M-ASCEND: Advancing Science, Enhancing Diversity Program

Our 2023 summer internship program ended with a bang on August 11th, with interns presenting posters that they worked on over the 12 week session. Numerous research faculty and staff attended to ask them questions on their projects and to congratulate them on jobs well done! 

Following the poster presentation, the whole group gathered for well-deserved food and fun to close out another successful year! 

Our summer undergraduate and high school interns gathered at McNamara Alumni Center on Thursday August 11th, 2022 to present their research. We took the opportunity to hear from our students about their experiences with the program.

M-ASCEND successfully completed another program year during their final celebratory Science Saturday event.  Science Saturdays engage student participants and their families in the science of cancer research and career development and opportunities.  These events are a fun opportunity to provide meaningful learning experiences to program participants.  

Take a look at photos from the event in the gallery below! 

University of Minnesota M-ASCEND: Advancing Science, Enhancing Diversity is a theoretically guided, evidence-driven program designed to support the academic persistence of high school and undergraduate students underrepresented in science, and promote their developmental progress towards future careers in cancer research. M-ASCEND combines best practices with innovative approaches from education, mentorship, service learning, and parent education within an equity-oriented frame to engage, educate, and support students to achieve the knowledge, skills, science identity, and self-efficacy required to support academic persistence and long-term success within the biomedical and behavioral sciences. Diversifying the cancer research workforce is critical to addressing the pressing needs of increasingly diverse patient populations in Minnesota and across the United States.