Maya Allen, a senior at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, has been selected to participate in the prestigious The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program.
Each year, about 40 undergraduate and high school students from across the United States are chosen to participate in the 10-week summer program where they conduct genetics and genomics research. Studying with an experienced scientific mentor, participants will develop an independent project, implement their plan, analyze data, and report results. They will present their findings to researchers, other students and parents at the end of the summer.
Allen will participate in the program at the laboratory’s site in Bar Harbor, Maine. The program will run from May 31 through August 8. She is excited about the opportunity to participate in the program.
“I will be spending 10 weeks researching the genetics behind kidney disease in the context of aging,” said Allen of Harrison. “Aside from the laboratory work, I get to live just a short walk from Acadia National Park, which is a place I’ve wanted to visit for years.”
Allen is the first ASMSA student to be selected to participate in the program. Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak, chair of ASMSA’s Science Department and a Life Sciences Instructor of Excellence, wrote a recommendation for Allen as part of the application process. She has written many letters for students and ASMSA alumni in the past and said Allen’s selection “was an overwhelming surprise” since it is rare for high school students to be selected for the program.
“I couldn’t be more proud. She is the kind of student who defines what it means to go above and beyond,” Krakowiak said of Allen. “She spent countless hours right here on our ASMSA campus as a junior and senior collecting, amplifying and visualizing DNA samples to study how genetic background affects our likelihood to develop cavities. The independent research that students conduct at ASMSA is priceless as it develops their ability to think critically and opens so many new innovative pathways to future success.”
Allen said being the first ASMSA student to be selected for the program “is a huge honor, and considering that last year they only accepted one high school student, I’m still a little bit in shock. Although Bar Harbor’s far away from home, this will definitely be an amazing summer.”
Allen won’t be the only one with an ASMSA connection at the summer program, however. Krakowiak said Sydney Hammond, a member of the Class of 2023 and for whom Krakowiak also wrote a recommendation, was also selected to participate in this year’s summer program.
“I wrote both of them recommendations not even dreaming they would get in!” Krakowiak said.
To learn more about The Jackson Laboratory Summer Student Program, click here.