UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center brings real scientists — and pop culture — into L.A. classrooms
For many high school students, the term “scientist” conjures someone who doesn’t look like them or share their background. The UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center High School Outreach Program sets out to change that, bringing young researchers directly into classrooms for hands-on, interactive presentations.
This spring, undergraduate students, graduate students, postdoctoral scholars and early-career physician-scientists — participants in the center’s training programs — presented to more than 400 Los Angeles-area high school students, sharing not just their research but the winding paths that led them to become stem cell researchers at UCLA.
Science beyond the textbook
Trainee presenters drew on pop culture references to make stem cell biology click.
Dr. Antoni Martija, a postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. Aparna Bhaduri, used Pokémon evolution to explain how normal brain cells differ from brain cancer cells. Samuel Adubofour, an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Dr. Thomas Rando, related his work on skeletal muscle regeneration to LeBron James's ability to compete at an elite level well into his 40s.
"I enjoyed how interactive the presentations were," said Esteban Garcia, an 11th grade student at a participating school. "They asked us questions and related it to real life; it was about science but also about the things they loved, so it helped us better understand the concepts."
Hands-on materials left just as strong an impression. Miranda Sun, a graduate student in the lab of Dr. D'Juan Farmer, brought in fossilized mouse skulls to help students visualize her research on how skullcap bones grow during development. “They were alluring!” 11th grader Ashley Osuna said of the fossilized specimens.
‘It was cool to see people from a similar background as ours succeed in STEM’
Beyond discussing their research, the presenters shared challenges they've faced pursuing careers in STEM, showed videos documenting daily life in their labs and answered student questions about college life, financially preparing for a PhD and different paths in science.
"It was cool to see people from a similar background as ours succeed in STEM," said Marcus Bravo, an 11th grade student. "It was very inspiring to see different kinds of people who aren't usually represented as scientists in the media."
For many students, it was the first time they'd seen a scientist who looked or sounded like them.
"When students hear presenters talk about being first-generation college students or immigrating to the U.S., it helps them realize that these paths are open to them too — and that's incredibly powerful," said Rowland Santos, a magnet coordinator at South Gate High School.
The impact showed up in the numbers, too: of students who completed a post-outreach survey, 93% said they were more interested in pursuing a science career.
Connecting with the community
The sessions were equally memorable for the UCLA trainees. Designing presentations for a high school audience — rather than a room full of expert researchers — pushed them to rediscover the wonder in their own work.
"It was a rewarding challenge to find captivating analogies and pop culture connections that kept the students engaged while still accurately representing the science," Adubofour said. "The students asked interesting questions driven by genuine curiosity that helped me look at my work from a different perspective."
Others found value in the one-on-one conversations that followed the formal presentations, fielding questions about college applications, career pivots and what a scientist's daily life actually looks like.
"I feel like I got to be a mentor for them, even if just for an afternoon," said Patricia Rose De Leon, an undergraduate researcher in the lab of Dr. Steven Jonas. "For some students, a session like this can be the first time they picture themselves in a lab, or even just feel comfortable asking, 'how do I get from here to there?' "
That openness is exactly what the program aims to cultivate — curiosity about science and confidence that a STEM career is possible for students of any background.
"I learned that your story doesn't need to be perfect in order for you to succeed," said Alan Miranda, an 11th grader, after his session.
The UCLA Broad Stem Cell Research Center High School Outreach Program, launched in 2023, has now reached more than 1,200 students across five Los Angeles-area high schools.
It has also become a signature component of the center’s training programs, offering trainees a platform to hone their science communications skills while giving high school students direct exposure to working scientists and the research questions they’re tackling.
"This outreach program gives my students a window into real, cutting-edge research," said Nicole Bottomley, a biochemistry teacher at Odyssey STEM Academy. "It bridges the gap between what they're learning in the classroom and the science that's actually shaping our world."
