Claire Lee \u201924 (CLAS) dreams of one day becoming a lawyer. She wants to discuss real-world issues, speak truth to power, and above all, enact tangible social change.<\/p>\n
This summer, she\u2019s getting a head start.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere’s a lot of improvement and change that the world needs right now,\u201d says Lee, a rising junior from Glastonbury double-majoring in political science and ecology and evolutionary biology. \u201cI wanted to try something new and meaningful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lee has spent 10 weeks immersed in UConn\u2019s TIP Innovation Fellowship Program,<\/a> which pairs undergraduate and graduate students with startup companies in UConn\u2019s Technology Incubation Program (TIP) for mentored research experiences.<\/p>\n The summer program receives more than 200 applications per cycle and includes students from nearly 20 different majors across the University. This year\u2019s cohort of 33 fellows is the largest yet.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s an experience that’s meant to build creativity and a different way of thinking about problems that isn\u2019t taught in any other setting,\u201d says founder and director Caroline Dealy \u201989 Ph.D., an associate professor at UConn Health. \u201cTIP fellows are not considered students by their host startup companies \u2014 they’re considered team members.\u201d<\/p>\n As a fellow for Stamford-based Social Labs<\/a>, Lee spearheads user research during the initial stages of product development. The company, which was founded by alumni Sahil Laul \u201919 (CLAS) and Sameer Laul \u201915 (CLAS), applies creative problem-solving to society\u2019s biggest challenges by combining the arts, sciences, and humanities.<\/p>\n \u201cRight now, we’re working on a novel journalistic platform that seeks to combine the power of communities with the speed of social networks as a tool for verified and organized information,\u201d she says. \u201cWe think that access to reliable information around the world is a fundamental human right.\u201d<\/p>\n Working alongside two other fellows, Lee helps identify the platform\u2019s target audience in their quest to \u201cdeliver global truth through citizen news.\u201d Part of her role includes evaluating what complex societal issues the company needs to address and helping users navigate through click bait headlines.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery product that is released into the market needs a user base,\u201d she says. \u201cI’m the one who oversees and develops that kind of strategy, while getting people better informed about what’s going on around us.\u201d<\/p>\n My advice is to pursue opportunities that push you beyond your boundaries and challenge you to think differently.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Lee was instantly drawn to Social Labs\u2019 multidisciplinary approach, as she had hoped to find an opportunity that would allow her to combine her interests. But it also didn\u2019t take long to realize the abundant mentorship opportunities available to her.<\/p>\n \u201c[I saw] that the founders were both UConn alumni and pursued academic paths that were very closely aligned with my interests,\u201d she explains. \u201cWe connect on both a personal and professional level.\u201d<\/p>\n Since 2012, the TIP Innovation Fellows Program has placed 189 UConn students \u2014 including 51 CLAS majors \u2014 at startups in one of UConn\u2019s technology incubators in Farmington, Stamford, or Storrs. The immersion experience is complemented by weekly seminars on technology innovation, entrepreneurship, and career development.<\/p>\n \u201cUnlike a traditional internship, these kinds of hands-on immersions build skills that are not necessarily specific to any particular job position,\u201d Dealy says. \u201cRather, TIP fellows learn skills essential for any job in a 21st<\/sup> century workforce, like strategizing, problem solving, resiliency, critical thinking, and teamwork.\u201d<\/p>\n Nine CLAS students are participating this year \u2014 three of whom, including Lee, are funded by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Their projects include developing technology to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from water with host company Aqualumos<\/a>, which was also founded by a UConn alumnus, and harnessing the power of music and synchronized light to stimulate brain rhythms in patients with Alzheimer\u2019s disease with host company Oscillo Biosciences<\/a>. The other CLAS students are engaged with projects in cancer diagnostics, antimicrobial surfaces, and artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n Lee says the program has set her up perfectly for her future, and she encourages other students to step out of their comfort zones.<\/p>\n \u201cI’ve received a lot of important feedback for my career,\u201d she says. \u201cMy advice is to pursue opportunities that push you beyond your boundaries and challenge you to think differently.\u201d<\/p>\n