Gladstone Summer Scholar Awarded Ron Mardigian Scholarship from Bio-Rad

Kainat Shaikh received a highly competitive Ron Mardigian Scholarship from Bio-Rad. Ms. Shaikh, a recent graduate from Burton High School in Bayview-Hunter’s Point, was a Gladstone Summer Scholar (GSS) in the lab of JJ Miranda, PhD, last summer. She was mentored by postdoctoral fellow Kristen Keck, PhD, and graduate student Stephanie Moquin.

The Bio-Rad Scholarship Program provides financial assistance to deserving students who want a career in science. The Ron Mardigian Scholarship is awarded each year to the one applicant that stands out above the rest. It was created to honor the memory of Ron Mardigian, who led Bio-Rad’s Biotechnology Explorer™ program that continues to inspire millions of students around the world to explore their interests in science.

In her scholarship-application essay, Ms. Shaikh discussed how her internship at Gladstone influenced her passion for a career in science.

“Through an extensive application process, I was granted the privilege to perform research on HIV [at Gladstone] using live, infected immune cells. Although the research I conducted was a roller-coaster ride, it taught me that, when performing research, you often fail and continue to, but then you reach that turning point. And it is that successful moment that becomes the highlight of a rewarding experience. Safe to say, the internship changed the course of my life. Seeing that I could be a part of this community, and having mentors who were women, deepened my passion and interest for the subject.”

The GSS program is a 9-week summer internship for rising seniors from a public high school within the San Francisco Unified School District. The program is open to all students, but it focuses primarily on applicants from low-income backgrounds and/or groups that are historically underrepresented in the sciences.

“Kainat has worked very hard, and we’re happy to see her perseverance be recognized and rewarded,” said Dr. Miranda. “Her curiosity, enthusiasm, and desire to make a difference represent the qualities in young scientists that we hope to nurture through Gladstone Outreach.”