Uncharted: the Pioneer Academics Alumni Podcast

In this episode of Uncharted , host Katherine sits down with Cecilia Wang, a Pioneer alumna whose path from anthropology research to biotechnology showcases the power of curiosity and purpose-driven ambition. Cecilia shares how her early research in anthropology at Pioneer sparked a lasting interest in global health and preventive care — a passion deepened by her own personal health experiences. T...

Hosted by Katherine, this episode features Cecilia, a Pioneer alumna whose path from anthropology research to biotechnology highlights the beauty of following one’s passions wherever they may lead them. Cecilia shares how her anthropology research at the Pioneer Research Institute led her to the University of Pennsylvania to being a Schwarzmann scholar and now working at a vaccine-focused biotechn...

In this episode of Uncharted , host Max CdeBaca sits down with Joshua Roth, a Pioneer alumnus whose journey has taken him from high school research on neuroscience to his current role as Executive Assistant at the U.S. Department of State. Joshua reflects on the moments that shaped his career path, from fieldwork in Bosnia to exploring transitional justice, and how his Pioneer experience gave him...

Hosted by Max CdeBaca, this episode features Joshua Roth, a Pioneer alumnus, University of Chicago graduate, and Executive Assistant at the U.S. Department of State. Joshua traces his path from writing a thesis on the refugee crisis to working on transitional justice and diplomacy, and he tackles hard questions about human rights, professional development, and how democratic ideals translate into...

In this episode of Uncharted , Jade, a 2021 Pioneer Scholar and UCLA undergrad studying microbiology, sits down with Raquel, a 2015 Pioneer alumna now working at the intersection of machine learning and cancer drug design. Originally from Spain, Raquel shares how her early dreams of becoming a doctor eventually evolved into a passion for physics and how a summer with Pioneer helped her realize she...

Hosted by Jade, a 2021 Pioneer alumna studying microbiology at UCLA, this episode features Raquel, a 2015 Pioneer scholar who studied physics in the UK and now researches cancer drug design using machine learning. Raquel shares how Pioneer helped her build confidence as a young researcher, and how she navigated setbacks, switched fields, and stayed curious through it all. From coding mishaps to cr...

In this episode of Uncharted , Sunny—a Pioneer alum currently pursuing environmental engineering—chats with Alice, a 2017 Pioneer scholar and Georgia Tech graduate who is now beginning her PhD in biological engineering at MIT. Born and raised in Istanbul, Turkey, Alice discovered her love for biology, math, and chemistry in high school. That passion grew at Pioneer, where she gained her first tast...

Hosted by Sunny, a Pioneer alum studying environmental engineering, this conversation features Alice, a 2017 Pioneer scholar who studied biomedical engineering at Georgia Tech and is now pursuing her PhD in biological engineering at MIT. Alice shares how her Pioneer experience sparked a lasting passion for research, which she carried through internships at Regeneron and Genentech and into her awar...

In this new episode of Uncharted, 2023 Pioneer scholar and Princeton University student Tatyana sits down with Linda, a 2015 Pioneer scholar whose story defies conventional paths and celebrates the value of staying open to change. Raised in Chengdu, China, Linda began her academic journey with an interest in diplomacy and linguistics, eventually majoring in international relations at Pomona Colleg...

Hosted by Tatyana, a 2023 Pioneer scholar and current undergraduate at Princeton University, this conversation features Linda, a 2015 Pioneer alum in anthropology, who now works at Microsoft UK as a program manager. Linda reflects on the twists and turns that brought her from Pomona College to a dual Master’s program at Imperial College London and the Royal College of Art, and finally into the wor...

"I think doing research in high school actually would help people realize if this is the field that I'm very interested in because you see what the forefront of that area is like. Although you may not understand the entirety of the papers, you do kind of get a feel of what people would do in this specific area.” — Pioneer alumnus Muhan In this episode of Uncharted, Radwa talks with Muhan,...

How can early research experiences shape your academic identity? What sets top college applicants apart? And how does Pioneer prepare you to thrive in college—both inside and outside the classroom? In this episode of Uncharted, Pioneer alumnus Muhan shares how his 2019 Pioneer research in mechanical engineering became a springboard into deeper academic discovery. Now a senior at UCLA double majori...

We are excited to share the next episode of “Uncharted”, a podcast hosted by the Pioneer Academics Alumni Advisory Board and featuring global alumni from a wide variety of academic and professional interests. In this episode of Uncharted: the Pioneer Alumni Podcast, we sit down with Jack — a 2015 Pioneer alum whose journey spans continents and careers. From Beijing, China to Vanderbilt to med scho...

We are excited to share the next episode of “Uncharted”, a podcast hosted by the Pioneer Academics Alumni Advisory Board and featuring global alumni from a wide variety of academic and professional interests. In this episode of Uncharted: the Pioneer Alumni Podcast, we sit down with Jack — a 2015 Pioneer alum whose journey spans continents and careers. From Beijing, China— Jack shares what it real...

“I found my passion for nonprofit work through volunteering in high school, which led me to study inequality within the sector. My goal is to enhance inclusivity and equity, particularly in foundation funding.” — Pioneer alumna Christina In this episode of Uncharted, Tuana interviews Christina, who conducted Pioneer research in apocalyptic literature in 2019 and is now pursuing a PhD in public pol...

How can high school students stand out in college applications? Why is researching colleges and majors important? How does participating in programs like Pioneer shape your academic and career journey? In this episode of Uncharted, Pioneer alumna Christina shares how her research on apocalyptic literature at Pioneer in 2019 influenced her academic path and prepared her for success. Now pursuing a...

“I found the most effective way to build relationships, instead of saying I don't understand question 4 on problem set 5, was to have something interesting to say; go to office hours, and discuss [ideas] broadly.” — Pioneer alumnus Isaac This episode of Uncharted features Mariam, who conducted research in biophysics at Pioneer in 2021, interviewing Isaac, who conducted research in chemistry at...

Why is it important to explore different interests? How can you deal with the transition from high school to college? How can you use your time in undergraduate to explore different career paths? In this episode of Uncharted, Pioneer alumnus Isaac, who conducted research at Pioneer in 2016, shares his unique experience adapting to university life, insights on developing relationships with professo...

This episode of Uncharted features Wendy , who conducted research at Pioneer in 2022 in economics , interviewing Gayatri , who conducted research at Pioneer in 2019 in history .  Gayatri studies psychology, history, and economics at Barnard College. Gayatri likes applying theoretical knowledge in real life. She highlights how having close conversations with professors has helped her in college lif...

How does what we learn at school and college translate in real life? Why is it important to do practical research? And how can internships better equip you technically for the market and mentally to make educated decisions? Gayatri, who conducted research in history in Pioneer 2019, shares all of that and more.  Gayatri studies psychology, history, and economics at Barnard College. Gayatri likes a...

“Push yourself and put yourself in uncomfortable situations. But don't be too hard on yourself.” - Pioneer alumnus Luccas  This episode of Uncharted, the Pioneer Alumni Podcast, features Gayatri , who conducted research at Pioneer in 2019 in history , interviewing Luccas , who conducted research at Pioneer in 2014 in economics . Luccas graduated from Harvard College and pursued his MBA at the...

What does “fit” really mean in the college application process? How does research in high school prepare for further academic excellence and research opportunities in college? How should you approach mentorship in college and in the workplace? Pioneer alumnus Luccas conducted research in economics at Pioneer in 2014 and graduated from Harvard College. He worked at McKinsey and in private equity be...

“Finding your community within the larger place you're at, I think, is something that helped me. I think once I found my group of people or my community at college is what helped me a lot.” - Pioneer alumnus Rahil  This episode of Uncharted, the Pioneer Alumni Podcast, features Ishaan , who conducted research at Pioneer in 2020 in math , interviewing Rahil , who conducted research at Pioneer i...

In this episode of Uncharted, the Pioneer Alumni Podcast, Rahil reflects on his experiences applying to universities, adapting to campus culture as an international student, applying to full time jobs, and his experiences as a software engineer in Silicon Valley. Rahil also sheds light on the importance of community and belonging, specifically from his experience adapting to the US as an internati...

“I really like that LSAT questions ask us to see through the worlds of the words of the complex sentences, and try to find the structure and the core arguments behind them. I feel like those are fun, and also a rewarding exercise to do.”  Julie takes us in this episode through her rich journey of exploration and combining different interests. Learning to network, obtaining internships, managing he...