Amgen scholars experience life as research scientists

The Amgen program prepared Diana Rodriguez-Ortiz for a career in research.

'Undergrads are getting first-rate research experience with top academic scientists,” says Gail Rock, Amgen Scholars national program office coordinator.

The Amgen Scholars Program is a summer program designed to broaden the perspective of undergrads committed to pursuing science or engineering careers. The aim of the program is to foster student passion for science and biotechnology by helping undergrads engage in hands-on research at some of the nation’s leading educational institutions.

“It’s a great opportunity for students to gain real-life
lab research experience while interacting with and receiving guidance from seasoned mentors,” Rock
says. “The program also provides networking and
learning opportunities.”

Allen Chen learned how to design and improve experiments as an Amgen scholar.

Allen Chen learned how to design and improve experiments as an Amgen scholar.

Amgen scholars learn how to collaborate effectively
in research settings while investigating an area of
interest within their disciplines. They gain practical
skills and knowledge that apply to both grad study
and post-grad careers.

Research experience is not required
Ten universities nationwide currently participate in the program. Each site hosts approximately twenty-five Amgen scholars every summer.

Undergrads in their sophomore or junior year can apply. Applicants must be enrolled in an accredited four-year college or university, have a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or above and must be interested in pursuing a PhD or
MD-PhD.

Each school participating in the program has its own separate application. Students may apply to as many program sites as they want, but they may participate in the program for one summer only. Selection is based on the quality of application essays and recommendations, academic background and the availability of spaces that match students’ research interests.

Research background or experience is not required, since one goal of the program is to
expose students to scientific fields. At some schools students may select a project and faculty mentor. At others, a project and mentor will be assigned based on faculty availability and student interest.

Academic research areas range from biopsychology to molecular genetics to neuroscience. Students typically join an established research project, but have occasionally designed their own.

Amgen scholars are compensated
“Amgen scholars receive financial support as they work on important research projects,” Rock notes. They’re paid a stipend and can earn as much as $4,000 during the eight- to ten-week program. Summer housing at campus residence halls and a food allowance at campus dining facilities are included. The details vary by program site.

The program covers roundtrip airfare between the scholar’s home and host university as well as travel costs to a mid-summer symposium at the University of California-Los Angeles.

Rock is MIT’s coordinator of diversity initiatives and coordinates an annual minority-focused MIT graduate preview weekend as well as the Amgen program. She notes that in 2007, MIT Amgen scholars were 60 percent female, 23 percent Asian, 16 percent Hispanic and 14 percent African American.

Will DeLoache narrows grad school choice
Representing Davidson College (Davidson, NC) at the International Genetically Engineered Machines (iGEM) competition held at MIT in 2007, Will DeLoache developed a passion for synthetic biology.

He switched his research interest from medicine to synthetic biology, but yearned for another experience at a top research institution. While at MIT he was exposed to the Amgen Scholars program and decided to apply.

As a 2008 Amgen scholar at the University of California-Berkeley, DeLoache’s research focused on piecing together DNA strands in an effort to optimize a new method of assembly that would eventually be automated. The project had computational and wet-lab aspects to it. “I gained a clearer idea of the type of grad school that is right for me,” he says.

Amgen scholar Diana Rodriguez-Ortiz: gaining confidence as a researcher
Diana Rodriguez-Ortiz is a student at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez (Mayagüez, PR). She wanted a chance to do research at one of the best universities in the nation. The Amgen program seemed the best route.

Rodriguez-Ortiz also worked at the University of California-Berkeley this past summer, in the chemical engineering department. Her research focused on finding more stable and efficient proton-conducting materials for hydrogen fuel cells. “I became more independent with a research project under my care,” she says.

The experience also allowed her to improve her lab skills, to explore a new area in the chemical engineering field and to learn firsthand some challenging experimental techniques. “Working on complex techniques others tend to avoid made me feel more mature as a researcher,” she says. “The program also helped prepare me for grad school and a career
in research.”

Allen Chen: “a more informed scientist”
Rice University (Houston, TX) student Allen Chen wanted to explore and better understand both academia and industry.

As a 2008 Amgen scholar, he did research in the biologically-inspired photonics opto-electronic technology and science (BioPOETS) lab at UC-Berkeley. His research project involved developing a plasmonics-based approach for studying amyloid-beta fibrillation. “This plays
an important role in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s,”
he notes.

Chen says he got to conduct research in an area of bioengineering that interested him, while gaining a better understanding of academia and industry. Besides experiencing life at Berkeley, he learned how to design and improve experiments. “I feel I am a more informed scientist,”
he says.

Multiple networking opportunities
Hosting schools provide workshops and tutorials on grad school preparation, poster presentation skills and scientific writing. A lunchtime seminar series exposes students to faculty research presentations that can lead to grad school and scientific career opportunities.

Amgen scholars attend a mid-summer three-day symposium at the University of California-Los Angeles. They hear firsthand from leading biotechnology scientists working in industry and academia.

The conference is also a great opportunity to network with other Amgen scholars. DeLoache was surprised by how much he enjoyed it. “I learned a ton about biotech,” he says. “It was more fun than I expected.”

Praise for the program
Rodriguez-Ortiz recommends the program for hard working young researchers who want to improve their skills. She found that it also contributed to her cultural enrichment. “You enjoy
an overall learning experience in all aspects of your life,” she says.

“The Amgen program was extremely well run,” notes DeLoache. He describes his lab experience as incredible, but says his experience outside the lab was just as rewarding.
“I became really close with the other Amgen scholars.”

“I’ve gained the skills to become a more effective scientist,” says Chen.