Spotlight on

Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program

Spotlight Archive

Unique to the NCI-Frederick, the Werner H. Kirsten Student Intern Program (SIP) gives high school seniors the opportunity to get hands-on research experience. Dr. Werner H. Kirsten, Associate Director of NCI-Frederick from 1988 until his sudden death in December of 1992, was a distinguished professor and researcher, and this internship program was established in his memory.

The program helps a student decide if science is an appropriate career. "I realize now that I truly do want to go into medicine. I work in an immunology lab, and I have learned so much in the short time I have been here," said Sarah Lookabaugh, a senior at Frederick High School. Ashleigh Auth, from St. John's Literary Institute at Prospect Hall, has also confirmed her career goal. "I have always known that I wanted to be a pediatrician, even before the internship. Now I know that I want to specialize in the field of oncology."

To be eligible, students must attend a high school in the Frederick or Washington County Public School System or at St. John's Literary Institute at Prospect Hall, be at least 16 years of age and in their junior year, and have a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The applicant must also be either a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident. During the summer prior to his/her senior year, each intern will work full time for 9 consecutive weeks and receive a stipend. In the fall, the intern will return to school and work 3 hours per day during his/her senior year. Stipends are not given during the school year.

"The number of students that have applied to the program in the past 2 years has been good," said Emily Moler, Administrative Program Assistant, Office of Scientific Operations, NCI-Frederick.   Moler explained that each year students submit applications through their school system. Moler, along with Barbara Birnman, a Research Facility Administrator in the Office of Scientific Operations, reviews the applications and determines those who qualify.   All applications are then sent to sponsors who then select the students he/she want to interview.

A senior at Linganore High School, Zachary Dobbin, said "This internship has been a very exciting experience so far, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in science. The things that I have learned here will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I am very proud to be in this program."

Learning in a classroom environment is quite different than being given the opportunity to learn hands on. "In school you are taught only a little about such processes as polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis; however, here at my internship I use those words on a daily basis, and more importantly I carry out and understand those reactions and processes on a daily basis," Bryan Rosensteel, a senior a North Hagerstown High School said.

This internship not only gives students a glimpse into the research environment, but also what life is like in the working world. "As I worked full time I was able to experience what I will take day in and day out in the future as I enter the job market. I also learned the day-to-day work ethics in a workplace. In a sense I was not only being prepared for the working world, I was working in it," Rosensteel said.

The program also prepares students for college and may aid them in getting into the school of their choice. Auth commented that, "Not only does this internship look fantastic on college applications, it also prepares you for college. Much of the research done is trial and error, and it will be very beneficial to you for your upper level science courses." Some current interns feel that not enough of their peers are taking advantage of this opportunity. "Many of my peers are involved in a job to gain money; however, none of them are choosing it for the final outcome or for the learning experience," Auth said.

One sponsor, Dr. Howard Young (Laboratory of Experimental Immunology), felt that the most important thing an intern will walk away with is, "They will learn what real bench top science is like and this will permit them to decide if biomedical research is a viable career course. They will also learn that scientists are not people that are introverted and live their lives only at the lab bench."

Dr. Tom Schneider (Laboratory of Experimental and Computational Biology), a sponsor for the past 15 years, also felt that the experience a student will gain is one of the most important things. "The students get direct experience in what it is like to do science, both the frustration and the joy. Even if a student does not go on in science, this gives them a valuable perspective."

The program's current science advisor, Dr. Warren Johnson (Laboratory of Genomic Diversity), feels that this is a unique experience for students. "I think every student learns something a little bit different based on their interests and their backgrounds, but what they all learn are practical experiences that teach them most importantly how to learn outside the academic context."

Also available through this program are Administrative Management internships that allow students to gain experience in budget, personnel, information technology, graphics and media and other administrative disciplines.   To learn more about the program, please go to http://web.ncifcrf.gov/careers/student_programs/internships/SIP.asp

Written by Kathryn Ellis
Office of Communication
Center for Cancer Research (CCR)
National Cancer Institute at Frederick

Edited by:
Sue Fox, Office of Communication, CCR
Maritta Grau, Scientific Publications, Graphics and Media
SAIC-Frederick, Inc.

Photography by Martha Welch
Scientific Publications, Graphics and Media
SAIC-Frederick, Inc.

Web Graphics and Development by Jim Miller
Computer and Statistical Services
National Cancer Institute at Frederick