10/20/2026
Imagine being 16 and driving a scanning electron microscope for the first time. At the New York Structural Biology Center, students rotated through hands-on stations led by the scientists who use these tools every day. They explored the microscopic terrain of insects, watched liquid nitrogen freeze everyday objects in seconds, and saw how X-rays turn tiny crystals into 3D maps of molecules. They also got an up-close look at the Titan Krios, a state-of-the-art cryo-electron microscope that helps reveal the body's molecular machines in stunning detail, and learned how scientists freeze samples to preserve them in their most natural state. Along the way, they saw how 3D printing and robotics help researchers design new lab equipment and make science more reproducible.
Thank you to the NYSBC team who made it all come alive: Arjun Koshal, Jeff Kieft, Michael Goger, Rohit Kannachel, Omer Dermanci, Ricky Peguero, Christina Zimanyi, Chase Budell, Slavic Serbynovskyi, and Michael Rudolph.
At the CUNY Advanced Science Research Center, students stepped into the world of nanoscience. Using dish soap and milk, they watched molecules assemble themselves into tiny structures called micelles. In the Nano Lab, they saw how a single amino acid, phenylalanine, can turn a liquid into a gel. The day wrapped up with a talk from Rein Uljin, Founding Director of the Nanoscience Inititative at CUNY ASRC, and a microscope demonstration exploring melanin, the pigment behind the color of our skin, hair, and eyes. Thank you to Kendra Krueger, Evelyn Roman Lazen, Aurora Caraballo Genevieve Nieson and Rein Ulijn.
Just down the road in West Harlem, students at the Taystee Lab Building kicked off the morning with Russell Reynolds Associates, practicing their elevator pitches, a skill they'll use for the rest of their careers. From there, they rolled up their sleeves for hands-on science with Genspace, HYPOTHEkids, and Biohub at Taystee, and with BioBus at Columbia's Zuckerman Institute. RSM rounded out the day with a session on financial literacy and what it takes to fund a biotech company. Thank you to everyone including Robert Frawley, Ben Dubin-Thaler, Marisa Mitchell; Natalija Drakulovic, Sarai Mena, Casey Lardner, Joe Wolfe, KaTrina.Dinham, Jim McHugh; Justina Torres, Susan Rosenthal. A very special Thank you goes to Genadiy Portnoy, and Scott Metzner at Janus Property for hosting everyone at their beautiful space. And to Biohub for sponsoring the event.
For many students, it was the first time they met a scientist who grew up nearby or looked like them. That's what this day is about: showing students that a future in science isn't far away. It's right down the street. Part 2 of 5 in our series.
