30+ STEM Capstone Project Ideas for High School Students

If you want to apply to a competitive STEM program, internship, or college major, a capstone project can help you stand out. This project you have taken the time to dig deeper, ask questions, and create something on your own.

A capstone project is a clear way to show what you can do. It gives you something real to discuss in college essays or interviews. You can list your skills in time management, data analysis, research, writing, coding, or design. That matters when you are applying to research labs or internships that want more than just good grades.

It also helps you figure out what you like. Maybe you enjoy writing code, working with lab tools, building things, or reading scientific papers. A capstone lets you test that out by working on something that matters to you.

What Is a Capstone Project? How Is It Different from a Regular Project?

A capstone project is a long-term project that pulls together everything you have learned in a subject. It usually takes a few weeks or months to finish and often includes research, planning, and applying knowledge from different topics. Some capstone projects are even interdisciplinary. That means you may use skills from science, math, and computer science all in one project.

This is different from a regular school project. A short group poster or slideshow based on a chapter of your textbook is a basic assignment. A capstone asks you to solve a real problem, test a hypothesis, or build something original. You could collect data, build a prototype, write a research paper, or create a working model.

For example, making a simple electric car with a kit over the weekend is a regular project. Researching the best way to store solar energy, building and testing your own design, then writing a full report on your results is a capstone.

Why Should I Do a Capstone Project in STEM?

When you complete a STEM capstone, you build academic and personal skills that you do not always get from regular classes. You learn how to manage your time, break a big problem into small steps, and think critically. You also practice writing about your work, analyzing results, and using real data.

You learn to:

• Plan and organize a project from start to finish

• Research using scientific papers or public data sets

• Write a report or create a working model

• Build and test a prototype

• Use tools like spreadsheets, coding platforms, or lab equipment

• Connect ideas across subjects like math, physics, and computer science

These are the skills that matter in college labs, internships, and future STEM careers.

For college admissions, a capstone project shows that you can handle advanced academic work on your own. It also proves your interest in the subject. Instead of saying you like biology or robotics, you can show what you built, tested, or discovered.

Without further ado, here are 30+ STEM capstone project ideas for high school students!

30+ STEM capstone project ideas for high schoolers

1. Develop a Mental Health Support App for Students

What to Do: You can design and build a mobile app that helps students manage stress. Start by adding one feature, like a journaling tool or a breathing timer. Use beginner platforms like MIT App Inventor or Thunkable, or use Android Studio or Swift if you already know how to code. Conduct a survey to understand what features students need most. Test your app with classmates and make changes based on their feedback.

Skill Sets: Mobile app development, survey design, basic psychology, user interface design.

Drawbacks: You need some programming knowledge. Testing and redesigning can take time.

Ideal For: Students who are learning app development and want to create tools for daily use.

Tip: Start with one feature and build more based on what users ask for. Use free tools to build faster.

2. Construct a Robotic Assistant for the Elderly

What to Do: Build a small robot that can help with simple tasks like picking up objects or reminding someone to take medicine. Start by researching what daily tasks elderly people find difficult. Design the robot using lightweight parts and program it to carry out one task. Test the robot with family or neighbors to see how well it works.

Skill Sets: Robotics, mechanical engineering, basic programming.

Drawbacks: Some components may be expensive. You may need tools for building the robot safely.

Ideal For: Students interested in robotics and building machines that help people.

Tip: Use low-cost materials like cardboard or plastic for the frame. Make sure the robot moves slowly and safely.

3. Research and Create Biodegradable Plastics

What to Do: Experiment with natural substances like cornstarch or algae to make plastics that break down over time. Heat and mix ingredients to create samples. Test how strong they are, how flexible they feel, and how quickly they decompose under sunlight, water, or soil.

Skill Sets: Chemistry, materials science, environmental science.

Drawbacks: Needs lab access and safe chemical handling.

Ideal For: Students interested in environmental science and hands-on experiments.

Tip: Start with common kitchen materials like cornstarch, vinegar, and glycerin.

4. Develop a Solar-Powered Water Purification System

What to Do: Build a device that uses sunlight to clean dirty water. Start with a clear container, mirrors, and simple filters like charcoal or sand. Try using solar heat or UV light to kill bacteria. Collect small amounts of water and check if it's clearer or smells better after treatment

Skill Sets: Environmental engineering, physics, basic construction.

Drawbacks: Needs sunlight for testing and some outdoor space.

Ideal For: Students interested in clean energy and water access.

Tip: Test small water samples first before trying to purify large amounts.

5. Build a Machine Learning Model to Predict Weather

What to Do: Use free weather datasets to train a basic model that predicts temperature or rainfall. Start with simple data like daily temperatures. Use Python libraries such as pandas, sklearn, or TensorFlow. Test the model's results and try to improve accuracy.

Skill Sets: Machine learning, coding, data analysis, statistics.

Drawbacks: Can be hard to learn if you’re new to machine learning or data science.

Ideal For: Students with some coding experience who want to work with real data.

Tip: Begin with one weather factor like temperature before adding more variables

6. Create a Smart Irrigation System

What to Do: Build a system using sensors that measure soil moisture and trigger watering when the soil is dry. Use a microcontroller like Arduino to control the process. Set it up in a small plant pot or garden and track when and how often it waters.

Skill Sets: Arduino programming, basic electronics, environmental science.

Drawbacks: Sensors may need calibration, and outdoor testing may affect accuracy.

Ideal For: Students interested in farming tech or home automation.

Tip: Test your system indoors with potted plants before trying it outdoors.

7. Design a 3D-Printed Prosthetic Arm

What to Do: Use 3D design software to create parts of a simple prosthetic arm. Print the parts and assemble them. Focus on basic hand movements using elastic bands or simple joints. Research low-cost prosthetic models online for reference.

Skill Sets: 3D modeling, biomedical engineering, 3D printing.

Drawbacks: Needs access to a 3D printer and design software.

Ideal For: Students interested in health tech and building assistive devices.

Tip: Look for local maker spaces or libraries that offer 3D printing access.

8. Study the Effects of Different Fertilizers on Plant Growth

What to Do: Grow plants under controlled conditions using various types of fertilizers. Measure the plants' growth, health, and other factors like leaf size or color over time to see which fertilizer works best.

Skill Sets: Botany, experimental design, data analysis.

Drawbacks: Tracking growth can take a long time, and consistent conditions are crucial for accurate results.

Ideal For: Students interested in biology, agriculture, or environmental science.

Tip: Carefully standardize watering, sunlight, and soil conditions for fair comparisons.

9. Analyze Air Quality in Different Areas

What to Do: Use air quality sensors to measure pollutants such as PM2.5 and CO₂ in different locations (like urban, suburban, and rural areas). Compare the readings to understand air quality patterns and suggest ways to improve it.

Skill Sets: Environmental science, data analysis, experimental design.

Drawbacks: Air quality sensors may have limited precision, affecting the reliability of results.

Ideal For: Students interested in environmental policy, engineering, or public health.

Tip: Take readings at different times of day to get a more complete dataset.

10. Build a Mini Wind Turbine

What to Do: Design and build a small wind turbine that can generate electricity. Experiment with different blade shapes and angles to find the most efficient design.

Skill Sets: Mechanical engineering, sustainable energy, physics.

Drawbacks: You may need outdoor space for testing the turbine's effectiveness.

Ideal For: Students passionate about renewable energy and hands-on engineering projects.

Tip: Start with simple materials like PVC pipes to build your prototype.

11. Code a Personal Finance Tracker

What to Do: Build an application that helps users track and manage their finances by budgeting, categorizing spending, and setting savings goals. Include features like visualizing expenses and progress toward savings.

Skill Sets: Programming, data visualization, financial literacy.

Drawbacks: Requires intermediate coding skills to develop a functional app.

Ideal For: Students interested in finance, tech, and user experience design.

Tip: Focus on creating a clean design and simple user interface for ease of use.

12. Create an Automated Hydroponic System

What to Do: Design a hydroponic garden system controlled by sensors and microcontrollers that monitor factors like water levels, nutrient concentration, and light exposure. Automate the system to adjust as needed.

Skill Sets: Agricultural tech, electronics, environmental science.

Drawbacks: Initial setup costs can be high, and you'll need to learn about both agriculture and electronics.

Ideal For: Students interested in sustainable agriculture and smart technology.

Tip: Start small with easy-to-grow plants like lettuce or herbs.

13. Investigate How Music Affects Plant Growth

What to Do: Set up controlled experiments to see if plants grow better when exposed to different types of music. Measure factors like height, leaf number, and overall health.

Skill Sets: Experimental biology, statistics.

Drawbacks: It can be difficult to control all external factors that might affect plant growth.

Ideal For: Students curious about unconventional scientific studies or the relationship between music and biology.

Tip: Keep all variables constant except for the type of music played.

14. Design a Low-Cost Earthquake-Resistant Structure

What to Do: Research earthquake-resistant building techniques and create scaled models. Use a shake table to simulate earthquake conditions and test the models’ stability.

Skill Sets: Structural engineering, physics, architecture.

Drawbacks: Access to materials for building models and a shake table may be limited.

Ideal For: Students interested in civil engineering, architecture, or disaster management.

Tip: Focus on base isolation techniques or flexible designs for earthquake resistance.

15. Develop a Health Monitoring Wearable

What to Do: Create a wearable device (like a wristband) that tracks basic health metrics such as heart rate, steps taken, or sleep patterns. Use affordable microcontrollers to make it.

Skill Sets: Biomedical engineering, IoT (Internet of Things), coding.

Drawbacks: Low-cost sensors may not always be accurate.

Ideal For: Students passionate about health technology and wearable devices.

Tip: Start by focusing on one health metric, like heart rate, before expanding to other functions.

16. Model the Spread of an Epidemic

What to Do: Use mathematical models like SIR (Susceptible-Infected-Recovered) to simulate how a disease might spread in a population. Test how different interventions (like quarantine or vaccination) could reduce the spread.

Skill Sets: Math modeling, epidemiology, data analysis.

Drawbacks: Complex differential equations may be challenging to work through.

Ideal For: Students interested in medicine, public health, and math.

Tip: Use software like Python or Excel to simulate the models and visualize data.

17. Create a Virtual Reality Tour of a Historical Site

What to Do: Design a virtual reality (VR) environment that allows users to explore a famous scientific site, such as CERN or NASA. Add interactive features to enhance the educational experience.

Skill Sets: VR development, design, storytelling.

Drawbacks: Requires access to VR software and possibly hardware like a VR headset.

Ideal For: Students interested in computer science, history, or immersive technologies.

Tip: Start by creating a simple 360 degree environment and expand from there.

18. Build a Drone for Environmental Monitoring

What to Do: Assemble a basic drone equipped with sensors to collect environmental data, such as air quality, temperature, or pollution levels, across different areas.

Skill Sets: Mechanical engineering, environmental science, electronics.

Drawbacks: Drone regulations, such as those set by the FAA, must be considered, especially for outdoor use.

Ideal For: Students interested in drones, environmental science, or data collection.

Tip: Research FAA guidelines if planning to fly the drone outdoors for data collection.

19. Test the Efficiency of Homemade Solar Ovens

What to Do: Design and build different solar oven prototypes, then measure cooking times and temperatures to evaluate their efficiency.

Skill Sets: Sustainable engineering, thermodynamics, experimental design.

Drawbacks: Consistent sunny weather is required for testing.

Ideal For: Students interested in renewable energy, engineering, or sustainability.

Tip: Use common materials like cardboard, foil, and clear plastic to build your solar oven.

20. Design an AI Chatbot for Homework Help

What to Do: Create a basic AI chatbot that can assist students by answering common math, science, or coding questions based on pre-programmed responses or trained data.

Skill Sets: AI basics, programming, natural language processing.

Drawbacks: Natural language processing (NLP) can be difficult, especially for beginners.

Ideal For: Students interested in tech, education, or artificial intelligence.

Tip: Limit the chatbot’s scope to just a few subjects for your first version to make it manageable.

21. Simulate a Mars Habitat

What to Do: Design a sustainable Mars habitat by considering the planet's environmental conditions. Your design should include systems for food, water, and air supply to support astronauts.

Skill Sets: Astrobiology, engineering, environmental design.

Drawbacks: Requires systems thinking to integrate multiple factors like sustainability and life support.

Ideal For: Students interested in space exploration, astrobiology, or engineering.

Tip: Focus on one life-support system, like air or water, and build your design around that.

22. Study Water Pollution Effects on Microorganisms

What to Do: Expose simple microorganisms like algae to different water samples and measure how the quality of the water affects their growth and health.

Skill Sets: Biology, environmental science, lab skills.

Drawbacks: Requires careful lab techniques and consistent observation.

Ideal For: Students interested in environmental or marine biology.

Tip: If access to a lab is limited, partner with local research labs for equipment like microscopes.

23. Design a Low-Cost Water Filtration Device

What to Do: Research different methods for filtering water, then build a device that can remove contaminants like dirt or bacteria from water using affordable materials.

Skill Sets: Chemistry, engineering, public health.

Drawbacks: Testing the effectiveness of the device may be challenging without specialized lab equipment.

Ideal For: Students interested in sustainability, engineering, or public health.

Tip: Use charcoal, sand, and gravel as filtration layers for your prototype.

24. Build a Battery Using Everyday Materials

What to Do: Create a basic battery using items like fruits, vegetables, or household chemicals. Measure the battery's voltage output and experiment with connecting them in series or parallel.

Skill Sets: Chemistry, physics, electronics.

Drawbacks: The voltage output may be low, so it's mainly useful for understanding basic concepts.

Ideal For: Students interested in chemistry, energy, or electronics.

Tip: Focus on understanding the chemical reactions involved and how they produce electrical energy.

25. Analyze Traffic Patterns to Reduce Congestion

What to Do: Collect traffic data at different intersections and analyze it to propose solutions for improving traffic flow, like optimizing signal timings or redesigning the roads.

Skill Sets: Data science, urban planning, statistics.

Drawbacks: You may need to collect data over an extended period for meaningful analysis.

Ideal For: Students interested in math, civil engineering, or urban planning.

Tip: Use simple tools like a stopwatch and a counting app to collect traffic data during peak hours.

26. Design a Low-Energy Home Prototype

What to do: Build a model of a home that uses minimal energy by incorporating natural lighting, insulation, solar panels, and water-saving systems.

Skill Sets: Architecture, environmental science, sustainable design.

Drawbacks: Requires detailed planning and familiarity with eco-friendly building techniques.

Ideal for: You if you are interested in sustainable housing and architecture.

Tip: Start by researching passive solar design used in existing buildings.

27. Create a Program That Identifies Plant Species

What to do: Train a machine learning model to classify plants using labeled image datasets and basic image recognition tools.

Skill Sets: AI, botany, image processing.

Drawbacks: Needs access to a dataset with clear plant images and accurate labels.

Ideal for: You if you want to apply AI in biology or agriculture.

Tip: Use beginner tools like Teachable Machine or TensorFlow Lite for prototyping.

28. Test the Impact of Diet on Microbiomes

What to do: Study how different diets influence gut microbiomes by analyzing published research or public microbiome datasets.

Skill Sets: Biology, nutrition, data analysis.

Drawbacks: Direct experimentation is limited without lab access.

Ideal for: You if you're exploring health science or microbiology.

Tip: Use data from the American Gut Project or similar public datasets.

29. Design an Automated Recycling Sorter

What to do: Build a basic sorting machine that detects and separates recyclable materials using sensors or simple code.

Skill Sets: Mechanical engineering, electronics, sustainability.

Drawbacks: Getting consistent accuracy may be difficult with low-cost sensors.

Ideal for: You if you're interested in waste management or automation.

Tip: Begin by sorting only two materials like plastic and metal.

30. Build a Water-Powered Clock

What to do: Construct a functioning model based on ancient water clocks, using controlled water flow to track time.

Skill Sets: Physics, mechanical engineering, historical research.

Drawbacks: Achieving consistent timing can be difficult due to water flow issues.

Ideal for: You if you're curious about early technology and engineering.

Tip: Focus on regulating flow rate using tubing or drip systems.

31. Study the Physics of Sports

What to do: Measure how angles, force, or friction impact a specific motion or skill in sports like soccer, basketball, or track.

Skill Sets: Physics, biomechanics, data collection.

Drawbacks: May require access to athletes or sports equipment.

Ideal for: You if you enjoy sports and want to explore how science explains athletic performance.

Tip: Use slow-motion video apps to measure angles or velocities.

32. Create a Solar Charging Station for Devices

What to do: Design a portable station powered by solar panels that can charge phones or batteries safely.

Skill Sets: Electrical engineering, sustainable energy, circuit design.

Drawbacks: Solar output is inconsistent in cloudy or low-light conditions.

Ideal for: You if you're interested in portable green tech solutions.

Tip: Use a charge controller to stabilize voltage output.

33. Model Coastal Erosion with Simulations

What to do: Create a model to simulate coastal erosion using sand, water, and wave motion or try digital simulations.

Skill Sets: Environmental science, geology, physics.

Drawbacks: Physical models need time and space for testing.

Ideal for: You if you're focused on coastal ecosystems or earth science.

Tip: Run simulations with different variables like sea level or vegetation cover.

34. Research Renewable Energy Potential in Your Community

What to do: Analyze local conditions for solar, wind, or geothermal energy, and write a report on what’s most viable.

Skill Sets: Environmental science, public policy, data interpretation.

Drawbacks: Local data may be hard to find or require technical tools.

Ideal for: You if you're interested in sustainability and local impact.

Tip: Use tools like PVWatts or Wind Maps to estimate generation potential.

One other option—the Lumiere Research Scholar Program

If you’re interested in pursuing independent research, consider applying to one of the Lumiere Research Scholar Programs, selective online high school programs for students founded with researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4,000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here.

Also, check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation, a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!

Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a PhD student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.

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