Image
Loading...
Degree: Neuroscience and Marine Science & Conservation ’26
Project Teams:
- Enhancing Diversity in STEM Careers Through Mentored Training (2025-2026)
- Enhancing Diversity in STEM Careers Through Mentored Training (2024-2025)
- Enhancing Diversity in STEM Careers Through Mentored Training (2023-2024)
Lizzy Glazer’s academic interests lie at the intersection of neuroscience and marine science, with a particular focus on animal communication. Alongside her coursework, Lizzy has spent the last three years fostering the next generation of scientists through a Bass Connections team that mentors Durham high school students in environmental science and health.
Lizzy recently shared her Bass Connections experience with Kelly Harrison (Senior Academic Program Coordinator, Bass Connections). The interview has been condensed and lightly edited for clarity.
How did you first get involved in your Bass Connections project?
I have been involved with Bass Connections since my sophomore year. The summer after freshman year, I taught sixth-grade science in New Orleans through a program called Breakthrough. At Breakthrough, I taught underrepresented youth about science and the environment.
This experience was rewarding because I realized how engaged the students were and how enthusiastic they were about helping the environment. When I came back to Duke, I learned about this Bass Connections project and thought it would be a great fit to continue my work empowering young students.
What is your team’s goal?
Our project is unique in that it’s designed to support the Health and Environment Scholars Program, a year-long high school curriculum focused on the intersection of environmental science and health. As undergrad team leads, we organize the application process and create a year-long curriculum. Fall sessions with the high schoolers focus on professional development and college application advice, while spring sessions involve Saturday field trips about health and the environment.
The undergraduate team works collaboratively to plan all the fall sessions. For the spring, each undergrad gets to lead the organization of one session. In my sophomore year, I planned our session at the North Carolina Zoo. We had a wildlife biologist talk about her field research, went behind the scenes with veterinarians to learn about unique career opportunities and participated in tagging endangered salamanders. It was a hands-on experience where students learned about conservation, research and career opportunities.
How does the mentorship component of the program work?
The program lasts for one year and we accept a new set of students each year. We admitted over 40 students last year. We form close bonds with our high school mentees, who are usually paired with one or more undergrad team leads. We serve as resources for them throughout the program, giving advice on college applications and career opportunities.
The students are all in high school, and the majority are eleventh graders. We aim for this age group since the college process and professional development work is most beneficial to them as they approach their senior year of high school.
What role does collaboration play on your team?
Our group is committed to collaboration and teamwork. We rely heavily on each other because we are building the curriculum from the ground up. The work is a collaboration between faculty, students and graduate students.
Our team is large this year, with quite a few graduate students volunteering their time. The Durham Public High Schools students we work with come from backgrounds that are historically underrepresented in STEM, and it’s a meaningful opportunity to connect them with resources, experiences and networks that support their goals and broaden their perspective.
Our goal is to imbue the students with a passion for environmental science and a desire to protect the environment. Our interdisciplinary team approaches these topics through various lenses. Whether they are interested in medicine, marine science or other fields, these high school students find mentors in their undergraduate mentors.
Image
How has this project shaped your own academic or career goals?
After working with this Bass Connections team for years, I realized that education is core to conservation work. I have learned to communicate science in a way that reaches people who might not understand the nuance of the underlying science. Education is a key part of everything we do because marine science research is only effective if we spread our knowledge to a broader community.
After Duke, I plan to pursue a doctoral degree. I am applying for Ph.D. programs to research how anthropogenic, or human-made, noise impacts marine mammals and their behavior. I am interested in seeing how human use of the ocean impacts marine life and sharing that knowledge with the broader community through education and informing policy.
Through Bass Connections, I have also gained additional leadership skills. As a student, it can be hard to put yourself in situations that might not be comfortable, but on our team, new experiences are coupled with enough support to thrive. We are given responsibilities that would usually belong to faculty, allowing us to step up and take the lead. While our professors are always there if we need them, they encourage us to lead announcements, activities and events, and to communicate with guest speakers and outside mentors.
What advice would you give to a student who is interested in Bass Connections?
My advice for students interested in applying is to choose a project you are deeply passionate about. It is important to be yourself in your application and to seek out faculty members you would like to receive mentorship from.
Bass Connections has been a special opportunity to learn alongside faculty members and work collaboratively on a project instead of in a classic professor-student role. This is a unique way for students to gain leadership and research experience. Bass Connections is different than working in a lab where you may not have much time with your principal investigator. Instead, you have plenty of opportunities to form relationships with faculty members who become mentors and encourage you to pursue your interests.
While the goal of my Bass Connections project is to mentor young, aspiring scientists, I have personally benefited both from the teaching experience and mentoring I have received from Duke’s dedicated faculty members.
October 2025