KEYS Research Internship Program: Opening Doors to Scientific Discovery

In an era where scientific advancement is paramount, fostering the next generation of researchers is crucial. The Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) Research Internship Program at the University of Arizona stands as a beacon, illuminating pathways for young, aspiring scientists, particularly women, to engage in real-world discovery. This program not only provides hands-on experience but also empowers students to envision themselves as future leaders in STEM fields.

A Commitment to Representation and Access

In celebration of International Day of Women and Girls in Science, universities around the world are spotlighting the importance of representation, mentorship, and access in shaping the future of scientific discovery. While KEYS serves a diverse group of aspiring researchers, its commitment to expanding access and opportunity plays an important role in encouraging more young women to pursue and thrive in STEM fields. The KEYS program embodies a commitment to expanding access and opportunity, playing a vital role in encouraging more young women to pursue and thrive in STEM fields. Supported by advanced lab technologies, data analysis tools, and research computing infrastructure, these experiences allow students to engage in real-world discovery from the very start of their academic journeys.

A Personal Mission: Inspiring the Next Generation

For Dr. Melissa Herbst-Kralovetz, Director and Professor of the Translational Women’s Health Research Program, and a KEYS mentor, that mission is deeply personal. She traces her passion for women’s health research back to graduate school, where her work in host-microbe interactions in the female reproductive tract revealed just how much remained unknown. “It blew my mind how little we knew about women’s biology and health,” she said. “Women deserve better.” That realization sparked a career dedicated to advancing understanding in women’s health - from improving quality of life to developing painless diagnostics and studying understudied gynecologic diseases. But just as impactful as the research itself is the responsibility to bring the next generation into the lab.

Creating research pathways early, she explained, can be transformative. “It gives young women permission to see themselves as scientists and innovators,” Herbst-Kralovetz said. “When a student conducts their first experiment, presents a poster, or works on a manuscript, it can change how they view their own potential.” Growing up in rural Arizona, she had never met a scientist before college and didn’t know what a PhD was. Undergraduate lab experience ultimately redirected her path from pre-med to graduate research - a trajectory she now helps make visible to others.

Experiencing "A Day as a Scientist"

Through KEYS, students gain hands-on lab exposure, technical training, and even publication opportunities. These immersive experiences allow participants to envision “a day as a scientist,” building confidence whether they pursue research, medicine, or industry. “I think the most impactful and rewarding aspect is helping them build their confidence as scientists,” she said. “These experiences can guide them toward medical school or graduate school, or simply help them discover where they belong.”

Read also: "Lesson Learned": A Deeper Look

KEYS Program Details

The Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) Internship program is a seven-week, in-person program held at the University of Arizona’s BIO5 Institute, a state-of-the-art bioscience research center specializing in agriculture, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and science.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the KEYS Research Internship, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be a high school student with a strong interest in bioscience, engineering, environmental health, or biostatistics.
Be a U.S. citizen or legal resident.
Have lived in Arizona for at least one year.

The program also recommends that students have studied biology and/or chemistry in high school, though this isn’t a necessary condition to be accepted.

Program Structure

The KEYS Internship, a seven-week program, is split into three main parts:

Week 1: Training. You will learn basic research techniques, some scientific communication skills, and more about bioscience and data science techniques used in laboratories.
Weeks 2-6: Lab research. You will be assigned to a research lab and paired with a U-Arizona researcher based on your stated interests during this time. These five weeks include 35+ hours weekly of lab work, seminars, and discussions relating to ongoing research.
Week 7: Poster prep and presentation. The program’s last week goes into preparing your scientific poster detailing the research you conducted and showcasing it in a conference-style setting to faculty, peers, friends, and family. At the end of the program, KEYS interns present their research to friends, family, and the academic community at a research showcase.

Curriculum and Research Areas

As an intern, you will spend seven weeks conducting biosciences research at U-Arizona’s BIO5 Institute. You can choose any of the following research areas: agriculture, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, and science, and will be assigned a mentor accordingly. Mentors are present/past college students who oversee your work under the supervision of principal investigators, who are faculty members and BIO5 researchers. Research projects done by previous years’ students include investigating the microbiome and autism spectrum disorder, high-resolution mass spectrometry screening, using electronic health records to analyze valley fever and pneumonia patients, using imaging for brain trauma treatment, counting wasp neurons, and much more.

Students who participate in KEYS are enrolled, tuition free, in MCB 103 and receive 3 credits with the University of Arizona.

Important Dates

The program runs from June 2 to July 18. Application will open in Fall. No application deadline has been given yet.

Cost and Financial Aid

Nothing, the program is free! You can avail of financial aid to cover transportation and other associated costs. In addition to waiving tuition fees, U-Arizona offers deserving candidates financial aid to cover associated costs like travel, stay, meals, and even monetary support to let you supplement leave of absence from another job, if you already have one.

Prestige and Selectivity

The KEYS Internship is prestigious and selective. In the past, the acceptance rate was 13%. You do not pay any tuition fee and get an immersive, seven-week research experience while being mentored by faculty. universities. U-Arizona ranks #50 nationally in the biological sciences and factors that limit selectivity include cohort size and eligibility criteria. The KEYS Internship accepts 50-60 students annually, and you must have lived in Arizona for a year to be eligible.

Why Join the KEYS Internship?

Are you interested in the program? Here are seven reasons to consider becoming a KEYS Intern:

You join an intensive program and conduct hands-on research
The KEYS Internship is a seven-week research internship at U-Arizona’s BIO5 lab, where you will conduct relevant research in the biological sciences while receiving 1-1 mentorship.
You will gain important skills
Apart from lab research, you will learn about scientific communication, especially academic writing and presentation, data science, and biostatistics, which will help you during the internship and beyond.
You earn college credits
You can earn three credits for U-Arizona’s molecular biology undergraduate course, which you can use if you opt for a bioscience-focused program at the university!
You don’t have to pay anything!
KEYS is a free program, making it more accessible.
You will have an advantage if you pursue your undergraduate degree at U-Arizona
Apart from earning redeemable college credit, participating in KEYS guarantees your admission into U-Arizona’s W.A. Franke Honors College should you choose to pursue an undergraduate degree. W.A. Franke focuses on experiential learning to complement your degree, allowing you to take small classes and research projects with college faculty.
You get to do a research project
During the program, you will complete an independent research project under the mentorship of a U-Arizona college student and faculty principal investigators. This project can span several core areas of bioscience. In previous years, program alumni have used the internship to investigate autism, diseases like valley fever and pneumonia, wasp neurons, and brain trauma.
You can leverage your experience for a strong recommendation letter
Completing an intensive research internship and presenting a compelling project can leave a strong impression on your mentor and program coordinators, who can write you a valuable recommendation letter to help you when applying to college!

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