The Kim siblings

Sibling rivalries are common in many families. But, for the Kim family, their shared love of math and science allows them to cheer and support one another. Siblings Joelle, Noah and Dani Kim have all explored biotechnology through programs at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology.

Introduction to HudsonAlpha

During the summer of 2016, Joelle Kim participated in the Summer Short Course offered by HudsonAlpha. During high school, she had an interest in various STEM careers or the medical field. In taking the Summer Short Course, Joelle gained a better understanding about genetics and scientific research.

After high school graduation, Joelle attended Baylor University. While at Baylor, she worked in a cancer research lab. This experience gave her a passion for science research and she decided to return to HudsonAlpha as an intern to build on her genetics knowledge and research experience. In the summer of 2019, she joined HudsonAlpha once again as a BioTrain Intern working in the Myers Lab.

“I think a huge benefit to the structure of HudsonAlpha, and by extension the nature of its programs, is the collaborative approach it has in connecting education, research, clinical application, and entrepreneurship,” said Joelle. “As a part of the BioTrain internship program, my fellow interns were not only budding scientists but also business and communications majors. By working at HudsonAlpha, I experienced firsthand the multifaceted approach of science research working alongside industry and patient care.”

Finding a path

By junior and senior year in high school, Noah was considering his future. To explore biotechnology, he participated in the BioTech Academy program, a three-week program designed to introduce high school juniors and seniors to fundamental lab procedures and research techniques. Upon graduation, Noah attended Auburn University to study Mechanical Engineering and Physics.

“While I am not directly pursuing a field related to biotechnology, the BioTech Academy program helped me decide if I would enjoy interdisciplinary work between physics and biology,” commented Noah. “Recently, I took part in a summer research program at the University of Pennsylvania studying mechanobiology, which analyzes biological systems from a mechanical/physical perspective. My experience at HudsonAlpha had a part in influencing me to apply to the program.”

New sibling, new program

Dani Kim, the youngest of the Kim siblings, is currently a junior at Grissom High School. In school, like her older siblings, she also enjoys math and science. When HudsonAlpha offered the Genes and Greens program, it piqued Dani’s interest. Genes and Greens is a three-week summer program for high school students to explore how genetic research is shaping the future of farming by improving agriculture and protecting the environment.

She knew that programs offered by HudsonAlpha had given her siblings great experience and she hoped Genes and Greens would provide insight for her career path.

“My academic year before the program was during the pandemic, so I felt that there were gaps in my educational instruction at school, especially in my AP Biology labs class because labs are difficult to complete online,” said Dani. “Genes and Greens allowed me to learn and clarify terms that I had heard before which was really great for me. Applying these terms and understanding how they fit into real world scenarios and research helped me to make connections that I know will be useful in the future.”

Supporting science, supporting one another

One common denominator with the Kim siblings is the love and admiration they share for one another. They not only excel in academics, but each of them has passions ranging from music to hiking to being involved in church and community activities. In pursuit of their future career goals, they support and challenge one another.

The Kim siblings all attribute HudsonAlpha as an influencer along their career journey. Joelle recently received a Fulbright Scholarship to conduct research at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in Melbourne, Australia. Noah is completing his degree in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. Finally, Dani is finishing her high school career and looking forward to pursuing a career in a STEM field.

To learn more about HudsonAlpha’s education programs, visit hudsonalpha.org. To support more students like the Kim siblings, visit hudsonalpha.org/education-give.