November 12, 2024
The Scintillon Institute’s SURE Program 2024: Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists
This summer, the Scintillon Institute wrapped up its highly competitive SURE (SUmmer REsearch) Program, an intensive, four-week research experience designed to spark curiosity and ignite a passion for biomedical research in San Diego's top high school students (and a few college students). The program brought together motivated young minds and paired them with the Institute's world-class researchers, giving students hands-on experience in the labs that are tackling some of the biggest challenges in science, from neuroscience to immunology, virology, metabolism, stem cells, and more. The small number of high school students accepted into the highly competitive program are some of the highest performing students in the entire county, and past alumni of the program have, not surprisingly, gone on to attend some of America’s most elite universities, including Dartmouth, Emory, Johns-Hopkins, MIT, UCLA, UC Berkeley, University of Chicago, Stanford, and Yale.
The SURE program is more than just a glimpse into scientific discovery—it's a platform where students are mentored by top-tier researchers who are actively working to cure diseases and unlock the secrets of human biology. Each morning kicked off with scientific lectures from Scintillon faculty, exposing students to diverse fields like cancer biology, aging, and gene therapy. These lectures left students inspired, wondering how they might contribute to life-saving innovations in the future.
Afternoons were spent in the lab, where students gained real-world research experience under the guidance of their mentors. This hands-on lab work was a highlight for many participants, as one student noted, "Being exposed to real research was the most valuable part of the program. We just don’t see this in high school."
One of the program’s unique aspects is its ability to reconnect former SURE students with current participants. Past students return to share their experiences, offer advice on navigating college admissions, and even give back through mentorship—a full-circle moment that highlights the tight-knit community fostered by SURE. As one alumnus shared, “My research during the SURE program gave me an exciting topic to write and talk about during the college application process.”
Although we had to turn away many qualified applicants this year, the continued interest and enthusiasm for the program drive us to grow even further. With more resources, we can expand opportunities for more young scientists to experience the thrill of discovery and help shape the future of biomedical research.
In their own words, students have called the SURE program “incredibly helpful” and “eye-opening,” and parents have noted how their children returned home eager to share their daily lab adventures, inspired by the opportunity to contribute to real scientific progress. With Scintillon’s faculty devoting their time and expertise to this program, we invite you to help us keep the momentum going.
To support the growth of the SURE program and provide more students with this rare experience, we ask for your generous, tax-deductible donation. Your contributions ensure that we can continue to offer this unique opportunity to future generations of scientists.
In closing, we would like to leave you with a few comments from some current and former students themselves and their parents:
"The program was incredibly helpful. I was able to help out with the projects and learned techniques that I would not be able to elsewhere. "
“The hands-on approach in the lab is truly remarkable.”
“The SURE program provided invaluable experience in a professional career setting giving me responsibilities similar to a full-time job.”
“Learning in depth concepts behind our experiments and how they connect to larger healthcare issues.”
“My older brother and I were both accepted into another similar summer research program at a top 10 ranked public University. I held out for the Scintillon program, but my brother joined the other institute. We compared what we learned daily and by far, in terms of scientific knowledge and hands-on experiments, Scintillon blew away the other program. As a result, my brother would now like to join the program next summer”.
"The SURE program was awesome! I had a wonderful time, and I learned so much. The morning lectures were always so informative and introduced me to a lot of new vocab words and concepts."
"Working with Dr. Cracan was an amazing experience. I learned a lot about techniques and science from him. He was great at explaining steps and answering questions."
"The presentation at the end was super helpful for me to fully understand how much we did in four weeks."
"Thank you for such an amazing opportunity this summer. Our son has been so excited to share with us his daily labs. It has been very eye opening for him and is definitely giving him guidance for his future academic opportunities."
"Hello, Thank you for giving my daughter an opportunity for this excellent program. She is enjoying and learning a lot."
"Thank you for a fantastic summer. As someone who has worked in the lab, it was very rewarding to hear of our daughter’s experiences. An excellent program for high school students!"
“It was an enriching experience, filled with learning opportunities. My time at SURE was incredibly eye opening and offered unmatched biology exposure that went further than anything I could've ever learned from a textbook. Through this program I found my passion for cell biology, allowing for me to make the decision to apply for Molecular and Cell Biology majors in various universities. “
Donate today and help us shape the future of science!
The Scintillon Institute
6868 Nancy Ridge Drive,
San Diego, CA 92121
Or donate online: Scintillon.org/donate