Program Overview
The science research course is designed to provide students with a chance to pursue an in-depth understanding of a topic of their choice by allowing them to participate in the community of science research and scholarship.
- Students choose and explore a topic of interest related to: physical science, life sciences, computer science, mathematics, social science, or psychology
- Students are taught the process of online bibliographic researching and are able to access many scientific databases. Initially, students use library and Internet research tools to identify specific subjects currently being studied within their chosen area.
- Students prepare a statement of what they intend to study based on their bibliographic research, which helps them to focus on the specifics of their chosen area of interest
- Students find and study several scientific journal articles then present the information from some of their articles to the class. Their presentation to the class emphasizes how the research described in the articles was conducted. Thus, the scientific method, which is an essential part of the entire research course, is made explicit for the student and the class:
- Review of the literature, Statement of the Hypothesis, Methodology of the experiment, Analysis of the results, Discussion of the data, Conclusions, Bibliographic background.
Class Resources
Course Description
Science Journal Summary Information
Science Journal Summary Grading Rubric
Summer Internship Programs
WESEF Handbook 2023
Regeneron WESEF
Regeneron Mentor Program
Somers Science Fair
Course Description
Science Journal Summary Information
Science Journal Summary Grading Rubric
Summer Internship Programs
WESEF Handbook 2023
Regeneron WESEF
Regeneron Mentor Program
Somers Science Fair
North Salem Science Research Students
YEAR 1
Eve Bursuker
YEAR 2
Emma Gautier
Emma is investigating the effects of temperature on Zebra fish (Danio rerio).
YEAR 3
Joey Centofanti
The impact of macrophages and arterial inflamation on atherosclerosis.
Eve Bursuker
YEAR 2
Emma Gautier
Emma is investigating the effects of temperature on Zebra fish (Danio rerio).
YEAR 3
Joey Centofanti
The impact of macrophages and arterial inflamation on atherosclerosis.
Jacob Wilson
The Effects of Anthropogenic and Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds on Air Quality.
The Effects of Anthropogenic and Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds on Air Quality.
Summer Programs and Research Opportunities
Partners in Science
Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program
Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
Research Science Institute (RSI)
Simons Summer Research Program
- SUNY Stony Brook
Spark Summer Internship Program
Research in Materials Science Program (RIMS)
- CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC)
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) Internship
- Boston University
Wistar Institute High School Program in Biomedical Research
- Philadelphia, PA
City of Hope Cancer Center Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
- Duarte, California
McLaughlin Research Institute For Biomedical Sciences Summer Internship
- Great Falls, Montana
Engineering Academy at Penn
Mount Sinai Hospital (Deadline January 13)
Liberty Science Center
Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell (Deadline first Friday in February)
NIH: Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (Deadline March 1st)
Columbia University Science Honors Program (Deadline March 1st)
Memorial Sloan Kettering: Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (Deadline March 2nd)
Cooper Union Summer Engineering Program (Deadline March 18th)
Wave Hill: Forest Project Summer Collaborative (Deadline March 20th)
Engineering Program and RPI College (Deadline March 25th)
Simons Summer Internship at SUNY Stony Brook
- For 35 years, Liberty Science Center's Partners in Science program has provided an intensive, eight-week summer experience for high school juniors and seniors. The program pairs students with mentors in science, health, and technical fields and challenges them to participate in ongoing research and independent projects.
Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Student Program
- The HOPP Summer Student Program provides high school students with hands-on experience in laboratory techniques. Students conduct independent research projects and attend enriching training sessions and tours designed to support their interest in the clinical side of translational research and fuel their curiosity for science.
Rockefeller University Summer Science Research Program
- Mentored biomedical research program taking place on campus at The Rockefeller University
- SSRP scholars will be on campus up to 35 hours per week during normal business hours
- Students must be a current high school junior or senior (age 16+ at program start, no exceptions) and must commit to the entire program.
Research Science Institute (RSI)
- The prestigious RSI takes place at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) annually, bringing together 80 top high school students from around the world. The free program blends on-campus coursework with off-campus science and technology research. Participants complete individual research projects while receiving mentorship from experienced scientists and researchers before presenting their findings through oral and written reports in a conference-style setting.
- FREE
Simons Summer Research Program
- SUNY Stony Brook
- High school students conduct hands-on research in areas like science, math, or engineering while working with faculty mentors. Students have the opportunity to join real research teams and learn about laboratory equipment and techniques.
Spark Summer Internship Program
- For people researching computer science
- Might not be able to gain direct research experience but will connect and learn and work in a real world situation.
- Through the internship program, students learn from, receive guidance from, and connect with leading industry experts while conducting research in real-world contexts. To participate, students must be able to work full-time (30-40 hours per work) for 8-12 weeks over the course of the summer.
Research in Materials Science Program (RIMS)
- CUNY Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC)
- RIMS gives students the opportunity to conduct research in laboratories throughout the ASRC. During the 8-week program, they also attend career development seminars. Admission is highly competitive, and students receive a stipend for their participation.
Research in Science & Engineering (RISE) Internship
- Boston University
- RISE is a 6-week program for rising seniors with an interest in pursuing a major and career in STEM. There are several tracks available, such as astronomy, chemistry, computer science, and neuroscience. In each track, students conduct research under the mentorship of Boston University faculty, postdoctoral fellows, or graduate students. They will also attend weekly workshops with their peers.
Wistar Institute High School Program in Biomedical Research
- Philadelphia, PA
- A leading biomedical research organization, The Wistar Institute is an ideal setting for students to learn research skills. Participants complete their own research project while being trained in a principal investigator’s laboratory. They also attend seminars, receive mentorship, and deliver a final presentation about their work.
City of Hope Cancer Center Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Student Academy
- Duarte, California
- The Academy is designed for students wishing to design their own research biomedical projects under renowned mentorship of the City of Hope facilitators, while attending seminars and laboratory meetings with the staff. This inclusive experience ensures that students leave the Academy with quantifiable content for their resume in the form of a cumulative research paper which is presented at the end of the program.
- 10 Weeks and $4000 stipend!!
- Highly competitive
McLaughlin Research Institute For Biomedical Sciences Summer Internship
- Great Falls, Montana
- Successful applicants will spend 8 weeks in the laboratory of one of the Institute’s faculty or in the Animal Resource Center actively engaged in a current research project under the direction of the scientist, postdoctoral fellow, or research assistant. In addition to providing hands-on experience in investigatory science, the students will observe and interact with other high school and college students in a laboratory-learning environment rather than a classroom. Journal clubs and seminars supplement the research experience. Each student will give a formal presentation at the end of the 8 weeks summarizing his/her project.
Engineering Academy at Penn
- The Academy’s intensive, three-week programs combine sophisticated theory with hands-on practical experience in cutting edge technologies. Work with leading faculty while earning college credit, live on Penn’s historic campus, and connect with new friends from around the world.
Mount Sinai Hospital (Deadline January 13)
- Basic science volunteers at The Mount Sinai Hospital assist laboratory staff with carrying out research techniques. Clinical research volunteers assist the research staff with a variety of tasks, including data entry and collection and compiling study documents. Both are exceptional year-round opportunities for students interested in a career in medicine.
Liberty Science Center
- For 30 years, Liberty Science Center’s Partners in Science program has provided an intensive, eight-week summer experience for high school juniors and seniors. The program pairs students with mentors in science, health and technical fields and challenges them to participate in ongoing research and independent projects. Partners in Science gives students the opportunity to investigate questions driving scientific discovery in professional laboratory settings. Additionally, they develop a network of advisers and lifelong connections that may help them identify and focus their career goals.
Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell (Deadline first Friday in February)
- Undergraduate and high school summer internships at BTI, Cornell University and the USDA provide an excellent opportunity to gain research experience and explore if a scientific career is right for you. Currently we offer positions to outstanding students interested in Plant Genome Research and Bioinformatics . Applications are accepted annually from November until the first Friday of February. Accepted students join an international community of scientists and students in the pursuit of scientific discovery, learn valuable research skills, and attend seminars and workshops to learn from leaders in these fields.
NIH: Summer Internship Program in Biomedical Research (Deadline March 1st)
- 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. The NIH consists of the 240-bed Mark O. Hatfield Clinical Research Center and more than 1200 laboratories/research projects located on the main campus in Bethesda, MD and the surrounding area as well
Columbia University Science Honors Program (Deadline March 1st)
- The Columbia University Science Honors Program (SHP) is a highly selective program for high school students who have a strong interest in the sciences and mathematics. The SHP holds classes at Columbia from 10:00 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. on Saturdays throughout the academic year. Courses are primarily in the physical, chemical, biological, behavioral, and computing sciences; and instructors are scientists and mathematicians who are actively engaged in research at the University. For more information, and to apply, please visit
- FREE
Memorial Sloan Kettering: Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (Deadline March 2nd)
- The Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program (HOPP) Summer Student Program is designed for high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in biomedical-related sciences. Each student works directly with a postdoc, graduate student, or research technician under the direction of a Principal Investigator (PI) to complete a research project. The hands-on experience in cutting-edge laboratories provides students with rich knowledge about translational research in oncology. During their eight weeks in the program, students will learn techniques for conducting research experiments and at the end of the summer prepare a poster to display his or her research project. For more information, and to apply, please visit
- FREE
Cooper Union Summer Engineering Program (Deadline March 18th)
- The School of Engineering's Research Internship Program provides a great opportunity for high school students to tackle research problems in a college setting. Interns work in teams comprising of both high school sophomores and juniors on applied research projects under the constant guidance of Cooper Union undergraduate teaching assistants. Each project is supervised and mentored by Cooper Union faculty and covers fields such as civil, chemical, electrical, mechanical, biomedical and environmental engineering; mathematics, chemistry, and astronomy. Tuition assistance is available for those who qualify. For more information, and to apply, please visit
Wave Hill: Forest Project Summer Collaborative (Deadline March 20th)
- The Forest Project enables high school students to earn money while working to restore Wave Hill’s natural woodlands. The Forest Project gives students an unparalleled opportunity to learn about ecology in an urban setting, gain hands-on field experience and enroll in a tuition-free, college-level course at Lehman College. Throughout the summer, guest speakers, field trips and special projects contribute to an immersive and profoundly rewarding experience. For more information, and to apply, please visit
- PAID
Engineering Program and RPI College (Deadline March 25th)
- The Rensselaer PREFACE Program is a two-week residential summer experience for talented high school sophomores and juniors, who will enter 11th or 12th grade in the fall of the coming year and who have expressed a strong, early interest in pursuing a career in the engineering and technological professions. It is for serious high school students from groups that have been historically and traditionally underrepresented or underserved in science, engineering, and technological fields. For more information, and to apply, please visit.
Simons Summer Internship at SUNY Stony Brook
- For current Juniors only.
Here are ten tips to guide your reading of the primary literature:
Croton Harmon
Nyack High School
Dobbs Ferry
Yorktown High School
- Focus on methods and results. Try not to be influenced by the way the study is presented, but rather focus your analysis on the experimental design, techniques, and data.
- Be a skeptic. Ask yourself how strongly the authors' interpretations and conclusions are supported by the evidence.
- Be fair. Scientific research is difficult, and scientists operate under many constraints. Don't expect studies to be perfect.
- Read non-linearly. Exploit the format of research articles to quickly access the information you need. Don't feel compelled to read every line start to finish. Skim the paper to understand its overall approach. Refer to previous sections as necessary.
- Consider the big picture. Assess where the study fits into the cycle of science, and how it relates to previous research.
- Consult other sources. Writers of research articles assume their audience has basic knowledge of the area. Consult secondary sources to get the needed background.
- Take your time. Research articles condense entire studies into a few printed pages. It probably took the authors years to conceive, perform, and publish their work. Be patient and persistent when reading articles.
- Accept uncertainty. Research articles deal with emerging knowledge and controversial issues. Don't expect to find absolute answers to every question. Each paper is a step in an ongoing process.
- Expect to be challenged. If you're not an expert in an area, there might be aspects of a paper you can't understand fully. That's OK, you can still learn from those parts of a paper that you can comprehend.
- Relax and enjoy. Perhaps this is the hardest advice to follow, especially when you're confronted with a complicated paper. But try to approach an article like a puzzle. It's going to take time and effort to make progress, but there's real satisfaction in doing
Croton Harmon
Nyack High School
Dobbs Ferry
Yorktown High School