Seventeen Oklahoma high school and college students have been selected as Sir Alexander Fleming Scholars and will spend the summer working with senior scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.
The 11 high-schoolers and six collegians were selected from nearly 100 applicants for the program, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. The students, all of whom are contemplating careers in medical research, will complete individual research projects, write scientific papers for publication and present their work in formal seminars.
“This program gives students a rich, life-changing experience. Sure, they learn more about science, but they also learn about teamwork, persistence and what it’s like to live a life devoted to medical research,” said Shari Hawkins, program coordinator. “For students at this age, there is no comparable place for them to learn these things in a short eight weeks.”
Two of OMRF’s faculty members, Judith James, M.D., Ph.D., and Rodger McEver, M.D., got their start as Fleming Scholars.
“Having a bright, curious and energetic summer student in the lab is always an interesting experience for the researchers,” McEver said. “A talented student raises new questions and offers fresh perspectives on science.”
The Fleming Scholars program has served as a model for similar programs nationwide since its creation in 1956. More than 400 students have been trained through the program at OMRF.
“It’s a wonderful way for students to learn, at an early stage of their education, what the discipline of science really is,” McEver said. “They should learn that science is always in flux and that it is far more interesting than a series of static facts in a textbook.”
OMRF will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Fleming Scholars program in July with a banquet. Former scholars have been invited to attend the banquet and tour OMRF’s facilities. This year’s scholars, who arrive at OMRF in early June, will lead the facility tours.
The 2006 Fleming Scholars are:
Kelly Anderson, Tulsa, Union High School
Jolie Britt, Edmond, Oklahoma State University
Thelben Burrell, Oklahoma City, Northwest Classen High School
Stephanie Easter, Tulsa, University of Oklahoma
Kristen Fenska, Miami, Miami High School
Geraint Harris, Burns Flat, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Amber Kuzmic, Oklahoma City, University of Oklahoma
Rufei Lu, Edmond, University of Oklahoma
Catalina Lupu, Oklahoma City, Classen School of Advanced Studies
Anna McGeachy, Oklahoma City, Putnam City North High School
Erin Rapp, Tulsa, University of Oklahoma
Nadia Sebastian, Oklahoma City, Creighton University
Erich Spaeth, Harrah, Harrah High School
Taryn Tate, Shawnee, Shawnee High School
Xhu Judy Wang, Ponca City, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Aaron Weaver, Miami, Miami High School
Yu Jonathan Xia, Edmond, Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics
Photos of the 2006 Fleming Scholars are available upon request.
About OMRF:
Celebrating its 60th birthday in 2006, OMRF (www.omrf.org) is a nonprofit biomedical research institute dedicated to understanding and curing human disease. Its scientists focus on such critical research areas as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, lupus and cardiovascular disease. It is home to Oklahoma’s only member of the National Academy of Sciences.
