This is a curated list of opportunities of potential interest to SSP alumni and former TAs. If you are an undergrad, grad student, or still in high school, there is something here for you that you’ve not seen before.
If you find a broken link or want to add to this list, tell us at sspalum@ssp.org.
You can return to SSP! As you know, Teaching Assistant and Residential Mentors do it all: assisting participants in their research under the direction of the Academic Director, and as residential advisors and personal mentors, supervising and organizing recreational and social activities, under the direction of the Site Director.
Applicants should be juniors, seniors, or graduate students, preferably in a STEM major. For Astrophysics, post-SSP programming experience is preferred. For Biochemistry, wet lab experience is required. While there is no hard deadline to apply, interviews begin in early January so apply by Dec. 31 if you can.
Eligibility ranges from high school through early career.
Rochester Inst. of Technology – Co-op/Internships and Summer Research Opportunities
Astrobetter.com – Astronomy Summer Internships, includes internships inside and outside the U.S.
Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) – searchable list of health programs and opportunities for academic levels ranging from K-12 and undergraduate to post-baccalaureate and pre-matriculation to medical school.
Absci is offering an opportunity for Deep Learning Research Scientist Interns to join their world-class Artificial Intelligence (AI) team and advance generative models for protein drug design. As a Research Scientist Intern, you will develop advanced machine learning techniques that will be deployed for the creation of lifesaving drugs. We are looking for people who can draw on significant expertise in deep learning or related disciplines such as natural language processing, protein design, and computer vision, to develop innovative models that can learn from and generate new proteins.This position can be Remote, Hybrid or Onsite in Vancouver, WA or New York, New York.
Amgen Scholars allows undergraduates from across the globe to participate in cutting-edge research opportunities at world-class institutions. 17 leading institutions across the U.S., Europe and Japan currently host the summer program.
Undergraduate participants benefit from undertaking a research project under top faculty, being part of a cohort-based experience of seminars and networking events, and taking part in a symposium in their respective region (U.S., Europe or Japan) where they meet their peers, learn about biotechnology, and hear from leading scientists.
The Brooke Owens Fellowship provides paid internships and executive mentorship for exceptional undergraduate women in aerospace. Brooke Owens Fellows are selected for their talent, their experience to date, their commitment to service, and their creativity. Their experience in the program is designed to help them grow in each of those areas, turning promising students into thriving leaders. Work at the coolest companies, doing the most meaningful things. Connect directly with the leaders of today’s industry. Build a network that will launch you to the career of your dreams.
D.E. Shaw group is an international investment management firm that employs quantitative and computational techniques to responsibly oversee assets and control risk. The firm emphasizes teamwork and inclusion, integrating STEM, business, and finance within the workplace. Internship opportunities offered for undergraduates who may not have considered a career in finance.
D.E. Shaw Research (DESRES) is a leading innovator in science and technology, applying computational biochemistry to gain insight into molecular dynamics and rapid biological transformations. DESRES produces scientific literature with publications examining protein force fields, reception channel blockers, pathway inhibitors, and more. We also welcome internship applications from both undergraduate and graduate students from a range of technical disciplines, including: applied mathematics, biology, chemistry, computer science, electrical or computer engineering, materials science, and physics.
Girls on Ice is a National Science Foundation funded project on glaciology and climate research for high school girls. International students may apply.
The Summer Student Program is a 10-week paid internship designed to help students understand the nature of research science. Graduating high school seniors and undergraduates are eligible to apply. The emphasis of this program is on methods of discovery and communication of knowledge, not the mastery of established facts. Under the guidance of a mentor, students integrate into an ongoing research program, develop an independent project, implement their plan, analyze the data and report their results. At the end of the summer, students present their findings to researchers, peers and parents. Each year, the program consists of about 45 students from around the United States.
The JPL Education Office offers internships to students who have completed their first year of college. Visit our website for all program details, requirements and applications.
The Matthew Isakowitz Fellowship is a highly selective internship and mentorship program that provides extraordinary summer opportunities to current college juniors, seniors, and graduate students passionate about commercial spaceflight.
The MIT Lincoln Laboratory researches and develops a broad array of advanced technologies to meet critical national security needs. What sets the Lab apart from many national R&D laboratories is the focus on building operational prototypes of the unique systems designed. Lincoln Laboratory has postings for full time jobs and internships.
MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP) is a nine week summer research experience for non-MIT students who are current sophomores, juniors, and non-graduating seniors at any accredited undergraduate institution in the U.S (or U.S. territories). MSRP strives to improve minority, first-gen, and underserved community representation in STEM through an enriching session of research and graduate school prep.
The New Technologists Summer Academy is a 7-week paid innovation academy for college freshmen and sophomores interested in or currently pursuing degrees in the field of technology. As a participant, you will learn to use tools and programming languages to move through the product-life cycle. What’s the product life cycle? Don’t worry…we’ll teach you! Get real world experience in app development, design a new product concept and gain hands-on training from senior staff in the Microsoft workspace.
https://www.nasa.gov/stem-ed-resources/nasa-internships-and-fellowships.html
Citizen Scientists have helped to answer serious scientific questions, provide vital data to the astronomical community, and have discovered thousands of objects including nebulas, supernovas, and gamma ray bursts. NASA supports several resources which may be of interest to amateur and professional scientists alike.
The NASA DEVELOP National Program fosters an interdisciplinary research environment where applied science research projects are conducted under the guidance of NASA and partner science advisors. DEVELOP is unique in that young professionals lead research projects that focus on utilizing NASA Earth observations to address community concerns and public policy issues. Must be a current high school, college, or graduate school student at an accredited US school, at least 18 years of age and able to provide personal transportation to and from the DEVELOP location. Spring term deadline late October, summer term deadline early February.
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).
High School SIP is for rising or graduating seniors. Locations include the main campus in Bethesda, MD, plus Research Triangle Park, NC; Hamilton, MT; Framingham, MA; Phoenix, AZ; and Detroit, MI.
SFI postdoctoral Fellows are early-career scientists selected from around the world and across science for their intellectual curiosity, quantitative rigor, and multidisciplinary creativity.
The Omidyar Postdoctoral Fellowship sets the standard for multidisciplinary postdoctoral programs, encouraging fellows to develop and pursue their own research questions without boundaries or restrictions. The ASU-SFI Postdoctoral Fellowship is a joint program with Arizona State University, the ASU-SFI Center for Biosocial Complex Systems, supporting postdoctoral researchers who are asking solution-driven questions at the intersection of human society and the biological world. SFI Program Postdoctoral Fellows, selected for their multidisciplinary backgrounds, collaborate with Institute faculty on research supported by such organizations as NASA, the National Science Foundation, the Templeton World Charity Foundation, and the James S. McDonnell Foundation. James S. McDonnell Foundation Fellows have opportunities to collaborate with peers in this elite international program.
Each summer, the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) brings a dozen highly motivated college students to Baltimore, Maryland, for a Space Astronomy Summer Program (SASP). STScI is the scientific operations center for the Hubble Space Telescope and the future James Webb Space Telescope. The SAS Program runs from mid-June to mid-August, and is designed for upper division undergraduates with a strong interest in space astronomy. Students work individually with STScI researchers and staff on research projects that might include data reduction and interpretation, software development, scientific writing, preparing data for public releases. The Program provides students a fun, educational experience within a team-spirited environment. Students receive a stipend, housing assistance, and travel to and from Baltimore.
Stamps Scholars are a merit scholarship program and community that helps exceptional students become meaningful leaders throughout society. The program has grown to nearly 40 universities across the country. Application is through a partner school only. Scholars receive annual awards that range from $69,000 to $5,000 (four-year awards total an average of $275,000 – $20,000) with additional funds for enrichment activities such as study abroad, academic conferences, and leadership training.
USRA offers fellowships, internships, scholarships, and K-12 STEM programs to high school, undergraduate, and graduate students.
The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP) provides an opportunity for high school students to participate in research at a Department of Navy (DoN) laboratory during the summer. The goals of SEAP are to encourage participating students to pursue science and engineering careers, to further their education via mentoring by laboratory personnel and their participation in research, and to make them aware of DoN research and technology efforts, which can lead to employment within the DoN. Participating students spend eight weeks during the summer doing research at 25 DoN laboratories. A stipend is paid. U.S. citizens are eligible; some labs may consider Permanent Resident Aliens.
Each year, AAPT and the American Institute of Physics (AIP) sponsor a competition for high school students to represent the United States at the 2014 International Physics Olympiad Competition. The mission of the U.S. Physics Team Program is to promote and demonstrate academic excellence through preparation for and participation in the International Physics Olympiad.
Founded by SSP alumni, the NAO selects the team to represent the USA at the International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics. While testing is open to students of all nationalities, only US citizens and Permanent Residents may be on the team.
The International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics is a 10 day annual competition attended by teams from 50 countries … but not the United States, until 2013, when Roohi Dalal ’12 and Bryan Brzycki ’12 organized the first U.S. team and competed in Velos, Greece, along with future SSPers Luke Finnerty ’14 and Claire Burch ’14. In 2016, three of the five members of the U.S. team were either past or future SSPers.
As the premiere biology competition for high school students in the United States, the USA Biolympiad (USABO) enriches the life science education of nearly 10,000 talented students annually. It provides the motivation, curricular resources, and skills training to take them beyond their classroom experience to the level of international competitiveness.
As the premier high school biology student competition worldwide, the International Biology Olympiad aims to identify, inspire, empower and support the next generation of leaders in the life sciences and to develop their international network.
The National Youth Science Camp (NYSCamp) is a residential science education program for young STEM enthusiasts the summer after they graduate from high school. Students from around the U.S. – two from each state and D.C. – are challenged academically in lectures, hands-on studies, and an outdoor adventure program. NYSCamp is free to attend. [Note: if you come from a smaller population state, your odds look pretty good.]
ISSYP is a two-week online program for 20 Canadian and 20 international high school students, including graduating seniors, with a keen interest in theoretical physics who intend to pursue physics at the university level. Operated by Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, ISSYP now includes over 900 alumni in 60 countries.
Founded by technology entrepreneur and investor Peter Thiel in 2011, the Thiel Fellowship is a two-year program for young people who want to build new things. Anyone aged 22 or younger is eligible. Thiel Fellows skip or stop out of college to receive a $100,000 grant and support from the Thiel Foundation’s network of founders, investors, and scientists. Project ideas granted funding include nuclear and alternative energy, robotics, biotechnology, 3D printing, synthetic biology, public health, education, finance, scientific equipment, gaming, and software. “We’d love for you to share with us about how you want to change the world.” [In 2014, two of the 20 Thiel Fellows were SSP alumni!]
Established by Congress in 1986 to foster and encourage excellence in science and mathematics, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship is awarded annually to about 250 American undergraduate sophomores and juniors with excellent academic records and outstanding potential. Scholarships support study in the fields of mathematics, engineering and the natural sciences. Each award covers eligible expenses, including tuition, fees, books, and room and board, up to a maximum. Scholars are eligible for one or two years of support.
A full tuition scholarship for a woman seeking an undergraduate degree in science, engineering, or math. Covers full tuition for up to four years. [Josh Dillon ’04 co-created Cards Against Humanity with some friends from high school. Scholarship funds will be provided from Cards Against Humanity’s Science Pack.]
The Davidson Fellows Scholarship gives young people 18 and younger the opportunity to earn a $50,000, $25,000 or $10,000 scholarship in recognition of a significant piece of work in the categories of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, music, literature and philosophy, or a project that represents outside the box thinking. Scholarships are awarded on the basis of an accomplishment that experts in the field recognize as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. Open to U.S. citizens, individuals or two-person teams. Deadline in early February.
The Cooke College Scholarship Program is an undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best four-year colleges and universities.is the largest undergraduate scholarship program available to high-achieving high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend the nation’s best 4-year colleges and universities. College Scholars have access to generous financial support for up to 4 years, college planning support, ongoing advising, and the opportunity to network with the larger JKCF Scholar community. Applications open through early November.
The Gates Millennium Scholars Program is a scholarship and mentoring program for 20,000 outstanding students of color. GMS selects 1,000 talented students each year to receive a good-through-graduation scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. Continuing Gates Millennium Scholars may request funding for a graduate degree program in one of the following discipline areas: computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science.
The Gates Scholarship (TGS) is a highly selective, last-dollar scholarship for outstanding, minority, high school seniors from low-income households. Each year, the scholarship is awarded to 300 of these student leaders, with the intent of helping them realize their maximum potential.
Thermo Scientific Pierce Scholarship Program was created to provide educational opportunities for graduate or undergraduate students studying biology, chemistry, biochemistry, or related life science field at a U.S. college or university. Non-U.S. citizens are eligible. A committee will award $10,000 and $5,000 scholarships.
The Olin E. Teague Memorial Scholarship encourages talented young people to pursue careers in aerospace fields. The scholarship is awarded to a graduating high school senior at an accredited U.S. high school.
The National Space Club offers a major scholarship each year to encourage study in the STEM-related fields. The scholarship, which includes the opportunity to serve as the Keynote speaker at the Goddard Memorial Dinner, the premier networking event in the Aerospace field, as well as $10,000 is awarded, to a U.S. citizen in at least the junior year of an accredited U.S. High School through Graduate University, who, in the judgment of the award committee, shows the greatest interest and aptitude. For information on how to apply, please see the visit the Keynote Scholarship page.
The National Space Club Scholars Program is a summer intern program, for up to 50 high school students, with space scientists and engineers, sponsored by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (up to 41) and NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA (up to 9) in cooperation with the National Space Club. The program is conducted for six weeks each summer, from late June until early August. Participants must live within commuting distance of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, or the NASA Wallops Flight Facility, Wallops Island, VA.
QuestBridge is dedicated to helping high school seniors who have excelled in school despite financial difficulties reach their full potential. The QuestBridge National College Match awards full four-year scholarships to 39 of the nation’s best colleges, and QuestBridge Regular Decision offers generous financial aid.
The WIA Foundation Scholarship supports women interested in a career in the aerospace field to pursue higher education degrees in engineering, math or science. An applicant must be interested in pursuing a career in the aerospace field and be a rising junior or senior working towards a bachelor’s degree in engineering, math or science. Applicants may be of any nationality.
The Columbia Junior Science Journal provides high school students with a platform to publish manuscripts in the fields of natural sciences, physical sciences, engineering, and social sciences. Selected CJSJ authors demonstrate the ability to communicate research projects to the general public and scientific community. CJSJ promotes the development of young researchers versed in technical and communication skills, which are facets encoded into the DNA of Columbia University.
The CUSJ is a professional-level, open-access science journal that is committed to publishing manuscripts of the highest scholarship resulting from significant scientific research or outstanding scientific analysis. Each paper published in the CUSJ undergoes a double-blind peer review process facilitated by the Journal’s Editorial Review Board and a faculty review by the CUSJ Faculty Advisory Board.
SSP International is a nonprofit offering inspiring science immersion experiences. Founded in 1959, its mission is to provide opportunities to accelerate learning, doing and belonging in science. SSP International’s flagship program is Summer Science Program, a leading education experience for exceptional high school students in astrophysics, biochemistry, genomics and more.
