About PATHS-UP
The Precise Advanced Technologies and Health Systems for Underserved Populations (PATHS-UP) Engineering Research Center (ERC) was funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) in 2017. The goal of all NSF ERC funded programs is to integrate engineering research and education with technological innovation to transform national prosperity, health and security.
The specific vision of our PATHS-UP ERC is to change the paradigm for the health of underserved populations by developing revolutionary and cost-effective technologies and systems at the point-of-care. The initial PATHS-UP technologies and systems are designed to help with chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, which are leading causes of morbidity and mortality world-wide. Chronic diseases are particularly devastating in underserved communities in the United States where they are contracted at a higher rate than the national average. In these underserved communities, chronic diseases are increasingly a major cause of disability, even for younger people, and lead to poor quality of life and high health care expenditures. Thus, the burden of chronic disease is a grand challenge that requires cost-effective technologies to reduce mortality rates, emergency room visits, and hospitalizations, which disproportionately drive up healthcare costs. Technologies are also needed to help prevent or delay the disease, reducing the incidence of secondary complications and enhancing life quality.
Thus, to accomplish our vision, the PATHS-UP mission is 1) to engineer transformative, robust, and affordable, technologies and systems to improve healthcare access, enhance the quality of service and life, and reduce the cost of healthcare in underserved populations and 2) to recruit and educate a diverse group of scientists and engineers who are ready to lead the future in developing enabling technologies to improve health in underserved communities.
The PATHS-UP ERC team is led by Texas A&M University, with partners from the Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, the University of California at Los Angeles, Florida International University, and Rice University, and includes assessment experts from the Arizona State University.
Program Information
The PATHS-UP Young Scholars program offers high school students a summer experience on the UCLA campus with their High School PATHS-UP RET teacher. The main purpose of the Young Scholars program is for students to acquire experience in engineering research, scientific writing, and communication. Throughout the program, students will be introduced to college and career pathways in healthcare technologies, build a network of peers and share their experiences with classmates. The program provides students the opportunity to engage in leading-edge research in biomedical engineering. $2,500 in flat stipends will be given to each young scholar. Each young scholar will also receive $1,500 for a research supplies budget.
Eligibility
- Student interns must be:
- Current U.S. Citizen or permanent resident
- Sophomore or Junior from the Greater LA area and able to commute to UCLA as needed during summer program timeframe
- Age 16 or older
- Student interns must submit:
- An unofficial transcript of grades
- Provide a personal statement about why you are applying to the PATHS-UP Young Scholars Program
- A letter of recommendation from your RET-participating teacher
Program Goals
The goal of this program is to provide authentic research experiences for students interested in careers in health sciences, engineering, and biomedical research. During the course of the internship, students will:
- Conduct lab research in biomedical engineering and health technologies
- Connect research with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics classes
- Learn how to conduct literature searches and read scientific papers
- Build a network of peer student interns
- Attend seminars, meetings, and discussions with faculty researchers, graduate students, and educational staff
- Be introduced to research relevant college, career, and military pathways.
- Participate in a Virtual Research Symposium with interns from Texas A&M University, Florida International University, Rice, and the University of California Los Angeles
- Promote a culture of inclusion and diversity
Program Requirements for Student Interns
- Participate in all scheduled research periods, assignments, and virtual meetings
- Develop and produce a virtual research poster presentation specific to your project
- Create a Young Scholars Club at your school
Program Timeline
June 23 – July 25, 2025:
July’s Date is TBD
Academic Year 25-26:
Research at UCLA
Present at Engineering Research Symposium
Participate in Young Scholars Club
Stipends
$2,500 in stipends will be awarded upon completion of all assignments and the following milestones:
$500
Initiation Stipend
Complete lab safety training
$1,500
Present at Research Symposium
Complete Summer Program
$500
Young Scholars Club
Must meet three times per semester
$2,500
TOTAL STIPEND
Contact Information
For additional questions, please contact a PATHS-UP Program Administrator.