Additional Opportunities for SIR
Summer Opportunities for Students in Mathematics and Sciences
There is a multitude of summer opportunities available to high school students. They vary widely in scope, focus, cost, and so forth. Some programs will even pay you a stipend to participate.Think carefully about your goals and aspirations, visit web sites early for program details, and choose wisely.
If you are seeking particular programs, the following list may be useful. Resources for finding other summer opportunities are mentioned at the bottom of the page.
Specific Summer Programs
Please note that these programs may be tuition-based. Some programs may offer financial assistance; possiblities include need-based sholarships and competitive scholarships. Approximate application deadlines are given here; always check the organization's official web site for precise information.
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• ACT-SO: ACT-SO is an acronym for Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics. ACT-SO is an enrichment program designed to recruit, stimulate, improve and encourage high academic and cultural achievement among African-American high school students. Activities at the local level include competition science, humanities, business, and performing and visual arts.
More information and application: http://www.naacp.org/youth/act-so/
Deadline: usually December, check their web site for details
• Adler Planetarium The Astro-Science Workshop at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago is open to current high school sophomores and juniors who have taken Algebra and who have demonstrated exceptional interest and ability in Astronomy and related sciences. The program includes research projects and guest lecturers from world-renowned experts on the year's topic.
More information and application: http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/astroscience
Deadline: usually May, check their web site for details
• Argonne National Laboratory has had a few summer positions for students in the past.
More Information: http://www.anl.gov
• Baylor University: The purpose of the High School Summer Science Research Program (HSSSRP) is to give superior high school students hands-on research experience by working on research projects with Baylor University science professors in many disciplines. The fellowship program is open to students between their junior and senior year of high school.
More Information and Applications: http://www.baylor.edu/summerscience
Deadline: usually April; check their web site for details
• Brookfield Zoo Volunteer Youth Corp: If you enjoy meeting and working with other teens, learning about animals, and talking to people about animals, then YVC may be for you! YVC offers teens the opportunity to discover conservation, wildlife, and science through one of two tracks. Both tracks include free trips throughout the year to natural areas, museums, and other fun places. Youth Volunteers must attend all training sessions and volunteer at least 120 hours per year
More information: http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/pgpages/pagegen.59.aspx
Deadline: rolling; check their web site for details
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The CDC has great summer paid internship opportunities for high school, college, graduate and post-graduate full-time students. Begin your Federal career with a great summer job, gain knowledge of the federal hiring process, and excellent experience to add to your resume.
More information: https://www2a.cdc.gov/careers/ProgramReqs.htm
Application: https://www2a.cdc.gov/careers/summerstart.asp
Deadline: usually February, check their web site for details
• Crow Canyon Archeological Center : Week long programs for middle school and high school students provide a good introduction to the archaeology of the Southwest. An intensive three-week summer field school is available for older teens.
More Information and Applications: http://www.crowcanyon.org
Deadline: reservations subject to availability; check their web site for details
• Drexel University: The College of Engineering Summer Mentorship Program is a two-week program for high-school students with an interest in pursing an engineering major in college. Students selected for this program via a highly competitive selection process work closely with a Drexel faculty mentor in his/her laboratory on the completion of an on-campus research project. IMSA students continue contact and limited research with their mentor during the school year.
More Information and Applications: http://www.drexel.edu/coe/special/summer/mentor
Deadline: usually early May; check their web site for details
• Engineering Summer Camp: Participate on a team in an engineering design competition at Norwich University.
More Information and Applications: http://www3.norwich.edu/engineering/events/camp
Deadline: usually May; check their web site for details
• GEMS and Strive: Hands-on programs to introduce girls to engineering and inspire them to learn more about math and science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
More Information and Applications: http://www.wpi.edu/Admin/Diversity
Deadline: usually March; check their web site for details
• High School Honors Science, Mathematics, & Engineering Program: Work with a mentor on individual projects at Michigan State University .
More information and application: www.msu.edu/~hshsp
Deadline: usually April; check their web site for details
• The Hutton Junior Fisheries Biology Program: an 8-week hands-on summer mentoring program that works to develop interest in the fisheries profession among high school students. Students chosen to participate in the Hutton are matched with a local fisheries professional for an 8-week, hands-on summer experience. A very substantial scholarship from the American Fisheries Society is awarded.
More Information and Applications: http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~ocafs/OCAFShutton.htm
Deadline: usually February; check their web site for details
• The International Science Camp: Meet students and teachers from around the world and s hare your ideas, culture and dreams while coming up with solutions to real world global dilemmas. This 4-week residential camp for students 12-16 years old is held at Willamette University . You will work in teams to learn about science, technology and our world in a fun way.
More info and application: www.jemisonfoundation.org
• The Jackson Laboratory: Students learn how to conduct research by working on an independent, original project under the mentorship of a research scientist.
More Information and Applications: http://www.jax.org/education/index.html
Deadline: usually January; check their web site for details
• The Keystone Center: Discovery Camp is a five- or ten-day residential science education camp full of challenging adventure for youth ages 9-17. During their explorations of the natural world surrounding the Keystone Science School campus, campers will learn about the intricacies of different mountain zones and the creatures that live there. From seeing snow in July to climbing a 12,000-foot peak to visiting beaver ponds at night, students will enjoy Discovery Camp as an exciting adventure as well as a memorable educational experience.
More Information and Applications: http://www.keystone.org/index.html
Deadline: June/July depending on program; check their web site for details
• Keystone Mountain Adventures, a science-based backpacking program the Keystone Science School offers field based science on the trip while experiencing the beauty and majesty of the Rocky Mountains. Best of all, Colorado Mountains are dry and cool all summer, a great advantage to a humid, hot summer.
More information and application: http://keystone.org/Science_School/Summer_Programs/summer_programs.html
Deadline: check their web site for details
• Materials Camp: This summer camp utilizes hands-on learning principles of applied math, physics, and chemistry. The students will be teamed up and assigned a real world failure analysis problem. They will work in a local lab under the guidance of a "Materials Mentor." Their goal is to determine the cause of the failure and propose a solution.
More information and application: http://www.asminternational.org or http://www.asmchicago.org
Deadline: check their web site for details
• The Minority Engineering Program at Colorado School of Mines offers summer programs for 8th-11th grade students who have shown interest in science, mathematics, and engineering.
More information and application: www.mines.edu/Stu_life/mep
Deadline: usually April, check their web site for details
• MIT's Women in Technology Program: The Women's Technology Program at MIT is a 4-week summer residence program to introduce high school girls to electrical engineering and computer science.
More information and application: http://wtp.mit.edu
Deadline: usually February , check their web site for details
• NASA SHARP: Sponsored by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) the Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (NASA SHARP) is an 8 week summer mentored research program for rising juniors and seniors. It is designed for students who have demonstrated a strong interest in and aptitude for science, mathematics, technology, engineering, and geography (SMTEG). This program is eager to increase the number of underrepresented students attending. A stipend is provided.
More Information and Applications: http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/9-12/learning/NASA_SHARP.html
Deadline: usually March, check their web site for details
• The National Youth Leadership Forum (NYLF): This organization offers programs in a wide variety of career fields, such as law, medicine and national security. Check their web site for program details and schedules.
More Information and Application: https://www.nylf.org/programs.cfm
Deadline: Teacher nomination required; rolling application; check their web site for details
• The National Youth Science Camp (NYSE): This exceptional opportunity for seniors is a four-week, all-expense paid program that usually takes place in July. Scientists from across the nation who work on some of the most provocative topics in science today present lectures and hands-on science seminars and linger to interact informally with student delegates. Delegates are challenged to explore new areas in the biological and physical sciences, art, and music with resident staff members. The delegates visit Washington D.C. to take advantage of some of the nation's premier scientific, governmental, and cultural facilities. The four-week experience includes three overnight expeditions into the Monongahela National Forest featuring backpacking, rock-climbing, caving, mountain-biking, or kayaking opportunities
More Information and Application: http://www.sciencecamp.org
Deadline: usually February; check their web site for exact details
• NIH Summer Internships: Paid summer biomedical research internships (($1400/month) are available through the National Institutes of Health. Students must be 16 by June 1. Housing is not provided, but the program website provides a listing of housing possibilities (including some on areas college campuses). Internships are 8-10 weeks, beginning in May, but some flexibility is allowed to accommodate students' schedules.
More information and application: http://www.training.nih.gov/student/internship/internship.asp
Deadline: usually February; check their web site for exact details
• NIU Summer Camps: Northern Illinois University in DeKalb offers a variety of summer camps for interested students.
More information and application: http://www.niu.edu/clasep/camps/index.shtml
Deadline: check their web site for exact details
• Nuclear Engineering Summer Camp: Explore nuclear engineering and this one-week summer camp at University of Missouri – Rolla, MO.
More information and application: http://www.nuc.umr.edu/summercamp/camp.html
Deadline: usully June, check their web site for exact details
• Precollege Research Abroad: A variety of tuition-based programs are available.
More Information: http://www.knowledgeexchange.org
• Research Science Institute: RSI is an intense summer program where some of the most talented high school students from the US and around the world come together to do science and mathematics. Living on the MIT campus, they do research projects under the guidance of mentors from MIT and surrounding institutions.
More Information and Applications : http://www.cee.org/rsi
Deadline: usually February; check their web site for details
• Ross Summer Mathematics Program: Explore concepts in number theory, work with unique mathematical ideas, and assimilate new learning techniques at Ohio State University.
More Information and Applications : www.math.ohio-state.edu
Deadline: usually May, with rolling admissions; check their web site for details
• Summer Science Program: This 6 week Summer Science Program exposes academically gifted high school students to advanced topics in mathematics, physics, astronomy, and computer science. Unique in the world for its hands-on, practical approach, the Summer Science Program (SSP) challenges its participants to determine the orbit of a minor planet using their own telescopic observations, measurements, and software, working in teams of three. In addition to providing a college-level experience, the six-week residential SSP has been a turning point in the academic and personal development of many of its alumni.
More Information and Applications: http://www.summerscience.org/home/index.php
Deadline: usually February; check their web site for details
• University of Connecticut: UConn Mentor Connection is a summer program for rising high school juniors and seniors located at the University of Connecticut , Storrs , CT. We believe students' interests, abilities, and motivation are very important talents. We also believe that it is essential for students to have opportunities to manifest their talents in high levels of creative productivity. A typical day may offer practical, hands-on workshops, such as how to use the latest electronic data retrieval systems in a university library, how to navigate the college application process, or an exciting guest lecture. Each evening you can choose to participate in one of a variety of planned activities.
More Information and Application: www.gifted.uconn.edu
Deadline: check their web site for exact details
• The University of Florida Student Science Training Program matches students with a faculty mentor for field, lab, of computer research.
More Information and Application: www.cpet.ufl.edu/sstp
Deadline: April, but rolling admissions begin March; check their web site for exact details
• Weizmann Institute of Science/Dr. Bessie Lawrence International Summer Science Institute (ISSI): Laboratory scientific research for talented, science-oriented students who havejust graduated from high school prior to the 3.5 week program (usually in July). Selection is highly competitive: Students who are chosen generally have had significant research experience. In addition to lab work in Rehovot, students will spend some time in a desert field school, as well as have the opportunity to visit Jerusalem and other significant sites; also included are social, cultural, and athletic opportunities.
More Information and Applications: http://www.weizmann.ac.il/diff_angle/young/unit_e.php?line=179
Deadline: usually March; contact USA country coordinator for deadlines; check their web site for details
• The Young Engineering and Science Scholars (YESS): The mission of the California Institute of Technology's Young Engineering and Science Scholars (YESS) Program is to bring together talented high school students in a concentrated educational environment that exposes them to the rigors and joys of scientific investigation, while concurrently demonstrating the analytical and experimental skills necessary for success. Although they do not need to have already studied all areas, students should be prepared to participate in calculus, physics, biology, engineering, and computer courses. Open to outstanding high school sophomores and juniors. Admission to the program is extremely competitive with an anticipated enrollment of 30 students.
More Information and Application: http://www.yess.caltech.edu/index.html
Deadline: usually February; check their web site for exact details
• Young Investigators Summer Program in Nuclear Technology and Applications:
Interested in the role of nuclear energy and other nuclear techniques play in solving everyday problems? Then join North Carolina State University 's Department of Nuclear Engineering in July! Through a combination of group projects, labs, lectures, guest speakers and field trips, you will answer such questions as: How can we develop energy sources for deep space missions? How can we detect very low concentrations of pollutants in the environment? How are nuclear methods revolutionizing medical diagnostics and treatment? Most projects involve working with our research reactor. Gain insight into nuclear science fundamentals!
More Information and Application: http://www.ne.ncsu.edu/outreach/summerprogram/
Deadline: usually April; check their web site for exact details
Finding other Summer Opportunities
The interested student may find other well-suited opportunities by pursing the following leads:
• The National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Techology (NCSSSMST) provides a broad sampling of exciting summer programs academically talented students in mathematics, science, and technology.
More Information: http://www.ncsssmst.org/Resources.aspx
• Science Service offers a searchable database of summer science experiences. The Directory of Science Training Programs began its life in 1982 as the "Directory of Student Science Training Programs for Pre-college Students." Funded for many years by the National Science Foundation, the directory is the only comprehensive catalog of science, mathematics, and engineering enrichment programs for students and teachers.
More Information: http://www.sciserv.org/stp