Opportunities Outside the Classroom
The following collection of opportunities represent ways students can have authentic science experiences, and explore their future career interests. These experiences are avenues for students to foster their interest in science, as well as have unique experiences that help them stand out from other college applicants.
North Carolina Summer Camps & Programs
The following site publishes summer camp and program information for middle and high school students in North Carolina. Click here.
North Carolina State University has a wealth of pre-college programs for high school students in a variety of fields. Click here.
University of North Carolina has a number of health career opportunities for high school students. Click here.
William Peace University offers camps in stream ecology, music/theater, game design, and communication. Click here.
North Carolina Central University has a business and entrepreneurship summer program for high school students. Click here.
Wake Forest University offers summer institutes in medicine, technology, business, biosciences and engineering, leadership, academic discovery, sports marketing, sports medicine, and law. Click here
Summer Ventures
Summer Ventures in Science and Mathematics is a no-cost, state-funded program for academically talented North Carolina students who aspire to careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
As a rising high school junior or senior, you live on a college campus for four weeks in the summer and conduct research around topics of your interest — while enjoying the company of like-minded peers.
Program details, click here.
As a rising high school junior or senior, you live on a college campus for four weeks in the summer and conduct research around topics of your interest — while enjoying the company of like-minded peers.
Program details, click here.
ACE Action Fellowship
The Action Fellowship teaches young people the knowledge and skills to be confident climate leaders. Each year, ACE recruits between 50-100 high school students and recent ACE graduates across our regions to participate. Fellows meet weekly over the course of the school year.
Throughout the program, Fellows work with ACE and partners to increase public support for climate action and hold elected officials accountable on climate science and the need for solutions.
Program details, click here.
Throughout the program, Fellows work with ACE and partners to increase public support for climate action and hold elected officials accountable on climate science and the need for solutions.
Program details, click here.
Duke University Summer Academy
Summer Academy for High School Students, a three-week, non-credit-bearing program offered by Duke University, attracts students who represent the next generation of global citizens from around the world. Program topics include The Global Leader, Entrepreneur, Incubator, Giver, and Researcher.
Program details, click here.
Program details, click here.
Duke's Summer Training in Academic Research Program
The STAR program provides an intensive research experience (with pay) over 8 weeks in the summer, focusing on pharmaco-epidemiological research methodology and scientific writing skills. Participants are placed in teams and matched with Duke faculty mentors to work on an original, hypothesis-driven project, progressing through draft figures and tables, an abstract, a PowerPoint presentation, and a written thesis.
Applications open in November, and close in early January.
Program details, click here.
Applications open in November, and close in early January.
Program details, click here.
University of North Carolina, Young Innovators Program
The Young Innovators Program is an eight-week paid summer internship offered through the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and the Eshelman Institute for Innovation. The program offers high school students the opportunity to participate in an immersive experience designed to engage students in cutting-edge and innovative research in STEM as it relates to the pharmaceutical sciences.
Application deadline is early February.
Program details, click here.
Application deadline is early February.
Program details, click here.
Emperor Science Award
The Emperor Science Award program is committed to helping all students that have a passion for science join the next generation of cancer researchers. Through this award program, 100 winning students from across the country will be paired with a university-level mentoring scientist to collaborate on an important cancer research project. Whether virtually, or in a lab, students will be able to connect with their mentors to develop valuable research, organization and communication skills! Students from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
Program details and application, click here.
Program details and application, click here.
National Institutes of Health, Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research
Summer programs at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) provide an opportunity to spend a summer working at the NIH side-by-side with some of the leading scientists in the world, in an environment devoted exclusively to biomedical research (At the NIH "biomedical sciences" includes everything from behavioral and social sciences, through biology and chemistry, to physics, mathematical modeling, computational biology, and biostatistics).
Program details, click here.
Program details, click here.
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) Summer Internship
The Summer Internship Program provides internships to outstanding high school, undergraduate, and graduate students interested in pursuing careers in the biomedical/biological sciences to work on a research project that entails exposure to the latest biochemical, molecular, and analytical techniques in a given field. Participants are selected by scientific mentors from the NIEHS Division of Intramural Research.
The Summer Internship Program at the NIEHS is part of the National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (NIH SIP) . The NIEHS is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina . Scientists at the NIEHS are committed to sharing with students and educators the intensity, excitement, sense of discipline, and tremendous satisfaction that careers in science can impart to those who pursue them.
Program details, click here.
Application materials, click here.
The Summer Internship Program at the NIEHS is part of the National Institutes of Health Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (NIH SIP) . The NIEHS is located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina . Scientists at the NIEHS are committed to sharing with students and educators the intensity, excitement, sense of discipline, and tremendous satisfaction that careers in science can impart to those who pursue them.
Program details, click here.
Application materials, click here.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The NIDA Summer Research Internship Program supports all students with a focus on increasing underrepresented populations in drug abuse research. Through this program, students age 18 years and older are introduced to the field of drug abuse and addiction research by participating in research internships with NIDA’s distinguished scientists at universities across the United States.
Program details, click here.
Program details, click here.
MIT THINK Scholarships
The THINK Scholars Program is an educational outreach initiative that promotes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics by supporting and funding projects developed by high school students. The program is run by a team of undergraduate students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and sponsored by technology companies and educational organizations.
Program details, click here.
Evaluation criteria, click here.
Program details, click here.
Evaluation criteria, click here.
The NC Science and Engineering Fair
Science Fairs provide an opportunity for students, 3rd through 12th grades, who are interested in science and technology to pursue their personal areas of interest and to display their research as a presentation in a public competitive forum. The NC Science and Engineering Fair works to create enthusiasm in science and technology while encouraging project-based inquiry. This fair gives our students the chance to compete for college scholarships, awards, honors programs and other exciting prizes.
Program details, click here.
Program details, click here.
Programs to Earn Recognition for research
Siemans Competition- The nation’s premier competition in math, science and technology, the Siemens Competition promotes excellence in math, science and technology. High school students submit innovative individual and team research projects to regional and national levels of competition as they vie for college scholarships ranging from $1,000 up to $100,000.
The North Carolina International Science Challenge (NCISC) is a yearly North Carolina science competition for high school students. The selected students travel to Beijing, China to present their science research projects at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition the third week of March.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (Regeneron STS) is the nation’s most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Since 1942, first in partnership with Westinghouse, then with Intel 1998-2016, and now with Regeneron, the Science Talent Search (STS) has served as the national stage for the country's best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists.
The North Carolina International Science Challenge (NCISC) is a yearly North Carolina science competition for high school students. The selected students travel to Beijing, China to present their science research projects at the Beijing Youth Science Creation Competition the third week of March.
The Regeneron Science Talent Search (Regeneron STS) is the nation’s most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Since 1942, first in partnership with Westinghouse, then with Intel 1998-2016, and now with Regeneron, the Science Talent Search (STS) has served as the national stage for the country's best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists.
