The Community Capacity Building (CCB) Young Researchers Program is the brainchild Dr. Maxine Wright-Walters. The program was conceived as a way to bring local middle school students, especially from disadvantaged and traditionally underrepresented populations to experience research first-hand and to encourage them to attend college and pursue careers in the sciences particularly the Public Health Sciences.

The Community Capacity Building Young Researchers Program brings motivated local (Pittsburgh) middle school inner-city students (ages 12-15) to our facility to do hands-on research under the guidance of Dr. Maxine Wright- Walters, her collaborators, assistants and volunteers. Through their experience working with researchers, as well as through workshops designed to introduce students to science, students gain scientific and communication skills, confidence in their ability to succeed at an advanced level, a better understanding of the sciences, and information and connections to help them attend college and pursue careers in science. The students will also participate in a Science Fair, presenting their posters on their research/experiments.

Our target audience is boys and girls who are motivated, local (Pittsburgh) middle school inner-city students (ages 12-15) especially from disadvantaged and traditionally underrepresented populations. The students are recruited through the local public school, advertising and social media. They require no specific skills to participate; just enthusiasm and a willingness to learn. This program falls under the umbrella of the STEM concept.

This is the kind of program that will change the “landscape” for many of our children, particularly those from the disadvantaged and underrepresented populations. Our aim is through a program such as this, we can create our next set of “world changers” through science and leadership.