Recap: MoGen Grad Talk Sessions
As part of their summer programming schedule, high school students were invited to attend MoGen Grad Talk Info Sessions held at the Medical Science Building and the Donnelly Centre. In these sessions, graduate students in Molecular Genetics served as guest speakers and mentors, sharing their distinct experiences in the field. The sessions were facilitated by the Summer Mentorship Program (SMP) and STEAM-D, outreach programs under the Temerty Faculty of Medicine that aim to promote Health Sciences to underrepresented communities.
For the STEAM-D program, MoGen graduate mentors—Sina Fatehi, Ryan Marks, Sophie Karolczak, Yin Chen Wan, Francis Lefebvre, and Chen Chen— hosted roundtable panels that gave high school students a chance to learn about molecular genetics from specialists in the field. Alongside discussing their research topics, these mentors encouraged lively conversations covering genome editing, genetic diseases, and personalized cancer medicine.
To make the experience more interactive, Dr. Martina Steiner engaged the audience with a short introduction to Molecular Genetic research, showcasing her DNA model. She also included a just-for-fun competitive DNA quiz while wearing her favourite molecule-shaped earrings.
The Summer Mentorship Program provided another opportunity for our students to showcase the fascinating world of molecular genetics. Our graduate student mentors became guest speakers in a captivating panel discussion as Dr. Johanna Carroll hosted the Q&A. Through this discussion, they shared their research journeys within the department, offering high school students an intimate insight into genetics and its potential career pathways. The engagement went beyond the panel, leading to one-on-one conversations between students and mentors in the hopes of creating future connections.
