Two-Time GEM Fellow and Youth Advisory Council Chair Reflects on Growth Through ULRI

Michael Henderson, two-time former GEM Fellow and chair of the Institute for Research Experiences & Education’s inaugural Youth Advisory Council, reflects on his growth and leadership experiences at UL Research Institutes.

I consider it to be a tremendous honor and privilege to partner with UL Research Institutes both as a two-time former GEM Fellow, and now as chair of the inaugural Youth Advisory Council with the Institute for Research Experiences & Education.  

It feels like just yesterday that I was meeting Merle Ward, senior talent acquisition advisor with UL Research Institutes, over the phone to discuss becoming a GEM Fellow, followed by calls with Judy Jeevarajan, Ph.D., to learn more about the Electrochemical Safety Research Institute and what it would look like to work there for a summer.  

My first summer with the Electrochemical Safety team in 2024 was a tremendous experience marked by so much growth and knowledge! I’ll never forget the greatest lesson that I learned that summer: speak with confidence because my voice matters just as much as anyone else’s. This lesson, instilled in me by Dr. Judy, combated the imposter syndrome that I felt working for such a renowned institution at such a young age. 

This lesson carried me into summer 2025, where I had the opportunity to serve as a GEM Fellow (again!) and to present my research at the ULRI 2025 Annual Research Symposium in Washington, D.C. It was such a mind-blowing experience to share space with incredible researchers and to be treated like a peer rather than a subordinate.  

This year’s symposium in Chicago, showed a heightened commitment to youth and young adult empowerment. It was thrilling to be trusted and empowered to speak on panels, introduce guests, and to serve in leadership positions. My favorite part was having the same “advisory board” badges as the Board of Trustees. 

I believe that UL Research Institutes has a strong culture of love and respect that is not bound by age or experience. I am encouraged to see ULRI’s commitment to youth and early career professionals by being a long-standing partner of the GEM Fellowship and now through the Youth Advisory Council. The council is designed to ensure the Institute for Research Experiences & Education’s platforms, programs, educational resources, and strategies reflect the needs, interests, and lived experiences of youth. As chair of the council, my hope is that we will help strengthen the institute’s impact and contribute to the broader safety science ecosystem across ULRI.    

I am grateful for the growth I have been able to experience at this organization and am excited to continue to advance safety science for years to come! 

PUBLISHED