Brown Foundation increases impact of BIO5 KEYS Research Internship

As the BIO5 Institute’s Keep Youth Engaging in Science (KEYS) Research Internship enters its 20^th year in 2026, its impact has been made even larger thanks to a generous gift from the Thomas R. Brown Foundations.   

The $500,000 endowment gift permanently funds several spots for physical science interns within the program. While it may be unusual to include physical science in a bioscience program, this gift expands the cross-disciplinary exposure KEYS offers to students interested in scientific careers. 

In 2018, the University of Arizona College of Science approached KEYS to discuss physical sciences becoming part of the KEYS program, which was already established as a rigorous model for high school research experiences. The Brown Foundations supported these students in the physical sciences from the inception. A new partnership was formed, with the College providing mentors for two physical science students as part of the regular cohort. Since its inception, projects have included topics such as creating nanostructures with focused ion beam milling and investigating non-rare earth metal components of magnets.  

In 2024, the Brown Foundations came to KEYS about increasing the placements in physical sciences. As a result of these discussions and annual funding from the Brown Foundations, the program began accepting five students a year. In the most recent applicant pool, 70 students indicated physics as one of their areas of interest. Given the high demand from students, the Foundations subsequently chose to provide an endowment to fund the spots in perpetuity starting with the 2026 cohort. 

This is not the first gift to KEYS from the Foundations: they previously established a separate endowment to provide general student support. Their contributions have been essential to the program’s growth and making it accessible to participants.  

“We are grateful to be in a position to support these opportunities in perpetuity,” said Sarah Smallhouse, President of the Brown Foundations. “The impact that KEYS has on students is an inspiration. Students frequently express how their internship experience shaped what they want to do in life and clarified the path to achieve their dreams.  These are bright, motivated kids. We feel fortunate we can make KEYS experiences possible, including in the physical sciences.” 

The KEYS program is a unique scientific opportunity for Arizona high schoolers. The free internship is often life and career-shaping, with interns actively participating in research projects over the course of seven weeks in the summer. Ninety-eight percent of KEYS alums who have graduated from high school and attend college pursue STEM degrees. Offering physical science students the chance to participate expands the opportunity of the unique KEYS experience to students interested in physics and chemistry students.  

This year, KEYS celebrates 20 years and its largest class of applicants ever. Five hundred and fifteen students from across the state applied for the 60 spots, spread between Tucson, Phoenix, and virtual cohorts. Returning for 2026 since the pandemic is free on-campus housing for students outside of the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas, thanks to a grant from the APS Foundation and an increased gift by Jan Davenport. This is the first summer since the pandemic that housing has been offered. 

The 20^th KEYS class will join over 800 alumni who have been a part of the program since 2006. The generous gift from the Thomas R. Brown Foundations to permanently support physical science students and the return of free on-campus housing is part of BIO5’s vision to grow the research workforce in Arizona.  

“This gift will provide more high school students with the opportunity to be exposed to mentored research training as a pathway for their future education and career goals,” says Kelle Hyland, program manager for KEYS. “These students are our future scientists who will use their knowledge and skills to solve global challenges and enhance the world’s well-being.” 

KEYS is a vital part of BIO5’s mission to provide training in biosciences. 

 “Research talent is and will be one of the most sought-after resources of this century and cultivating that talent at every level is central to BIO5's mission," said Vignesh Subbian, interim director of BIO5.  “Generous philanthropic support like this gift from Thomas R. Brown Foundations is what makes that work sustainable and enduring. We hope to fully endow KEYS in the near future, so the program can thrive for generations to come.” 

The 2026 KEYS Showcase in on Friday, July 17.