Keynote Speakers
Each year, the UVM Cancer Center brings in a new keynote speaker. In 2026, the keynote address, "Making my Own Niche: Drawing Insights from the Microenvironment" was delivered by Jaye C. Gardiner, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Tufts University.
Small Group Learning
In addition to hearing from a keynote speaker, students are broken into small groups, interacting with Cancer Center members to learn about career pathways in cancer research and treatment.
Lab Tours
They also visit UVM labs to meet with Cancer Center faculty and student researchers and see their work first-hand. Demonstrations include viewing cancer cells through microscopy techniques, observing specialized laboratory equipment, and witnessing demonstrations on growing and visualizing crystals.
Career Fair
Students also attend a Career Fair, where they connect directly with professionals working in cancer care, research, community outreach, technology, and more. Through demonstrations, simulations, hands-on activities, and games, students explore a variety of career pathways.
Testimonials
Chris Hood, a math teacher at Champlain Valley High School who brought students both in 2022 and 2024
“I thought it was an informative and illuminating session. Every student got something different. If you were looking through a medical lens, you heard doctors tell you how they ended up at the Cancer Center. For others, they're more interested in lab work because they're interested in biology right now. And for others it was more of a personal connection to a family member or friend who had experienced cancer.”
Ariel Toohey, a junior at CVU who attended in both 2022 and 2024
“My experience at the conference definitely expanded my interest in pursuing a science-based career, which I had just begun to consider at the time,” said “While I don't know if my future career will be cancer-based or not, hearing from the speakers and exploring the lab facilities made it plausible that I could pursue a similar path in college and beyond. Everyone who attended seemed to be excited about what they had learned. I'm sure many people had an increased interest in and knowledge about cancer research after attending the conference.”