More Than Research: How my REPU Internship Helped Me Grow as a Scientist

If you had asked me in my first year of university what doing research was like, I would’ve said it was something for graduate students or people with special access to it. As a biomedical engineering student at the National University of San Marcos, the oldest and one of the most prestigious universities in Peru, I knew that while our students were brilliant, our program was still very young. Research opportunities within our program were limited.

Like many others, I sought out experiences beyond my university walls. That’s why because of my search abroad, I was awarded a scholarship to join a winter research internship in a neuroscience lab at Memorial University in Canada; then, i earned a summer research position at the University of Waterloo, where I worked as an undergraduate research assistant. Later, I was selected for an academic exchange program in Austria and I conducted research in health informatics.

Each of these international experiences helped shape my growth as a young scientist. But none impacted me as deeply, professionally, personally, and emotionally, as REPU.

A Goal Since Year One

Since my first year as an undergrad being part of REPU was a dream. It wasn’t just about going abroad, it was about becoming part of a community of Peruvian researchers changing the face of science, both inside and outside the country. When I finally got accepted on my second application and was placed at UC Davis in California, I knew it would be special. But I didn’t realize just how transformative this experience would be.

More Than a Lab Placement

At UC Davis, I had the opportunity to work under the guidance of an extraordinary mentor, Katia Canepa Vega, an inspiring Peruvian scientist with postgraduate training in the Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro, Hong Kong Baptist University, and MIT Media Lab. Now an Assistant Professor leading her own lab in California, she is truly a role model for young women like me who dream of making an impact through science.

She and her team were incredibly supportive from day one. They welcomed me not just as an intern, but as a creative thinker and future colleague. During my internship, I learned to work independently, bring new ideas to the table, and, perhaps most importantly, stay resilient when experiments didn’t go as planned.

Katia created a space where I could explore, grow, and challenge myself. Being mentored by a fellow Peruvian woman who leads her own research team abroad was not only empowering, it was life changing.

What set REPU apart was not just the research experience, but the ecosystem of mentorship and support around it. I wasn’t alone. I had the additional mentorship of the REPU Branch Leaders of Computer Science, Ricardo Gonzales and Arturo Flores, who met with me every week, helping me reflect on my progress and giving me feedback alongside peers. I had a REPU Buddy, Ana Lucía, an amazing woman pursuing her master’s degree in Europe, who practiced my presentations with me every week. This wasn’t just a technical internship, it was professional and personal growth.

Mentorship That Truly Cares

The mentorship I received through REPU was unlike anything I had experienced before. It wasn’t limited to my project, it extended to my career and personal development. I had access to office hours with experienced REPU alumni in leadership positions, like Ricardo, who helped me map out my path to graduate school.

In my other internships, I had wonderful lab experiences, but the level of consistent, structured mentorship and emotional support simply didn’t compare. REPU prioritized our mental health, gave us space to be vulnerable, and supported us through the inevitable challenges of being far from home.

A Community That Stays With You

REPU gave me something I had never truly felt before in science: a sense of belonging. As a woman, Latina, and a student from a public university in Latin America, it’s easy to feel like you don’t belong in elite academic environments. But REPU showed me that I do, and that there is a strong network of scientists like me who helped me believe in my potential.

One of the most unexpected gifts of being placed in California was the opportunity to connect with other REPU alumni in the U.S. During weekends, I traveled to Silicon Valley and the Bay Area, where I met and exchanged stories with Peruvian scientists and engineers that currently work at world renowned institutions. I connected with past and current REPU alumni from UC Berkeley like Belén Balta (REPUbio 2025), Fabricio Cotera (REPUbio 2024), and Lidia Llacsahuanga (REPUbio 2017), one of the current heads of the Biology branch; with the head of the physics track, Claudia Parisuaña (REPUphys 2017); and with past REPUcs interns like Cesar Salcedo (REPUcs 2021). I even met a REPUbio alumni like Rydberg Supo (REPUbio 2018) and many more.

These conversations became a form of informal mentorship, learning from their journeys, hearing how REPU shaped their paths, and imagining what my future could look like. This network and connection to a broader community gave me invaluable insights that every undergraduate student deserves.

What I Gained, And What I Didn't Expect

Yes, I gained technical skills. Yes, I learned how to present my work and conduct research at a global level.

But more importantly, I gained:

• A clearer sense of my career direction

• A scientific mentor I admire deeply

• The confidence to say: I belong in science

• Communication skills I never knew I had

• The courage to take risks and work independently

• An understanding of how to learn from my mistakes

• A glimpse into the life of a PhD student, and the realization that I want to keep walking this path

• A lifelong network of support

• And many more invaluable growth as a person

To Future Interns and Sponsors

If you’re a student wondering whether you’re “good enough” for REPU, please know: you are. Give it a try. Apply, and if you don’t get it the first time, maybe it’ll happen the second time, like it did for me. Keep building your profile, learning, and growing. The journey itself is already worth it.

And if you’re someone who can support this program, whether by mentoring, hosting a student in your lab or donating, please do. You won’t just be supporting an intern, you’ll be transforming a life.

REPU deserves all the support in the world. Built entirely by volunteers who believe in the future of science in Peru, it helps us grow, inspires us, and empowers us to one day change our country—and the future of science—for the better.

FEATURED AUTHOR: JOSELYN ROMERO AVILA

Joselyn was born and raised in Lima, Peru. She is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos. Over the past years, she has conducted interdisciplinary research in health informatics, biosensing, and artificial intelligence, collaborating with institutions such as the University of Waterloo, Memorial University, and UC Davis. She is passionate about creating and designing inclusive technologies, and her long term goal is to create opportunities for more young people to access science, research, and international collaboration.