The application window for the 2024 STEM Research Experience has closed.

This year commemorates the 10th year of CU Science Discovery's STEM Research Experience!听In this 6-week program, CU 麻豆影院 and CU Anschutz faculty and graduate students act as mentors to highly motivated high school students interested in gaining real world laboratory experience. Each mentor works with two students based on research interest.

Students are expected to work in their Mentor's lab on assigned research projects approximately 15-20 hours a week听(Monday-Friday). Work schedules may vary among different labs. Readings and assignments may be assigned prior to the start of the program.

As part of the STEM Research Experience program, participants will be taking part in听a听Research Methods class which will prepare them to be productive members of the research community. This course will focus on research topics such as how to find and read scientific articles, how to determine the validity of data and good writing techniques.

Program participants will learn:听

  • What it's like to be a scientific researcher听
  • How to become a research scientist听
  • The process by which research is conducted
  • How to probe data for answers to important questions

Course details:

  • All applicants must be听16 years of age by the start date of the program on June 7, 2024. No exceptions will be made.听 听
  • Dates:听
    • June听7-July听26, 2024 (with optional work the week of July 1-5);听Poster Session: July听26, 2024听
  • Cost:听$1,995 and includes the following:
    • Daily parking permit or bus pass (CU Anschutz Medical campus only).听Note: Parking permits will not be issued for the CU 麻豆影院 campus. Alternative transportation is encouraged.
    • A materials fee to offset all lab materials used by participants
    • The cost of a research quality poster to present at the culminating poster session
    • Research Methods class
    • Note: This听is a听commuter program and does not offer residential accommodations. Program administrators are not permitted to offer recommendations on accommodations.听
    • Overseas applicants will be required to show proof of Visa prior to registering for the course. CU does not have a process听in place to assist听students in obtaining a Visa for this non-degree seeking program.
  • Course participants will be grouped by research interest and assigned a mentor that will guide them through the learning experience. Outside of class time, students will meet with mentors in the research lab to discuss research topics, learn techniques and perform research.
  • Between live class time, Mentor + Student group meetings and completing independent research, this course will require approximately 15-20听hours each week.
  • The course will conclude with a STEM Research Expo where each student will prepare a poster presentation for family, friends and fellow researchers to enjoy. As an added bonus, participants will be encouraged to publish their work in scientific journals focused on High School researchers.

Examples of past听research topics include:

Note: This list is provided to give applicants an idea of what topics have been offered in past years. Each year this program relies on the willingness of graduate students to participate in the program. A such, Science Discovery听cannot guarantee that a specific research topic will be offered in any given year. Topics chosen are based upon the听research fields represented by the mentors who have agreed to participate. High school applicants will be accepted and placed听based on their interests.

  • Aerospace Engineering Sciences
  • Bioengineering
  • Biology
  • Biophysics and Biochemistry
  • Chemistry
  • Computational Biology
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
  • Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering
  • Engineering听
  • Geological Sciences
  • Hydrology听
  • Immunology听
  • Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Medicine听
  • Microbiology听
  • Neuroscience
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Pulmonary Science and Critical Medicine
  • Renal

Application process:听

The application window for the 2024 STEM Research Experience has closed. If you are not selected in the first round, you may be placed on a waitlist. Waitlisted students will be informed as soon as possible if a spot becomes available.

Admission to the听STEM Research Experience is through a competitive application process.听All admission decisions are made by CU Science Discovery and are considered final. Payment will be听required upon admittance to the program. Once a student has been registered and payment has been accepted, the registrant is committed to taking the听spot - as a result, no refund will be issued in the event of a cancellation. Please consider this when determining whether or not to accept a spot.听听

Important note for听participants: Participants will not be permitted to select specific research projects, mentors, or topics in advance and should be open to doing a project with any of our mentors. It will be necessary for all applicants to enter this program听with an open mind听and a willingness to听explore any number of STEM research fields.听Students placed on the CU Anschutz campus will be matched with mentors prior to June 7 and will need to be responsive to emails requesting information.听Students on the CU 麻豆影院 campus will attend the orientation on June 7听and participate in a 鈥渟cience speed dating鈥� activity听where they will meet all participating听mentors and hear about their projects.

Science Discovery will do its best to match applicants with preferred mentors, but specific projects or mentors cannot be guaranteed.听

To reiterate, this is NOT a residential program.

For additional听information, contact Kathryn Penzkover via email.