Miriam Robak is spending 6 weeks of her summer at the University of Calgary Campus doing research for a project that is investigating the connection between conditions in early childhood development and later adult health.
This unique opportunity came about through the Heritage Youth Researcher Summer Program (HYRS) which is funded by Alberta Innovates –Health Solutions. Requirements for this hands on scientific research at various Alberta Universities are an obvious love of the sciences which are reflected in the minimum grades needed for application. To be eligible for consideration Robak had to have finished grade 11 with a minimum mark of 85% in Math 20, Biology 20 and one other grade 11 science to apply. Participating universities included Calgary’s U of C, Edmonton’s U of A and the University of Lethbridge.
A year and a half ago Robak starting her own investigation for her life direction inspired by the Calm or Career and Life Management class that is a mandatory course in high school . She was attracted to a career path as a dietician and continued her own research into this field of study by talking to family friends who had chosen this line of work. “As I looked more deeply at this field I saw myself fitting into this path,” she said.
Through the encouragement of the school’s guidance counselor, and Science Teacher, Ms. Wasyleczko she decided to apply for the research project. One student was chosen from each school and Robak was awarded this position of top honor. Applications had to be submitted before February 2013 with an in depth essay outlining what each student would want to do with the research and an end career goal. An honorarium is awarded to each participant for their dedication to their chosen study.
Robak said of her keen desire to help people, “My interest is in research that will help the aging population stay healthier.” This desire is also expressed through her extracurricular activities that include being Youth Rep for the Chestermere Town Council, her participation in the YELL youth group and being part of the Prince of Peace Youth Group.
The six week research project is under the umbrella of U of C’s Faculty of Nursing working with Dr. Karen Benzies. Robak said her work involves the analysis of data from a study linking degrees of maternal bonding with rat mothers and their offspring and their subsequent health. She said, “Adverse encounters in early childhood have lifelong effects such as obesity or mental illness. ” Finding a correlation between animal and human behavior is not always easy to find especially in developmental research so Robak’s goal is to find an adaptive measure that will be of use in a practical manner.
The HYRS program is not all work, with time allotted for the 22 participants from the Calgary campus to engage in some fun group activities such as swimming and laser tag. There are also other opportunities to get out of the lab through field trips meant to peak interest in related disciplines such as the Gene Therapy tour or the Gross Anatomy Lab tour.
To round out her academic calendar, Robak also engages in gym, art and sports medicine. At home she likes to play the piano. “I like music, “she says. This multi-talented teenager will certainly make her mark in the world through her focus and dedication to what she enjoys. Future education goals will take her to an eventual masters level of education and perhaps she will become a mentor in turn.
