Celebrating 20 years of the KEYS Research Internship and the class of 2026
The BIO5 Institute’s Keep Engaging Youth in Science (KEYS) Research Internship celebrates 20 years of providing transformative precollege research experience this summer and welcomes a new class of 60 students.
The BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona is pleased to announce the 20th cohort of KEYS interns and celebrate its 811 program alumni. The public is invited to celebrate the research and accomplishments of this year’s class at the KEYS Showcase on Friday, July 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m in the Health Sciences Innovation Building.
The KEYS internship is a unique, free, program that welcomes high school students from throughout the state to research labs at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Phoenix, and virtually. These interns, who go through a highly competitive selection process, spend seven weeks immersed in research while also receiving training and mentorship from faculty, graduate and post-doctoral students, and near-peer mentors.
The program is part of BIO5’s commitment to creating bioscience career pathways that provide students at all levels with deep research experience, preparing them to be the next generation workforce in Arizona and beyond. These students not only gain invaluable experience themselves but also contribute to the world-class research happening at the University of Arizona, with many returning to work in those same research labs as undergraduates and beyond.
“Access to pre-college research experiences can be truly transformative," said Vignesh Subbian, interim director of the BIO5 Institute. “KEYS is one-of-a-kind program that gives Arizona students real-world experience, meaningful mentorship, and a sense of belonging in science that can shape the trajectory of their lives.”
The class of 2026
This year’s cohort includes 60 students, chosen from over 500 applicants, the largest pool in the program’s history. These interns represent 38 Arizona Schools from 19 cities in Cochise, Coconino, Maricopa, Navajo, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yavapai, and Yuma Counties. Six of these schools have students participating in KEYS for the first time, including schools in Holbrook, Cottonwood, and Mesa. Forty-four students will be in Tucson, joined by 6 in Phoenix and a virtual cohort of 10.
The geographic diversity of the cohort is no accident. KEYS was able to increase access to the program this year by offering 14 students the opportunity to stay in university dorms at no cost, making it easier for those who do not reside in Tucson or Phoenix to participate. The KEYS team, joined by alumni, recruited heavily around the state to encourage applications from outside the larger metropoles. Access to no-cost dorms is thanks to a grant from the APS Foundation and individual support from Jan Davenport.
“This class is represented by students who are excited and motivated to learn,” said Kelle Hyland, KEYS program manager. “They have a true passion for researching ways to improve our communities and society as a whole.”
The program launches with the Meet Your Mentor lunch, where the cohort is introduced to their research labs and mentors for the first time. The research placements span bioscience and physical science labs to partnerships with university colleges across campus.
The students will be on campus through June and July, with their experience closing at the KEYS Research Showcase where they will present their work in a poster session on Friday, July 17 from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m in the Health Sciences Innovation Building.
20 years of impact
This year’s cohort joins over 800 students that have completed the program since it began 20 years ago.
Alumni have completed and are enrolled in advanced degrees in bioscience fields, work in industry, have published and contributed to research, and even mentor their own trainees. Many say that KEYS gave them the confidence they needed to pursue research careers and degrees and a competitive edge, as they had more direct research experience than their peers.
“Participating in the KEYS Program gave me early exposure to scientific thinking, collaboration, and laboratory techniques while building the confidence to pursue a STEM career,” said Alexis Cruickshank-Taylor, a 2018 KEYS alumnus. “Now, as a third-year PhD candidate, I continue to reflect on that experience with gratitude. KEYS not only gave me a head start on my career trajectory by helping me develop fundamental bioscience skills, but also introduced me to a community of peers and mentors who share a passion for advancing research and making a meaningful impact."
In addition to providing meaningful experience, the program fosters bioscience talent and expands pathways to enrollment in Arizona universities. 60% of alumni stay in Arizona for college, with the majority choosing to attend the University of Arizona and 98% of those majoring in STEM fields. 243 faculty from the University of Arizona have served as KEYS mentors, helping to shape the experience and build a mentorship ladder that inspires the students to become mentors themselves, with many returning as staff on the program and eventually taking on KEYS interns of their own.
“For two decades, KEYS has represented the very best of what BIO5 stands for: bringing people, ideas, and disciplines together to inspire the next generation of bioscience leaders,” said Subbian. “As we look towards the next 20 years, KEYS will continue cultivating a vibrant community of future scientists, innovators, and leaders who will shape the future of biosciences and health in Arizona and beyond.”
Support KEYS
KEYS thrives thanks to community support! Donations help fund tuition, financial aid, KEYS Crew, and overall programming. If you’re interested in making a difference for future KEYS interns, visit https://keys.arizona.edu/give.
About the University of Arizona BIO5 Institute
The BIO5 Institute at the University of Arizona connects and mobilizes top researchers in agriculture, engineering, biomedicine, pharmacy, basic science, and computational science to find creative solutions to humanity’s most pressing health and environmental challenges. Since 2001, this interdisciplinary approach has been an international model of how to conduct collaborative research, and has resulted in disease prevention strategies, promising new therapies, innovative diagnoses and devices, and improved food crops. For more information visit https://bio5.org/.