UBRP Across Generations

Across two generations, UBRP has developed into a robust program that now provides its students with a multitude of resources, such as retreats, workshops, seminars, orientations, and peer mentors. Whether past or present, UBRP continues to remain at the pinnacle of providing undergraduate students with opportunities to explore the sciences and gain valuable experience through hands-on research, making UBRPers better prepared for their future professional endeavors.

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Chad Smelser, UBRP Alumnus (1991-1994) 

As a college student in the early 90’s, I did not know what I wanted to do or how my career and life might unfold. I knew I did not simply want a high-paying job. At the time, students were flocking to majors in business, finance, communications, and the humanities, but for me, I wanted to discover new ideas and somehow contribute to the world around me. UBRP started as a small program focused on the reengagement of undergraduates with the sciences. As a student bent on discovery with limited means, UBRP was perfect. I learned about what it takes to be a real scientist, how research laboratories function, and gained valuable experience for graduate studies. The neuroanatomy laboratory, where I worked for over 3 years, was at the University of Arizona College of Medicine and focused on understanding the auditory pathways relaying information into the brain. Designing and completing laboratory experiments, analyzing the data, and translating those data into research papers with meaning across scientific areas got me hooked for life. I knew I wanted lifelong learning and to pursue a career that would enhance our understanding of the world. Besides the laboratory time, I met intelligent and interesting academics, graduate students, and fellow UBRPers with broad insight into the world of science and academics. I ended up going to medical school and then to the CDC for a fellowship in applied public health practice and epidemiology. I have been an epidemiologist in Santa Fe, NM, for over 20 years, with a focus on infectious diseases. My son was born and raised in Santa Fe. After he gained acceptance to the University of Arizona as an undergraduate and decided on pursuing a career in the sciences, I mentioned he should look into UBRP.

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Kiran Smelser, Current UBRP Participant 

Based upon my father’s recommendation and my interest in healthcare research, I applied to UBRP’s Data Science Academy program for the summer of 2023. When I enrolled at the University of Arizona, my interests lay in both computer science and medicine. However, over the course of my first year, I noticed that my passion began to shift more heavily towards computer science, and more specifically, the machine learning and artificial intelligence sides of the computer science field. With my coursework being largely computational, I remained interested in exploring healthcare and medicine through the lens of research. Throughout my time at UBRP and as a member of the Hammer Lab, I have gained invaluable research experience that has greatly increased my understanding of medicine, what it means to be a scientist, as well as the field of healthcare more generally. UBRP now regularly hosts seminars and workshops pertaining to everything from the graduate school process and scientific poster presentations to the use of cannabinoids in the treatment of cancer. Additionally, I have been a member of the UBRP Ambassadors program, which assists in the planning of events and excursions for UBRP students, such as visiting the Reid Park Zoo, seed ball-making workshops, and game nights. Through many of these events and my time spent as an ambassador, I have made many connections with some of my UBRP peers that I hope will extend not only throughout my academic and scientific career but beyond as well.

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