10 STEM Research Opportunities for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 8 hours ago
- 5 min read
Middle schoolers interested in STEM subjects can consider pursuing research. It allows you to expand your knowledge of the specific subject while working towards building a profile that stands out. Often, this research is carried out with mentorship from faculty and scientists who become part of your network.
As a middle schooler, you also have the flexibility to explore different fields before deciding on the one you would like to pursue in the future. You can use these opportunities to build practical skills. To this end, we have compiled a list of STEM research programs.
10 STEM Research Opportunities for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies, financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program is designed for middle schoolers to conduct research with guidance. You are paired with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, based on your chosen topic. The mentor provides support as you conduct research and gain specialized knowledge. Through this program, you will learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study. You can conduct research in any field of your choice, including STEM subjects. Lumiere also offers a Junior Research and Publication Program for students who wish to publish their research in academic journals.
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 4 weeks in the summer
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Rising 7th and 8th graders who are residents of NYC
This program teaches noise pollution and its impact on urban life in the context of New York City. You will learn electronics and coding as you study sound waves. The program involves hands-on practice to understand quality-of-life issues on urban residents. You will sample sounds, build devices that monitor sound, and study how pollution affects human life. You also learn scientific communication skills. The device you make will be presented at the concluding expo.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies, financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks on weekends during the spring cohort. 25 hours over 2 weeks on weekdays during the summer cohort
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
If you are interested in technology, you can opt for Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program. It imparts foundational knowledge in machine learning and AI at a level suitable for middle schoolers. You will delve into diverse topics like Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. After completing the theoretical section, you will apply your learning to a practical project. This project, which can be in any field, must solve a real-world issue. In the past, students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Location: Rice University, Houston, TX
Cost: $499. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Limited spaces
Dates: June 9 to 13, tentative
Application Deadline: April 18, tentative
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 7
iRIDE Academy introduces you to the principles of engineering. You will discover the various fields of engineering and what a career in the industry looks like. The program teaches you about engineering objectives, processes, and challenges. The capstone project involves solving a real challenge faced by you or your community. You hear from guest speakers and learn about the impact of engineering on daily life, as well as the different fields you can build a career in. You will tour research labs and work on various group projects.
Location: UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA
Cost: $1,550. Financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 22 to 26, session 2. July 6 to 10, session 3
Application Deadline: Varies by session
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7 to 9
Students curious about animals and biology may find this program suitable. Combining biology and psychology, you will examine animal behavior. You learn how researchers observe, describe, and figure out why animals behave the way they do. You will also design and execute your own animal observation study. Thus, you gain practical experience and critical field work skills.
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: $675
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 24 students per grade level
Dates: June 30 to July 10, tentative
Application Deadline: First come, first served
Eligibility: Students entering grades 7 to 9
The Science Exploration Program is a lab-based program where you will conduct research. You will also be involved in reading, computer research, and group work. 7th graders develop lab skills and explore physics, chemistry, microbiology, and ecology. Similarly, 8th graders examine case studies and participate in interactive demonstrations. These experiences prepare you for advanced STEM education.
Location: Virtual
Cost: $50 for materials
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 13 to 17
Application Deadline: March 15
Eligibility: Middle and high school students ages 14 to 18
The virtual academy for middle and high school students offers the opportunity to explore regenerative medicine science. You will update your knowledge regarding contemporary research and technology in the field. You also interact with faculty researchers, industry professionals, and near-peer mentors. There is an option to attend an in-person workshop that involves tours and demos. You can attend the annual Regenerative Medicine Essentials Course.
Location: Gilman School, Baltimore, MD
Cost: $3,149
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 14 to 16 students
Dates: June 28 to July 17, session 1. July 19 to August 7, session 2
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 and 6 with CTY level math scores
This program offers the opportunity to learn probability and statistics, topics in math. Along with your classmates, you will conduct experiments and display data in charts, graphs, or tables. You understand the effects of different variables in the results. You calculate the number of different outcomes possible from the available data. In addition, you understand how data can be manipulated and learn how to spot such misinterpretation in publications.
Location: Various locations
Cost: Varies by campus
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 3 weeks in the summer. Exact dates vary by campus
Application Deadline: January 27
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
This program covers the application of data science in real-world scenarios. You learn programming and various topics like binary computation, problem-solving, algorithms, and data types such as expressions, variables, and functions. You use Python to create modules and implement real code. You develop analytical and interdisciplinary skills through this program. By the end of the program, you will know how to interpret and visualize data that informs predictions and solutions.
Location: Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
Cost: $3,000 tuition plus $2,405 residential fee and $135 lab fee
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 19 to August 7
Application Deadline: One week before the start date
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8 who meet Magenta tier eligibility criteria
If space and spaceships intrigue you, this program may suit your needs. You learn the design and mechanics of spaceships through this course. You will delve into the history of space flight and the evolution of space exploration. You will also design an aircraft through hypotheses, testing, observations, and lab reports. Thus, this program sets you up for a career in aerospace engineering.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. 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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