In this eight-week, hands-on summer program, high school students, primarily rising juniors and seniors, engage in cutting edge cancer research by working in laboratories directed by dedicated faculty at six sites across the University of Pittsburgh campus and one site in Germany. Over the course of its history, The UPCI Academy has become an award-winning STEM program that prepares college-bound teenagers for successful careers in science and medicine. Scholars in The UPCI Academy explore complex questions within a particular area of cancer research. The majority of their time is spent working in the lab with their assigned mentors. The remaining time is spent receiving didactic instruction; touring facilities dedicated to clinical cancer care and research; participating in journal clubs; and attending cameo presentations by accomplished professionals in the field. At the end of the program, each scholar delivers a ten-minute oral presentation and participates in a poster symposium that reflects their findings in the lab. Those who participate in The UPCI Academy have the opportunity to do the following:
- Receive college and career preparation through our professional development and enrichment activities
- Interact with leading scientists and doctors
- Have a fun, rewarding summer in a unique research and training experience
