about getting started in a variety of STEM professions – intending to reinforce their desired career paths.
“At first glance, you see all of this equipment in the lab and it’s overwhelming,” said Audrey Lac, a senior at Clark High School. “But I’ve been able to learn how to use it and what role it all plays in what I want to study.”
Lac is one of 16 students participating in the two-week long summer session. Many are getting their first real exposure to the scientific fields in which they will soon work.
“SEFTY really brought into perspective the behind-the-scenes of the stats and figures you look up online,” said Christian Rebolledo, a senior at Sierra Vista High School. “Seeing in person what the procedures look like has opened my eyes to a whole new side of science.”
Students Mentoring Students
Helping up-and-comers such as Lac and Rebolledo is a team of UNLV undergraduate leaders, guiding each of their lessons in the lab and offering a more relatable environment.
“I went to high school in Las Vegas and my very first lab experience was three years ago at UNLV,” said Shahraiz Akbar, an undergraduate researcher. “I figured getting people ready to work in labs and see what it’s like was an important idea to get behind.”
Akbar, a student leader with SEFTY, is providing mentorship and guidance to the group. He’s been overseeing their progress as they work on a process called ‘restrictive digestion’, which involves tinkering with bacterial DNA.
“I think the coolest part is seeing how excited everyone is whenever they’re able to successfully perform their procedures,” said Akbar. “I can feel their happiness because I remember what it was like to perform my very first digestion procedure – it was amazing. And so it’s awesome to see that for all of these kids, too.”
Engaging with the students and broadening their experience levels is something the team views as a win-win when it comes to creating an environment where there are no limits on success.
“We want to keep this engine of growth going,” said Oh. “Having these high school students come in and engage in lab research, I think it’s great for their own personal growth and fantastic for the growth of our program.”
