YPIE Officially Launches Nashville Site and Inducts First Class of YPIE Nashville Science Research Scholars

On Saturday, January 17th, YPIE celebrated the official launch of YPIE Nashville by inducting more than 70 ninth- and tenth-grade students into the YPIE Nashville Science Research Program at Meharry Medical College.

The YPIE Nashville Scholar Induction Ceremony brought together students, families, YPIE staff, and partners to celebrate the program’s inaugural cohort and mark an important milestone as students officially joined a program that enables them to explore their interests through science research and use their learning to build pathways toward college and career success.

Dr. Jennifer Gentry, YPIE Nashville Site Director, welcomed families and students. “Today is about our students, their curiosity, their commitment, and the work they are beginning as YPIE Nashville Science Research Scholars,” she shared, highlighting the dedication students have already shown by stepping into a rigorous, inquiry-driven program.

The ceremony featured remarks from Sam Wallis, CEO of YPIE; Potoula Stavropoulos, Senior Director of Social Impact and Corporate Affairs at Regeneron; Dr. Taneisha Gillyard-Cheairs, Assistant Professor and Director of Meharry’s DNA Learning Center; and YPIE alumna and staff member Courtney-Grace Neizer.

Reflecting on her experience as a YPIE Science Research Scholar, Courtney-Grace encouraged students to see themselves as contributors to science, sharing, “I stopped seeing science as something I was learning and started seeing it as something I could contribute to.”

A highlight of the event was the YPIE Student Project Showcase, where students shared class projects and early-stage individual research projects. These included a bioengineering investigation of synthetic skin models, a study of laterality in cats, an exploration of tornado prediction using weather balloon data, and research focused on preventing plant damage amid increasing soil salinity.

The showcase underscored the program’s emphasis on student-driven questions and real-world relevance from the very start of students’ research journeys.

YPIE Nashville’s launch is made possible by the support of Regeneron and the Together for CHANGE initiative. The program is built in close partnership with Meharry Medical College and the DNA Learning Center, creating a true College Zone where students are welcomed as scientists and learners. YPIE also thanks Metro Nashville Public Schools for their partnership in recruiting and supporting students across the city.

The Induction Ceremony concluded with students standing together to recite the YPIE Commitment to Excellence, affirming shared values as one community. With enthusiastic applause from families and supporters, YPIE Nashville welcomed its first cohort of Science Research Scholars and looks ahead to supporting them as they explore science, develop their own research questions, and grow into confident thinkers and leaders.

Learn more at ypie.org/nashville