YES in THE HEIGHTS Program
About the Program
The YES in THE HEIGHTS program, formerly known as the Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience (CURE), at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center is a summer internship for high school and undergraduate students that aims to increase the pool of under-represented and under-resourced youth entering STEM fields.
In addition to diversifying active cancer research environments, the National Cancer Institute's Youth Enjoy Science (YES) Research Education Program (R25) aims to support institutions in the maintenance and development of innovative early intervention strategies to guide and prepare youth for a career in biomedical research.
The mission of the Northern Manhattan-based program “THE HEIGHTS” (Training in Health Equity, Highlighting Environmental Inequities, & Growing neighborHood Teachers and Students) is to reduce the cancer burden and cancer health inequities through training and mentorship. Over the course of two years, the YES Student Equity Scholars gain hands-on experience in cancer research by working alongside world-renowned researchers and physicians with a focus on cancer.
The 8-12 week program includes a formal orientation and hands-on scientific training as well as training in academic etiquette and professionalism, completion of an Individual Development Plan, required submission of a scientific abstract of their work, and for 2nd years, a scientific oral presentation.
Program Co-Leaders
Jasmine A. McDonald, PhD
- Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Mary Beth Terry, PhD
- Professor of Epidemiology (in Environmental Health Sciences)
Faculty Mentors
Population Science
Lauren Houghton, PhD
- Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Jeanine Genkinger, PhD
- Associate Professor of Epidemiology
Julie Herbstman, PhD
- Associate Professor of Environmental Health Sciences
Jasmine A. McDonald, PhD
- Assistant Professor of Epidemiology
Parisa Tehranifar, DrPH
- Associate Professor of Epidemiology at CUMC
Mary Beth Terry, PhD
- Professor of Epidemiology (in Environmental Health Sciences)
Clinical Science
Jennifer Effie Amengual, MD
- Herbert Irving Assistant Professor of Medicine
Katherine D Crew, MD
- Associate Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology at the Columbia University Medical Center
Alfred I Neugut, MD, PhD
- Professor of Epidemiology at CUMC
- Myron M. Studner Professor of Cancer Research (in Medicine)
Jianwen Que, MD, PhD
- Associate Professor of Medicine
Roshni Rao, MD FACS
- Vivian L. Milstein Associate Professor of Surgery at CUMC
Basic Science
Piero Dalerba, MD
- Assistant Professor of Pathology & Cell Biology
Cathy Lee Mendelsohn, PhD
- Professor of Urological Sciences (in Urology) and Pathology & Cell Biology and Genetics & Development (in the Institute of Human Nutrition)
Gary K Schwartz, MD
- Professor of Medicine at CUMC