Summer Student Program Class of 2025 excels in their summer of discovery

In Commencement ceremonies held last week in Bar Harbor, Maine and Farmington, Conn., members of the SSP class of 2025 received their certificates of completion and were welcomed into JAX’s SSP alumni community.

Laura Muller, director of STEM and undergraduate education, reflected on the skills students gained as they trained and collaborated throughout the summer.

“You grew not only as scientists, but as people,” Muller said, addressing the Bar Harbor cohort. “You dissected papers, practiced scientific storytelling and became more confident in the lab. You learned that failure is part of research, and that sometimes you have to try 100 things before you find the one that works.” 

The 32 students in this year’s class were selected from a pool of more than 500 applicants. They represent 19 states, 27 universities and two high schools.

A program fueled by curious young scientists

Now in its second century as one of JAX’s signature educational programs for up-and-coming scientists, the Summer Student Program offers hands-on participation in mentored research experiences for undergraduate students. To date, the program has graduated more than 3,000 alumni including three Nobel laureates.

For 10 weeks, SSP students worked collaboratively on a lab team to develop a research project exploring the genetic mechanisms of human disease. The class of 2025 covered a range of research topics including genetic resistance to triple-negative breast cancer, the inheritance of Alzheimer’s disease from one generation to the next, and the processes by which the brain repairs itself after a stroke. One student explored a potential link between bladder dysfunction and biological sex. Another, returning to JAX for her second summer, continued research into the connection between aging and chronic kidney disease.

Farmington resident assistant Syed Ali, SSP '21, praised students for their commitment to discovery.

“Every pipette you hold, every line of code you write, every question you ask — these aren’t just research activities,” he said. “They signal your dedication to the idea that science is still alive and that discovery is always possible. You belong in this space, and this space must make room for you.”

Education in the lab and in life

The SSP has a long reputation as a home of lifelong friendships and connections. Over the years many alumni, inspired by the opportunity to pass the experience to a new generation of scientists, have chosen to support the program through philanthropic gifts. This vital support helps provide students an immersive residential experience and access to JAX’s full range of scientific resources.

The class of 2025 continued the tradition by building community among themselves. Lessons in teamwork and collaboration that began in the lab extended to their living-learning experience, where they shopped for groceries together, coordinated weekend dinners, and bonded over late-night talks about the progress of their research.

“Thank you for making the summer so magical,” said Katherine Sanderson, SSP '25, “and for providing a space for us to learn and grow.”