Scientific Enrichment Month

The Scientific Enrichment Month Program, brought to you by YES in THE HEIGHTS at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), is a free virtual program for grades 6 to 12 and undergraduate students held in the summer. This month-long program takes place in July and focuses on cancer education, scientific enrichment, and professional development.  

Students who participate listen and engage in a variety of lectures on topics like how to develop a hypothesis, what is cancer research, cancer health inequities, and public health. Students also join sessions on professional development with topics like resume writing, personal statements, interviewing skills, and public speaking. 

Scientific Enrichment Month is also interactive. Students will engage in online activities and students can join public health working groups. Public health working groups are focused on peer-to-peer education for community service hours. Some examples of our prior public health working groups include human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, skin cancer prevention, and tobacco use prevention. Working groups culminate in student presentations which are open to the student’s families and their community.

Lastly, those who participate in a specified number of sessions across the month have the opportunity of being granted an HICCC Certificate.

Past Topics

A sample of the sessions held in past Scientific Enrichment Month programming includes:  

• An introduction to cancer research, including panel discussions with professionals in the field 
• Cancer health equity and environmental equity in your community 
• Cancer prevention and risk reduction through behavior changes 
• Insights from researchers in the field of oncology 
• Professional development such as lectures on how to write a personal statement and how to submit a strong college application (parents invited) 
• Hands-on, student-led activities 

Program Information

Program Dates: July 5 to July 27, 2023 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4:0o to 5:30 PM (EST)

Location: Online through Zoom. All students who enroll will receive the Zoom link direct to the email listed on the registration form. 

How to Register

Registration Opens:  February 1st, 2023 

Registration Closes: June 26th, 2023 

Please submit a complete registration form.

Contact

Kimberly Burke, Assistant Director of Operations, Community Outreach 

Email: krb2160@cumc.columbia.edu  

Marian LaForest, Education and Training Program Manager 

Email: ml4338@cumc.columbia.edu