Francisco Gomez Rivas-Vazquez RE ‘24 MIT ‘28

"The Young REsearchers Program (YREP) at RE truly prepared me to come to MIT and dive into an intense research ecosystem. I learned so much about not just technical excellence and the research process but how good mentorship and collaboration can propel research efforts forward. I joined YREP during my freshman year at the Upper School, and ever since then, I have been a researcher. I helped with various projects ranging from using optics to detect heavy metals in aqueous solutions to building precise optical positioning systems to using machine learning for spectral data analysis. This is often not the traditional high school experience, but it was made possible by the unique setup at RE: mentorship, facilities, and drive. A moment that stands out to me when I think back to my time in YREP was when we had many students go present at the American Physical Society (APS) March Meeting. 

During the APS March Meeting, I felt supported by Dr. Grace and Mr. Natland to not just be a student presenting a poster with my peers but to take up space and be part of the research community. I was inspired by the faculty and my fellow YREP researchers to ask questions, go to other posters, raise hands during talks, and network with others. I think this sets up a powerful mindset where one enters the research world with the hope to join and collaborate with other institutions. RE prepared me for what the real world has to offer, and my time at MIT has spoken to this. 

In my first month at MIT, I already joined the Edelman Lab under Post-Doctoral Fellow Shaniel Bowen to work on segmentations for 3D modeling the anatomy of women with pelvic floor disorders. Through this experience, I was able to bring in my skills from YREP through my collaborative and literature review background. YREP enabled me to feel independent in the lab where I was reading scans at MIT! I also understood how research ecosystems work due to the guidance of faculty like Dr. Grace, which helped me make a place for myself in the Edelman Lab where I am now involved in multiple projects. Moreover, I was then funded by the Edelman Lab to then work in Barcelona at Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya to support work regarding vasculature devices for thrombosis formation and vascular occlusion.

I want to also emphasize that the optics research at YREP provided me with the background to lead a review paper at MIT on optical methods in cancer monitoring where I mentor an undergrad alongside a research fellow to describe this evolving landscape. All together, YREP is a rare program that builds a community of changemakers; people who aim to better the world through a spark started in high school. In alignment with RE’s mission to provide equal access to people from diverse backgrounds, I recognize elements found in MIT where anyone can do truly exceptional research with a significant impact."