On Friday, June 9, students from Hostos Community College in the South Bronx visited Levy Library and Icahn School of Medicine as part of a summer research seminar. This is the second year the Levy Library has hosted the Hostos students, and this cohort represented a diversity of interests including humanities, nursing, and science. The aim of this program is to give them in-depth exposure to a sophisticated research environment.
The students visited the lab of Dr. Joy Reidenberg who gave us an inside tour of her specimens and her dissection table.
They met with Dr. Emma Benn, who discussed her experiences as a graduate student, researcher, and faculty member at Mount Sinai.
Students also met with Amy Zhong and Christopher Smith, representatives from the Instructional Technology Group, who offered overviews on medical illustration and instructional design.
To top it all off, Robin O’Hanlon, Levy Library’s Assistant Library Director of Outreach and Public Services, gave a short presentation on getting started with health sciences research.
Here’s what the students had to say about the experience:
“Everyone that spoke to our group on Friday shared one thing in common. They all attended school, not knowing that this is where they will end up and they all seem extremely satisfied and passionate about their career. That inspires me and gives me hope that no matter what, I will end up exactly where I am meant to be in my career.”
“…the trip to Mt. Sinai and the people we met was very meaningful to me and I keep realizing how many professions exist that I really have never encountered, I suppose these people have all followed their passions and in some cases even carved out their own path in the professional world.”
“Last we saw a presentation by medical illustrators which is a way of merging science with art with helpful application. I immediately thought of my daughter Rebeccah because she loves to draw and even though Rebeccah says she wants to be an artist and a coroner, I am not sure she has the stomach to handle the smell of the dead, so when I got home I shared with her this fantastic field I have just come to know exists…”
“What I enjoyed the most was how Joy was explaining the reasons why she does this type of research. Her purpose, at the end of the day, is to improve the lives of individuals by helping them live longer and healthier lives.”
Thank you to everyone who made this visit a success!