LAB Jumpstart

LAB Jumpstart 2023

Nominations & Applications for LAB Jumpstart 2023 are now CLOSED.

Nominations were due by Monday, December 19, 2022 at 11:59pm Eastern Time.

Applications were due on Friday, January 6, 2023 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Letters of recommendation were due by Monday, January 9, 2023 at 11:59pm Eastern Time.

Program at a Glance:

• Combined after-school and summer research program to take place on campus at The Rockefeller University
• After-school portion meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30pm – 7pm; March 2 – June 20, 2023
• Summer portion (SSRP) requires up to 35 hours per week, Monday-Friday, June 26 – August 10, 2023
• Must be a high school junior or senior (aged 16+ at program start) enrolled in a NYC High School, and must commit to participate in the entire program
• Students from underserved communities and minoritized backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply

Program Overview:

A proud member of the New York City Science Research Mentoring Consortium, RockEDU’s LAB Jumpstart program supports 16 high school students attending NYC schools in a combined after-school and summer research experience. The 2023 LAB Jumpstart session will take place in person, and is specifically designed to promote the development of scientific thinking and research skills through a variety of talks, workshops, and individual mentorship.

The LAB Jumpstart program is recruiting students from under-resourced schools and communities. Those interested in applying to the LAB Jumpstart program must first be nominated. We welcome student nominations from any adult who has served in a formal or informal capacity as a teacher, counselor, mentor, employer, religious leader, community advocate, etc. for a prospective student applicant(s). We understand that our current pandemic context undoubtedly impacts a student’s network, and want to emphasize that nominations can come from any adult who can speak to your potential in this program.

Additional Program Details:

Spring Session: Our Spring after-school sessions meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30pm — 7pm, March 2 through June 20, 2023. These sessions are intended to guide students through a rich and authentic experience rooted in the process of science, in preparation for the summer research portion of the program. During this portion of LAB Jumpstart, students will be encouraged to develop and ask questions pertaining to scientific research, gain exposure to research skills and primary literature, and connect with dedicated scientist-mentors at The Rockefeller University.

LAB Jumpstart core sessions are facilitated by RockEDU Fellows, with support from RockEDU staff. Furthermore, each student is paired with a LAB Jumpstart Advocate — a practicing Rockefeller scientist who can provide educational and professional support beyond our LAB Jumpstart courses and discussions.

Summer Session: During the summer session, LAB Jumpstart students will participate in the SSRP, spending up to 35 hours per week, June 26 through August 10, 2023, engaging in a number of in-person events and science experiences that have been designed to promote a deepened understanding of biomedical research, and its relationship with society. Students will be assigned to a research track, and under the direction of a scientist-mentor team, students will learn the foundations and experimental techniques necessary to carry out their own research project, with iteration.

You can learn more about the summer component of this program here.

Application Process:

Step 1: Students who are interested in applying for LAB Jumpstart must be nominated by a teacher or community leader. Once students are successfully nominated, they will be sent a link to the LAB Jumpstart application via email.

Step 2: Students who are nominated should fill out the online LAB Jumpstart application sent to them via email. Applications for the LAB Jumpstart program are reviewed by RockEDU staff.

Step 3: Selected LAB Jumpstart applicants will be invited for an interview, to take place over Zoom in early February. During the interview, students will meet with LAB Jumpstart facilitators, and be introduced to members of the RockEDU team. Students will be notified in February if they are accepted to LAB Jumpstart.

Eligibility and Expectations:

To be eligible for LAB Jumpstart participation, juniors and seniors enrolled in an NYC high school must be nominated by a teacher or other community member who has served as a mentor, and must be at least 16 years old at the start of the program. All participants must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19, and be willing to wear a mask and practice social distancing as per university and CDC guidelines dictate. We cannot make exceptions. We cannot make exceptions.

Students accepted into the LAB Jumpstart program must commit to participating for the entirety of the program — this includes both the spring after-school and summer portions. We can not accommodate part time participation.

Please be aware: students are prohibited from using any aspect of their LAB Jumpstart/SSRP project for science competition submissions.