8 Research Programs for Middle School Students in Massachusetts
Engaging in research programs that offer hands-on learning and connect you with mentors and experts is an excellent way to kickstart your research journey at an early age.
Massachusetts, renowned for its academic excellence, offers various research opportunities tailored for middle school students. To help you get started, we have put together a list of 8 research programs available in the state, encompassing a mix of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and non-STEM fields, both in-person and online experiences.
The Lumiere Junior Explorer Program is an 8-week program for middle school students to work one-on-one with a mentor to explore their academic interests and build a project they are passionate about. The mentors are scholars from top research universities such as Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, Duke and LSE.
During this program, spanning weeks 1 to 4, participants will delve into four distinct topics within their selected track. In weeks 5 to 6, the focus intensifies as participants embark on a deep dive into one specific topic area and finally, weeks 7 to 8 are dedicated to project implementation, with participants receiving guidance and support from their mentors as they bring their projects to life.
You can find the application form here.
Location: Online
Program Dates: Multiple cohorts available each year, deadlines vary accordingly
Cost: $1990
Eligibility: Grades 6 - 8
Deadline: Rolling deadlines for each cohort. If you'd like to take a look at the cohorts and deadlines for 2024, you can refer to this page!
2. College Academy at College Gate
The College Academy at College Gate is tailored for students who thrive in dynamic learning settings. Featuring a curriculum centered on research and project-based learning, the STEM-focused summer programs provide courses such as rocketry, advanced robotics, graphic design, marine biology, and science discovery.
With a distinctive 10:1 student-to-instructor ratio for each course, the program fosters active participation and positive peer interaction amongst students. The objective of these programs is to refine skill development through research, preparing students for success in both college and the professional world.
Location: Stonehill College
Program Dates:
Session One: July 8 - 26, 2024
Session Two: July 29 - August 16, 2024
Cost: $1,100
Eligibility: Current 4th to 8th grade students
Deadline: Rolling applications, based on first come first serve
3. Veritas AI Junior Fellowship
Founded and run by Harvard graduate students, the Veritas AI Junior Fellowship is a program tailored for middle school students to develop a unique AI project with personalized mentorship over a 12-week period. To qualify for the program, students must have either finished the AI Trailblazers course or possess previous coding experience with Python.
During the initial phase (Weeks 1-3), participants will engage in exploration & learning, delving into fundamental concepts within their chosen field, defining their research question, and identifying the appropriate machine learning model. The subsequent phase (Weeks 4-7) will focus on ideation & data exploration, involving the analysis of data and collaboration with mentors to evaluate project feasibility and available resources. The final phase (Weeks 8-12) will entail creating your end project, where participants receive individualized guidance to troubleshoot coding issues and further refine their project ideas.
Take a look at the program brochure here!
Location: Online
Program Dates: Summer cohort runs from May to September. You can find all the available dates here.
Cost: $2,900 (Financial aid available)
Eligibility: Grades 6 - 8
Deadline: For the upcoming summer cohort - April 21, 2024 (regular admission I), May 19, 2024 (regular admission II). You can apply here!
4. Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Outreach Programs
MIT offers various programs catering to middle school students, spanning from short one-day sessions to year-long engagements. For those starting out, dynaMIT is an excellent choice. This week-long free STEM outreach summer initiative is hosted by current MIT students and specifically targets middle school students in the Boston region.
Through interactive activities, participants delve into topics such as electromagnetism, programming, and forensics. The program concludes with students presenting their capstone projects. Please note that the program does not provide accommodation, and students are responsible for arranging their own lodging if required.
Location: MIT Campus
Program Dates: August 19 to August 23, 2024, for rising grade 6 and 7 students. August 26 to 30 for rising grade 8 and 9 students.
Cost: Free!
Eligibility: Grades 6 - 9 from the Boston area.
Deadline: mid-March (tentatively, based on previous years)
5. U-Design
U-Design presents an engaging STEM initiative centered on engineering principles. Each workshop provides a hands-on learning experience, offering young learners the chance to delve into engineering and broader STEM concepts. Led by a highly skilled team of experienced science and engineering technology educators, U-Design is both challenging and innovative. Alongside the workshop instructor, a group of Boston University engineering students serve as mentors, enriching the learning journey. A limited number of scholarships are accessible for students and families eligible for state and federal assistance programs, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility to all.
Location: Boston University College of Engineering
Program Dates:
Session One: July 8 - 12, 2024
Session Two: July 15 - 19, 2024
Cost: $650
Eligibility: Grades 6-9
Deadline: Not available
The Science Academy at Bridgewater State University provides week-long in-person science courses tailored for students currently in or entering grades 7-9 in the upcoming fall (students in grades 6-8 presently). This distinctive educational program enables students to adopt the role of scientists, aiming to ignite their passion for science while equipping them with fundamental skills for future scientific endeavors.
Location: Dana Mohler-Faria Science & Mathematics Center, Bridgewater State University
Program Dates:
Session One: July 8 - 12, 2024
Session Two: July 15 - 19, 2024
Cost: $400 (need based scholarships available)
Eligibility: Grades 6-8
Deadline: Rolling applications, based on first come first serve. Registration will close 1 month prior to the start of the program.
7. Northeastern University Summer STEM Program (NUSSP)
The Northeastern University Summer STEM Program (NUSSP) is an academic program run by the Center for STEM Education for middle school students. The two-week academic program focuses on improving the students’ STEM skills, acquainting them with college experiences, and fostering their enthusiasm for science and engineering as a possible career option. While this is not a typical research program, students will get the chance to develop projects and activities; interact with engineers, scientists, researchers, and other professionals; and gain exposure to real-world STEM applications through field excursions.
Location: Northeastern University
Program Dates: Summer of each year
Cost: $600 (scholarships available)
Eligibility: Students entering grades 6th to 8th. Must be a resident of Massachusetts.
Deadline: Not available
8. Wolfram Middle School Summer Camp
The Wolfram Middle School Summer Camp is a week-long program specially designed for middle school girls to advance their programming, computational thinking, innovative technology and problem-solving skills. Led by Wolfram instructors, the camp offers hands-on training, with a focus on guiding students through the basics and beyond of coding, design and computational thinking. Although this is not a traditional research program, it offers students a chance to learn through interactive, workshop-based activities, offering a unique opportunity for entrepreneurial and technical middle-school girls to explore science and technology.
Check out the full details of the program here!
Location: Online
Program Dates: June 17 - 21, 2024
Cost: $500
Eligibility: Middle school students who identify as girls
Deadline: Application period begins in December
Image Source - Lumiere Education Logo