10 Summer Environmental Science Programs for Middle School Students in New York
- Stephen Turban
- 5 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Environmental science is an increasingly sought after subject as awareness around sustainability emerges. This subject deals with our diverse environment and its components. Students in New York who wish to study environmental science and pursue a career in the field can opt for summer programs. These programs enhance your knowledge and equip you with practical skills.
You can expect to complete projects that provide practical exposure to the subject and hands-on experience. Beyond academics, you may go on field visits and interact with experienced professionals. Thus, to make the most of these holistic development opportunities, you can choose from the following list of environmental science summer programs in New York.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies according to cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
If you want to conduct original research in environmental science, you can participate in Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program. The program pairs you with PhD mentors from various prestigious universities, like Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are experts in environmental science, ecology, and related subjects. You receive guidance and mentorship throughout the program, so you 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 also develop scientific communication skills through feedback and writing coaching sessions. If you wish to publish your research in academic journals, you can opt for the Junior Research and Publication Program.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 and 7 who are NYC residents
This program on environment and sustainability introduces you to the urban community in New York. You learn about the urban environment in the context of New York and its residents. The course teaches you about the noise pollution, public health, and sustainability challenges they face. You develop coding skills and knowledge about electronics, which you apply to build a sound monitoring device. The smart city technology you build during the program is presented at the culminating expo.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks (on weekends) during the spring cohort and 25 hours over 2 weeks (on weekdays) during the summer cohort.
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers program is an interdisciplinary program that allows you to learn environmental science as well as technology. You begin by learning the basics of AI and machine learning. By learning topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics, you develop foundational knowledge. You then apply this knowledge to complete a practical project. This project must solve an environmental science challenge using technology. 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.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Location: American Museum of Natural History, New York, NY
Cost: $1300; scholarships are available
Dates: July 6 – 10 or July 13 – 17
Application Deadline: On a rolling basis
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8
The Science Alliance Program runs various sessions throughout the year for middle schoolers curious about science. You can learn about astrophysics, conservation science, Earth science, and evolutionary biology. Students who want to learn about the environment can opt for the Astro Explorations or A Universe Without Minerals tracks. In the former, you learn about astronomy and the cosmos. You study about the history of the universe we live in. In the latter track, you study minerals by observing specimens in the Halls of Gems and Minerals. You discover how minerals power our phones, shape our cities, and help us explore space.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $1,420
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 – 9 who meet CTY-level verbal or quantitative scores
This program bridges climate change and neurobiology to teach you about environmental science. You conduct evidence-based research on how different ecological and environmental factors affect the brain. You identify risk factors, symptoms, and treatments for disorders. The program also teaches you about the mental health and social impacts of climate change. You develop public health messaging and service announcements using real data. Thus, you explore the advocacy and policy side of environmental and health science.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 31
Application Deadline: March 31
Eligibility: All NYC students in 7th or 8th grade during the application period
NYU’s College and Career Lab is designed to give you a taste of a wide range of subjects and disciplines. You dive into various professions and academic subjects through workshops and lectures, respectively. Students interested in environmental science can opt for the public service, anthropology, and health sciences and social work tracks. Public service and social work teach you about the policy and advocacy aspects of sustainability. You hear from professionals, partake in group discussions, and learn how people can initiate change.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $700
Dates: Summer dates to be announced
Application Deadline: One week before the program
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 – 8 who meet the Emerald-tier eligibility criteria
Biology is a crucial component of environmental science. Here, you discover the living creatures that inhabit the world around you. The program covers topics like DNA, genetics, evolution and ecology along with their ethical dimension. You get hands-on experience by participating in lab activities and projects. You conduct original research and learn to present your research to an audience. By the end of the program, you will not only learn about biology but also about biotechnology and its real-world applications.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: New York City, NY
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: July 6 – 30
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 and 7 who are NYC residents
The environment can also include cities and the urban landscape. You explore a range of topics like sustainability, engineering, and the urban community in New York. This interdisciplinary course teaches you electronics and circuitry basics as well as coding. An important component of the program is environmental and urban science whereby you learn problem-solving. You work in groups to solve contemporary urban challenges in the context of New York. The solution you develop will be presented at the culminating expo.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Location: Online
Cost: $3,200; need-based financial aid is available
Dates: June 15 – 26 (Session 1)
Application Deadline: March 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 8 – 11
Stanford offers several programs for middle and high school students. This program goes beyond environmental problems to develop actionable solutions. Throughout the program, you explore how humans can take action, investigating global solutions (like minimizing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting carbon sequestration); systemic solutions (like sustainable agricultural and green architecture); local solutions (like bioremediation of contaminated soils or restoration of degraded landscapes); and personal solutions. Working in teams, you conduct original research and develop maps. You also complete individual assignments that locate solutions for local environmental challenges.
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Camper-to-staff ratio is 15:1
Location: Riverdale, NY
Cost: 5 weeks: $665 per week; 3 – 4 weeks: $689 per week; and 1 – 2 weeks: $699 per week. Scholarships are available.
Dates: July 6 – August 6
Application Deadline: Not specified
Eligibility: Students in grades 5 – 8
This science and engineering program introduces you to various science disciplines. You learn about 5 engineering specialties, namely, mechanical, electrical, civil, chemical, and environmental engineering. You delve into one subject each week, where you learn how the subject impacts the world. During the day, you work on an engineering project specific to the week’s topic. During breaks, you interact with alumni who explain what they do for work. One day in the week is also dedicated to lab activities.
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.