Competitions | Field Experience | Online | Summer Programs

• Competitions

  • FIRST Tech Challenge

    Location: National | Deadline: Spring

    In this competition, students and their coaches or mentors build robots based on sound engineering principles and design them to battle robots built by other competitors. A kit is provided for those who want to use one. Competitions are held around the country, and awards are given based on robot design, performance, community outreach, and other accomplishments. The winners of these competitions proceed to the competition's World Championship.

    http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/ftc

  • Google Science Fair

    Location: National | Deadline: Spring

    The Google Science Fair is an online science competition seeking curious minds from around the world. Anyone between the ages of 13 and 18 can enter—all you need is an idea. We welcome mavericks, square-pegs, and anyone who likes to ask questions. After all, geniuses aren't always the best classroom students. Simply upload your project here to enter for a chance to win. Everyone has a question. What's yours?

    http://www.google.com/events/sciencefair/index.html

  • Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

    Location: National | Deadline: N/A

    The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a program of the Society for Science and the Public, is the world's largest precollege science fair competition. Each year, more than 7 million high school students from around the world compete in local science fairs with the dream of reaching Intel ISEF. Only 1,500 young innovators become finalists and are invited to attend the event to share ideas, showcase cutting-edge research, and compete for over $4 million in awards and scholarships. More than 1,000 science, engineering, and industry professionals volunteer at Intel ISEF to judge the student projects and award prizes.

    http://www.intel.com/about/corporateresponsibility/education/isef/index.htm

  • Junior Science and Humanities Symposia (JSHS) Program

    Location: National | Deadline: Winter

    The JSHS program is designed to challenge and engage students (grades 9-12) in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Individual students compete for scholarships and recognition by presenting the results of their original research efforts before a panel of judges and an audience of their peers. Opportunities for hands-on workshops, panel discussions, career exploration, visits to research labs, and networking are part of the program.

    http://www.jshs.org/

  • The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl

    Location: National | Deadline: Spring

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition that tests students' knowledge in all areas of science. High school and middle school students are quizzed in a fast-paced question-and-answer format similar to Jeopardy. Competing teams from diverse backgrounds are made up of four students, one alternate, and a teacher who serves as an advisor and coach.

    http://science.energy.gov/wdts/nsb/

• Field Experience

  • Journal of Youths in Science (JOURNYS)

    Location: National | Deadline: N/A

    The Journal of Youths in Science (JOURNYS) is a student-run science publication featuring original research, reviews, and op-eds from young people under age 20. Unlike most science magazines, JOURNYS provides a unique opportunity for students to have their own work published. Filling the gap between professional science journals and magazines written for younger children, JOURNYS allows student authors to expand their existing knowledge and gives readers a chance to gain appealing and useful insights from their peers.

    http://www.journys.org/

  • NASA Career Exploration Program

    Location: Texas | Deadline: Rolling

    The NASA Career Exploration Program gives students an opportunity to work at the Johnson Space Center during their senior year of high school, and then in the summer after high school. Students work under a mentor in the labs, learning technical and business skills. Students in a high school cooperative education program can apply through their Career and Technology Education teacher.

    http://www.cep.usra.edu/highSchool/

  • Science and Engineering Apprentice Program

    Location: District of Columbia | Deadline: Winter

    SEAP, sponsored by George Washington University and the Department of Defense, is an eight-week internship. It places students with experienced scientists and engineers in Army Research Laboratories. Students work on projects benefiting the Army and the community. This gives students firsthand experience with research as well as a potential career in the Army. At the end of the program, students present their research at a seminar.

    http://www.usaeop.com/programs/SEAP/index.htm

  • Student Internships in Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

    Location: District of Columbia | Deadline: Rolling

    The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy offers exciting student volunteer internships throughout the year in its Washington, D.C., headquarters. These volunteer internships provide opportunities for students to learn through direct experience in the fields of energy efficiency and renewable energy. In addition, some colleges and universities give academic credit for federal government internships—and an internship with the government can sometimes be the starting point for a full-time paid position after graduation.

    http://www1.eere.energy.gov/office_eere/careers/internships_fellowships.html#volunteer

  • The Department of Energy’s Scholars Program

    Location: National | Deadline: Winter

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Scholars Program introduces students or recent college graduates to the DOE’s mission and operations. As a participant in the Scholars Program, you will gain a competitive edge by familiarizing yourself with the department's functions, while showcasing your education, talent, and skills.

    http://orise.orau.gov/doescholars/default.htm

• Online

  • Build It Solar

    Location: Online | Deadline: N/A

    This site offers plans, tools, and information to help you build renewable energy and conservation projects.

    http://www.builditsolar.com/index.htm

  • Design Squad Nation

    Location: National | Deadline: N/A

    The DESIGN SQUAD NATION Web site brings creative ideas to life—dream it, build it, live it. Through the website’s projects gallery, you can brainstorm new ideas, submit your own project, and respond to those of others, all the while earning points for your contributions. The games FIDGIT and STRING THING combine both creativity and puzzle-solving online. And a huge library of videos show teams working together to tackle an array of engineering projects, including a pedal-powered bike organ, a water-saving toilet, and a human-powered flying machine.

    http://pbskids.org/designsquad/

  • Learning About Renewable Energy

    Location: Online | Deadline: N/A

    These educational resources from the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory can help you learn more about the renewable energy sources and technologies that interest you most. From elementary school science mentoring to senior-level research participant programs, NREL's educational opportunities help provide the link to a clean energy future.

    http://www.nrel.gov/learning/student_resources.html

  • MIT OpenCourseWare: Highlights for High School

    Location: Online | Deadline: N/A

    Highlights for High School is your guide to courses from MIT, selected specifically to help you prepare for AP exams. Learn more about the concepts and skills that excite you and explore some of the topics you'll be studying in college.

    http://ocw.mit.edu/high-school/for-students/

  • Zooniverse: Study Explosions on the Sun

    Location: Online | Deadline: N/A

    Explore interactive diagrams to learn more about the Sun and the spacecraft used to study it. Zooniverse features images from STEREO, one of NASA's latest missions trained on the Sun and designed to investigate the Sun's dynamics, the space weather it generates, and how these conditions influence us here on Earth.

    https://www.zooniverse.org/project/solarstormwatch

• Summer Programs

  • DTE Energy Summer Student Program

    Location: National | Deadline: Winter

    This popular program provides full-time, temporary employment opportunities for students who are either currently college undergraduates or high school seniors preparing to attend college in the Fall.

    http://www.dteenergy.com/dteEnergyCompany/careers/students/summerStudent.html

  • Engineering Innovation

    Location: National | Deadline: Spring

    Through Engineering Innovation, high school students apply their knowledge of math and science to labs and other hands-on projects. It's a great opportunity to link classroom concepts to real-world practice and to begin to think and work like an engineer.

    http://engineering-innovation.jhu.edu/

  • JPL Summer High School Internship Program

    Location: National | Deadline: N/A

    The Jet Propulsion Laboratory Summer High School Internship Program (JPL SpaceSHIP) is an eight-week internship designed for high school students, 16 or older, who have demonstrated a strong interest in, and aptitude for, science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM). One of JPL SpaceSHIP's objectives is to encourage precollege students who have been traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields to consider these careers. Students participating in JPL SpaceSHIP can conduct introductory research, work in a technical environment, and expand their computer skills under the guidance of NASA's science, engineering, and technical professionals.

    http://jplspaceship.jpl.nasa.gov/

  • National Space Club Scholars Program

    Location: Virginia | Deadline: Spring

    Students work with professionals either at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center or at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility for six weeks. Students will gain experience in research and in the operations needed to support NASA’s missions. Areas of interest include Earth and space systems science, computer science, and engineering. The research focuses on computer applications and will give students an understanding of NASA’s operations.

    http://www.spaceclub.org/programs/scholars.html

  • National Youth Science Camp

    Location: Online | Deadline: Winter

    The National Youth Science Camp (NYSC) is a residential science education program for students around the country. It provides a wide variety of outdoor adventures and hands-on experiences to give students a true appreciation for the outdoors. The goal of this program is to foster youth interest in science through informal science education programs, with an emphasis on positive interactions between students and the environment.

    http://www.nysf.com/w/programs/nysc/