Abstract:

This contribution presents a three-year STEM immersion pathway developed within the Joves i Ciència programme (Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, Barcelona, Spain), designed to provide pre-university students with high-impact scientific experiences. The case study follows a student who progressed through all stages of the program— Summer Research Camp, International Scientific Workshop, and Research Internship in a University Laboratory —illustrating how prolonged immersion in real scientific environments can foster talent, autonomy and scientific vocation in pre-university education.

In Stage 1, the student completed a 15-day residential course in molecular biology, where she learned experimental design, microscopy, bacterial transformation, antibiotic-resistance assays and scientific writing. To progress to the next phase, participants were required to write a scientific article. Under the supervision of the BioremUAB research group (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), the student conducted initial bioremediation experiments in Erlenmeyer flasks, assessing the ability of Trametes versicolor and Pleurotus ostreatus to degrade Bisphenol A (BPA). This first set of experiments formed the basis of the article that allowed her to advance to Stage 2.

For her mandatory upper-secondary research project, she expanded this study by performing complementary enzymatic assays and additional tests in a fluidized-bed bioreactor to explore fungal performance under more realistic operating conditions. In this bioreactor, T. versicolor achieved complete BPA removal within 48 hours. The combined results of these advanced experiments were incorporated into her final research project.

The second stage consisted of a two-week international workshop on the Molecular Biology of Aging at the Rosetta Institute (University of Berkeley, USA). The program combined theoretical modules—embryogenesis, stem cells, epigenetics, mitochondrial dysfunction, senescence and age-related diseases—with practical training in PCR, electrophoresis, Western Blotting and flow cytometry. This training expanded her practical laboratory skills and provided her with a solid insight into modern biomedical research. Between the second and third stages, the student presented her extended research project at the XXV Exporecerca Jove fair (Barcelona), where she received several awards, including the Special Award of Fundació Catalunya La Pedrera, which supported her participation in Regeneron ISEF 2024 (Los Angeles).

In Stage 3, the student joined the JP Lab at the Wellcome Centre for Cell Biology (University of Edinburgh) for a six-week research stay. Her project focused on centrosome biology, analyzing proteomic changes following CENP-32 depletion and mapping its interactome during mitosis. This stage offered a fully authentic research environment comparable to the training received during the early years of a PhD program.

Across the three stages, the student received seven awards from universities, scientific institutions and the Government of Catalonia. Now studying Biotechnology, her trajectory illustrates the educational impact of sustained research-based learning. This case highlights a replicable model of collaboration between schools, universities and international research centres, showing how early engagement with real scientific environments can strengthen motivation, improve academic performance and orient students toward scientific careers.

Keywords:

STEM education, research immersion, pre-university students, scientific careers, student motivation.