ISB News

Intern Notebook: Our First Field Trip

By Isiac Orr
ISB High School Intern

In an effort to enrich both summer internship programs at ISB and Seattle Children’s Research Institute (SCRI), high school interns from both institutes gathered recently to learn about their respective programs. The interns first met at ISB to get an introduction and take photos. The group then followed Dr. Becky Howsmon, award-winning senior scientist at SCRI, to tour SCRI’s discovery portal and lab facilities.

The interns from ISB cycled through SCRI’s discovery center, which featured activities detailing the institute’s history, their scientists, and areas of research impact. Afterward, there was time for an impromptu discussion about the discovery center experience, but most people chose to reflect quietly. A few interns, however, did end up sharing opinions on the astounding scope of SCRI’s research, the aid that it can provide, and how pleasantly the discovery portal was set up.

Next, Dr. Howsmon led the group to the lab and further explained some of the research that was being conducted at the institute. SCRI covers everything from analyzing microbiomes to regenerating zebrafish, which captivated the science-driven students. For the ISB interns, seeing SCRI labs, which resemble ISB’s labs, sparked a sense of unity because they could see themselves as equals to their young colleagues at SCRI. The group continued to the top floor, which opens to a beautiful view of the city framed by skyscrapers and the Space Needle.

Buca di Beppo generously donated food for the group to enjoy as everyone mingled with the aid of ice-breaking activities at each of the tables. Laughs and stories carried the field trip to its conclusion with a presentation from one of the SCRI interns. Her poster portrayed the research she had performed, what she had learned, and what she aspired to do with the experience she had gained. Linnea Stavney, one of the ISB high school interns, described the field trip as simply “good food, good people, good science.”

Recent Articles

  • Drs. Jennifer Hadlock and Alexandra Ralevski

    ISB Study Highlights AI’s Potential and Pitfalls in Analyzing Health Data

    New peer-reviewed research out of ISB highlights the strengths of large language models in uncovering social determinants of health while underscoring the need for human oversight and improved de-identification methods.

  • Dr. Sid Venkatesh

    Sid Venkatesh Publishes Co-First Authored Paper in Science

    ISB Assistant Professor Dr. Sid Venkatesh is the co-first author of a paper in the journal Science. While at Washington University in St. Louis, Venkatesh and colleagues identified a novel gut microbial enzyme that impacts satiety-related signaling pathways in undernourished children treated with microbiota-directed complementary foods.

  • AmeriCorps Member Faduma Hussein Joins ISB as Public Health Ambassador Coordinator

    Faduma Hussein recently joined the ISB Education team as the Public Health Ambassador Coordinator, becoming only the fourth AmeriCorps member to serve at ISB. In this Q&A, she shares insights into her education, what drew her to ISB, career aspirations, and more.