Talaria Summer Institute is a free medical and scientific research mentorship summer program for high school students of marginalized genders.
ABOUT
Talaria.
Talaria Summer Institute (TSI) is a free medical and scientific research mentorship summer program for high school students of marginalized genders (rising high school freshmen to rising college freshmen). TSI has chapters in many cities and also supports an online cohort of participants. All TSI mentors are professors, postdoctoral researchers, or Ph.D. candidates who are familiar with the area of research the mentor student is interested in. Mentorship is one-on-one to allow us to provide each student with the attention they need for an immersive, exciting experience. During the program, the participant will meet with the mentor at least four times or once per week. Participants will work on a research project under the guidance of their mentor and write a formal scientific research paper. At the end of the program, participants will present their research at the Talaria conference and receive a Talaria Scholar certificate. Their papers are reviewed and may be published in the annual edition of the appropriate Talaria journal.
Our Why.
The goal of TSI is to help students do the research they want to do—especially those students who don’t have access to similar opportunities. A mature scientific research project is an exhilarating, intellectually empowering, and transformative experience for a high school student, not to mention key in building a scientific career. However, many students from disadvantaged backgrounds may not be aware of research or have access to research opportunities. This includes the traditional definitions of underrepresented students and students who come from low-income families, as well as students who have faced unique challenges such as mental or physical health issues and students who live in countries that don’t offer research opportunities to teenagers. Even if students have available research opportunities, responsibilities at home or lack of financial support or transportation may prevent them from participating. Designed to combat all obstacles that might make it difficult for a student to participate in research, TSI is completely free, shorter than most summer programs, flexible because of the one-on-one mentorship model, and offers an online option.
TSI seeks curious, driven students who are genuinely passionate about science research and would not have the opportunity to conduct research without TSI.