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July 30, 2019

Vista Grande Student Takes Part in KEYS Internship

TUCSON, Ariz. — Evan Chaparro, an incoming junior at Vista Grande High School, was one of 50 students selected for a seven-week KEYS Research Internship at the University of Arizona. During the internship, Chapparo worked hands-on with top faculty in a research lab with the primary goal of studying the impact of revegetation on soil fines formation at copper mine dump sites.

"The KEYS program as strengthened my passion and has shown me a glimpse of my future," Chaparro said. "I had such an amazing experience since they provided me the opportunity to prosper and excel at something I love so much."

The KEYS program is run by the BIO5 Institute and is open to high school students from across Arizona with a strong interest in bioscience, engineering, environmental health, or biostatistics. Since 2007, 477 students have completed the internship program. 97% of alumni attended or are attending college pursuing STEM degrees, with 72% attending one of Arizona's public universities.

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Media contacts:
Lisa Romero

BIO5 Institute

520-626-9598

lisaromero@bio5.org

The University of Arizona, a land-grant university with two independently accredited medical schools, is one of the nation's top 50 public universities, according to U.S. News & World Report. Established in 1885, the UA is widely recognized as a student-centric university and has been designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. The UA ranked in the top 25 in 2018 in research expenditures among all public universities, according to the National Science Foundation, and is a leading Research 1 institution with $687 million in annual research expenditures. The UA advances the frontiers of interdisciplinary scholarship and entrepreneurial partnerships as a member of the Association of American Universities, the 62 leading public and private research universities in the U.S. It benefits the state with an estimated economic impact of $4.1 billion annually.