This past summer, the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering at Cornell University welcomed Ithaca High School junior Imri Kailash Wolf for a short-term summer research internship under the mentorship of Dr. Suélia Fleury Rosa, Senior Lecturer in the Master of Engineering (M.Eng.) Program. The initiative was supported by the Program Director, Professor Newton de Faria, whose vision for the M.Eng. program emphasizes a learning environment that fosters professional collaboration and meaningful community interaction. M.Eng. student Sophia Fikayomi Ayeni also contributed to the project, providing technical guidance and peer mentorship that offered Wolf early exposure to biomedical research, hands-on technical training, and the opportunity to engage directly with Cornell’s academic community.
The internship culminated in Wolf’s poster submission to the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) 2025 Annual Meeting, a significant milestone for a high school researcher. His poster, titled “Exploring Curing Properties of Latex-Silicone Composites for Biomedical Applications,” investigated the design of polymer-based materials that could one day serve as synthetic substitutes for biological tissues, such as the dura mater—the brain’s outermost protective layer.
“Imri’s work reflected genuine curiosity and scientific maturity well beyond his years,” said Dr. Rosa, who recently joined Cornell from Brazil, where she built a 22-year career in biomedical engineering education. “He approached every step with focus and creativity, connecting the principles of material science to real-world medical challenges.”
Beyond the lab work, the internship embodied Cornell’s commitment to community outreach and educational equity, connecting university expertise with the local public school system. Since joining Cornell, Dr. Rosa has been active in fostering STEM engagement among Ithaca youth, including spearheading volunteer initiatives with Ithaca High School, where her own children are students.
“When a student reaches out with such passion and initiative, it’s our responsibility as educators to nurture that drive,” Rosa said. “Programs like this demonstrate how universities and local schools can collaborate to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.”
The collaboration also resulted in Wolf and Rosa receiving a Student Leadership Grant from the Ithaca Public Education Initiative (IPEI), which supports projects led by Ithaca City School District students that create local impact and foster leadership skills.
Wolf described the experience as transformative: “When I worked under Professor Suelia, she didn’t just teach me how to work in the lab but also directed me to literature that helped me understand the patterns of thought and testing that make strong research,” he said. “Having originally reached out to her hoping just to be an extra lab hand, I was so happy when our back-and-forth of ideas snowballed into an independent project, and then into a presentation at a national meeting. She’s taught me so much about biomedical engineering, and about how to think to carry out the projects that matter to me.”
This partnership between Cornell University and Ithaca High School exemplifies how targeted outreach and mentorship can bridge educational levels—encouraging young scientists to dream big while grounding their ambitions in hands-on experience and community connection.