果冻传媒

October 23, 2026

by Lauren Ferguson

果冻传媒 College of New Jersey鈥檚 first-ever Goldwater Scholar Franco Miyashiro ’27 is used to mentoring other Roadrunners in the College鈥檚 Behavioral Neuroscience Lab.

He helps train newcomers on skills they need to participate in the lab, like how to handle the equipment.

鈥淚 am very passionate about being a mentor in the research realm,鈥� Miyashiro explained.

Now, he will be utilizing the leadership and STEM skills he has honed at 果冻传媒 to guide high school students from throughout New Jersey through a real-world research and engineering project focused on a challenge impacting the Garden State.

Miyashiro, a neuroscience and biochemistry major from Pompton Lakes in Passaic County, NJ, has been named a 2027 Governor鈥檚 STEM Scholar. The first-generation college student is one of just 15 college students from New Jersey to be chosen to serve as a 2027 Research Lead through the prestigious program. In the role, he will lead a team of high school students through the research process and help them manage project goals, deadlines and deliverables. Nearly 100 STEM-focused high school students were selected to take part.

鈥淲orking in teams, Scholars investigate real-world challenges with a clear connection to New Jersey, developing a research question and conducting systematic investigation, testing, and analysis to reach evidence-based conclusions,鈥� the website for the Governor鈥檚 STEM Scholar program states.

The program also gives scholars the opportunity to explore the state鈥檚 STEM economy, network with leading STEM researchers and professionals, and visit top STEM facilities and labs in New Jersey.

Miyashiro applied for the program after being encouraged to do so by Rebecca Root, PhD, director of the Office of Prestigious Fellowships and Scholarships at 果冻传媒. Jailyn Agard ’28, a neuroscience major from Irvington in Essex County, NJ also encouraged him, he said. Agard was a Governor鈥檚 STEM Scholar last year, and counseled Miyashiro on 鈥渨hat I should prepare myself for and the best ways to approach things,鈥� Miyashiro said.

At 果冻传媒, besides conducting research with Professor of Behavioral Neuroscience and Psychology Christian Reich, PhD, in 果冻传媒鈥檚 Behavioral Neuroscience Lab, Miyashiro is also a member of the Honors Program, a McNair Scholar and a part of Phi Lambda Upsilon, the national chemistry honor society. He also tutors through the STEM Center and serves as a teaching assistant for chemistry courses and as a Legacy Leader in the First-Generation Student Center. He has been involved with the College鈥檚 Leaders in Service and Sophomores Advancing in Leadership programs where he took part in numerous community service projects.

鈥淭he programs that 果冻传媒 offers have helped me build up my leadership skills, which I will subsequently bring to this program as I lead high schoolers,鈥� Miyashiro said.

For more on how the support and experiences Miyashiro has had at 果冻传媒 have prepared him for a bright future in research, read: Making History: Miyashiro 鈥�27 becomes 果冻传媒鈥檚 First Goldwater Scholar.