19 Spring Research Programs for Middle and High School Students

Second semester is finally upon us, and with it, a renewed sense of ambition among high-achieving students. By now, our recent Scholar Launch alumni have already received their early admissions decisions, and we’re ecstatic about the outcomes. We’ve confirmed 12 Ivy League acceptance letters and 45 admission offers from the Top 50 schools in the United States!

Here’s a breakdown of the highlights:

• 1 student admitted to Harvard

• 1 student admitted to Yale

• 1 student admitted to Princeton

• 1 student admitted to Columbia

• 1 student admitted to University of Pennsylvania, or UPenn

• 3 students admitted to Brown 

• 3 student admitted to Stanford

• 4 students admitted to Cornell

While these admissions results are stellar, they aren’t rare. This type of success is typical for high school students who are strategic about extracurricular activities and disciplined about GPAs and test scores. Participating in research programs significantly enhances college applications for high school students. Also, extracurricular research can be instrumental in helping middle school students gain admission to advanced, highly reputable high schools.

This Spring, we’re offering 19 group research programs to middle and high school scholars interested in exploring advanced subjects beyond the classroom, learning university-level research methodology, and pursuing publication and letter of recommendation opportunities. That’s 19 different pathways to academic success.

High School Research Programs

Fundamentals of Cancer Biology

Faculty Advisor: Associate Professor, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis

This cohort, perfect for future doctors, will help students understand the fundamentals of cancer biology, including the basics of cancer initiation, progression and metastasis. These principles will be taught using a platform of breast cancer.

Neuroscience and Psychology: How the Brain Works in Learning and Memory

Faculty Advisor: Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego

Students can join us in the scientific research on human learning and memory. This program primarily focuses on the psychological aspects of learning and memory. We’ll introduce basic concepts and terminology, levels of processing, interference effects, mass and spacing effects, imagery, chunking, and mnemonic aids to memory. We will learn about the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe structures that support our everyday memory (declarative memory). 

Artificial Intelligence: Machine Learning with Python

Faculty Advisor: Professor, Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Participants of this program will gain a fundamental understanding of how to be a good AI/Machine Learning/Data Scientist so they'll have an edge over the competition. We'll explore Python and how to use the software used in machine learning.

Human-Machine Teaming: Applications, Issues, and Case Studies

Faculty Advisor: Adjunct Faculty, Carnegie Mellon School of Computer Science

This innovative STEM research program will lay a foundation for critical, data-oriented thinking and problem solving in a technologically advancing world. We’ll discuss the increasing prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI) and how machines can amplify human ability by scaling human performance and expertise and reducing risk.

Transforming Healthcare with Data Science and Machine Learning

Faculty Advisor: Adjunct Associate Professor of Computer Science, UCLA

In this research program, we learn important ideas behind data science,  machine learning, and statistics by working on a few methods and techniques that are essential in most data driven projects. 

Algorithms, Data Structures, and Python

Faculty Advisor: Professor and Director of Undergraduate Studies, Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology

Students of this research program will learn the most powerful and commonly used classes of algorithms, how data is arranged in different data structures to support the algorithms, and the programming language Python to implement the different algorithms. After completing this program, students will understand how many real-world programs work and will also be able to write their own programs in Python.

The Psychology of Art and Music: Bridging Science, Creativity, and Society

Faculty Advisor: Postdoctoral Fellow, Yale University; Ph.D. in Psychology, Stanford University

Students interested in STEM research can learn about the psychological principles behind the creation and perception of art and music, examining their role in shaping cognitive development, enhancing memory, fostering creativity, and building social bonds. 

Exoplanets: Unveiling Alien Worlds and The Quest for a Second Earth

Faculty Advisor: Independent researcher; Post-doctoral researcher, UCLA and CSUN; Ph.D., Astronomy and Astrophysics, Harvard

This research program introduces students to the diversity of celestial bodies, with a particular emphasis on exoplanets. We’ll learn about the innovative techniques used by astronomers to discover and study these fascinating distant worlds. We'll examine the captivating field of astrobiology, pondering the conditions necessary for life, and delve into our ongoing quest to uncover life beyond our solar system.

Cybersecurity Vulnerability Assessments: Safeguarding Digital Assets

Faculty Advisor: Research Fellow, Microsoft; Former Visiting Associate Professor, Stanford University

Students will be equipped with a hands-on education in vulnerability assessment, a critical cybersecurity practice for organizations aiming to safeguard their digital assets against potential threats. This research program teaches a systematic approach to identifying, assessing, prioritizing, and mitigating vulnerabilities in applications, APIs, and cloud/network infrastructure.

Exploring Neurology And the Role of Music in Neurotherapy

Faculty Advisor: Surgical Critical Care Fellow, NYU; MD, San Juan Bautista School of Medicine

This research program introduces the basics of neurology and expands into the effects of music on the brain. We’ll explore how music can be used to heal the brain, and its efficacy and role in healthcare. Our lectures will cover topics like neural cell biology, neurophysiology, neural anatomy, the somatic and autonomic nervous system, how neurons recover from injury and damage, and the effects of music on the brain. 

The Business of Digital Media: How Do Enterprises Leverage Technology, Media, and Innovations?

Faculty Advisor: Associate Professor, Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of Minnesota

This research program teaches students to analyze and evaluate the strategies of existing digital media enterprises in the news, entertainment, social media, mobile, retail, and other sectors. We’ll explore how digital media enterprises have uprooted many established industries and continue to be among the most important forces shaping our economy and society today. 

Financial Crises: History and Future

Faculty Advisor: Researcher PhD candidate, University of Pennsylvania; Head Teacher in History, Leiden University, 2019

This Humanities and Social Science research program uses the framework of the 2008 financial crisis to offer valuable insights into the nature of markets, the role of trust in trade, and the concept of market liquidity. With “Financial Crises: History and Future”, we offer a comprehensive understanding of financial crises and equip students with analytical tools to assess both historical and contemporary economic challenges.

Social Justice in Modern America: Understanding the Historical, Cultural, Economic and Legal Factors

Faculty Advisor: Professor of African, American and African Studies, Francophone Studies and Comparative Literature, University of Michigan

We’ll take a multimedia and interdisciplinary approach to a range of historical, cultural, economic, and social questions crucial to African American and American Studies, as well as to other fields in the humanities and social sciences. Using films, art, podcasts, documentaries, newspaper articles, short stories, and essays, the program will offer a historically grounded but also contemporary, intimate, personal, and artistic exploration of the modern American experience. 

The Anthropology of Food: Taste, Ritual, Identity, and Power

Faculty Advisor: Professor of Global Liberal Studies, New York University in Paris

Delve into the intricate social and cultural dimensions of food, taste, and territory with us as we shed light on how these elements shape social relations and individual identities. We examine the role of food in ethnic diversity, cultural capital, authenticity, national identity, and ecological sustainability.

Mythology and Video Gaming: Combining the Classics with Game Culture

Faculty Advisor: Lecturer, Department of Classical Studies, UNCG; Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, Harvard University

This research program explores how we reshape mythology in video games and how that reshaping represents the potential power of video games to engage in critical cultural dialogue across issues of gender, race, and sexuality. Specifically, we delve into primary texts of Graeco-Roman mythology and theories of classical reception, game culture, and game design. 

Architecture and the City: Sustainable Urban Design That Inspires

Faculty Advisor: Assistant Professor, Virginia Tech; Former Adjunct Associate Professor, Urban Design, Columbia University

This program will introduce students to the principles and theories that can inform the design of streets, plazas, neighborhoods, and their relationship to buildings. As we question the best ways to shape our cities, we’ll consider things like the functionality of buildings, the availability of transportation, the environmental sustainability of the region, the outdoor comfort of pedestrians, the possibility of social interaction, and the richness of the spatial experience. 

Nearshoring: Real Estate, Economics and International Business

Faculty Advisor: Lecturer of Economics, Loyola Marymount University; Lecturer of Real Estate Investment, USC Marshall School of Business

Throughout this research program, students will be equipped with tools to assess macro trends in international economics and identify potential global investment opportunities in industrial real estate. We’ll use the current geopolitical landscape between China and the US–which is fostering a trend toward nearshoring and logistical integration in North America–and the US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA) as our framework throughout the program.

Middle School Research Programs (Grades 7 to 9)

The Science of Sharks and Rays: A Dive into the Biology and Ecology of Elasmobranch Fishes

Faculty Advisor: Graduate Research Assistant, Shark Lab, California State University, Long Beach

“The Science of Sharks and Rays” invites students to explore the ancient, enigmatic world of elasmobranchs. This species, which evolved long before even the first trees appeared on Earth, carries with them unique adaptations like cartilaginous skeletons that have enabled their survival across millions of years.

Ghosts in Literature and Society: Exploring the Hauntings of Cultural and National Identity

Faculty Advisor: Assistant Professor, Queens University of Charlotte; Ph.D. in Romance Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, University of California, Berkeley

With “Ghosts in Literature and Society,” we will investigate the role of ghosts as carriers of history, memory, and transformation. Together, we will question: What defines a ghost in cultural texts? How do hauntings reflect collective identities? To what end do these specters persist, and how do we exorcise—or embrace—them?

These research programs are now open for application. For more information on how we can help you reach your academic goals, contact us.