SDSC Mentor Assistance Program Inspires High School Students in STEM

Published July 16, 2024

More than 50 high school students presented posters and lightning talks at the recent MAP Finale.  Credit: Kimberly Mann Bruch, SDSC Communications

By Maryam Abdul-Aziz and Kimberly Mann Bruch, SDSC Communications

Last month, the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC) at UC San Diego held the Ninth Annual Mentor Assistance Program (MAP) Showcase. Led by SDSC Education Manager Ange Mason, the program serves students in grades 10-12 from the Greater San Diego area, and it was designed for high schoolers to gain more experience with academic research.

“Our goal with the MAP students is to encourage them to pursue careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM),” Mason said. “We pair students with expert mentors throughout the UC San Diego campus from a variety of disciplines to conduct in-depth research projects over the course of eight months."

The MAP Finale, held in the SDSC Auditorium last month, encompassed over 50 students who presented their work in one-minute lightning talks to an audience of hundreds of parents, students and UC San Diego community members. Afterward, attendees were invited to a poster session where participants showcased their posters and answered questions about their experience in more detail.

"The experience that I gained as a MAP participant really helped me solidify my interest in neuroscience and allowed me to gain valuable research experience in the field,” said Advay Shindikar, a senior at Del Norte High School, who was mentored by Ece Bayram of the UC San Diego Neurosciences Department.

Mason said that the program is set to begin its 10th year of operation on October 1 and will include 13 mentors across eight STEM fields. She said that there are more than 60 students scheduled to be part of the new cohort of 2024-2025 MAP students.