SUMMER RESEARCH · GRADES 7–12
The Summer Research Program Where Students Produce Real Work
A focused 1:1 summer research program for middle and high schoolers. Paired with a PhD mentor, students develop a real research question, design a method, and complete a written manuscript by summer's end.
8
Research tracks
Microbiology, Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience, Aeronautics, Medicine, Computer Science, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Physics & Mechanical Engineering
89%
Future Forward Labs students*
Won a regional, state or ISEF award
*based on results upto 2026 season
Top 25
U.S. universities*
Accepted Future Forward Labs students
*based on results upto 2026 admissions cycle
8
Research tracks
Microbiology, Artificial Intelligence, Neuroscience, Aeronautics, Medicine, Computer Science, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Physics & Mechanical Engineering
89%
Future Forward Labs students*
Won a regional, state or ISEF award
*based on results upto 2026 season
Top 25
U.S. universities*
Accepted Future Forward Labs students
*based on results upto 2026 admissions cycle
A summer research program built around one real project
Most “summer programs” are lectures with a cohort and a completion badge. This is different. Your student works one-on-one with a mentor who completed a PhD in the field they want to explore, and walks the full arc of a real research project from question to a research manuscript.
Six weeks is deliberate: long enough to know whether the work genuinely energizes your student, short enough that the summer still feels like summer. They leave with a structured research artifact, a mentor who knows their thinking well enough to speak to it later, and a clear-eyed answer to the question of whether to go deeper.
A summer research program built around one real project
Most “summer programs” are lectures with a cohort and a completion badge. This is different. Your student works one-on-one with a mentor who completed a PhD in the field they want to explore, and walks the full arc of a real research project from question to a research manuscript.
Six weeks is deliberate: long enough to know whether the work genuinely energizes your student, short enough that the summer still feels like summer. They leave with a structured research artifact, a mentor who knows their thinking well enough to speak to it later, and a clear-eyed answer to the question of whether to go deeper.
Who this is for
Curious, not yet committed
Students who are drawn to research but haven’t proven to themselves that it’s their path. The program is a low-commitment way to find out for real, with an expert mentor
Building a STEM spike
Students aiming for selective competitions (ISEF, Regeneron STS, Thermo Fisher JIC) and selective colleges, who need demonstrated depth rather than another extracurricular line item.
Rising seniors on a clock
Students who want a completed research manuscript in hand before applications open. Work that essays, supplements, and recommenders can reference in the fall.
Who this is for
Curious, not yet committed
Students who are drawn to research but haven’t proven to themselves that it’s their path. The program is a low-commitment way to find out for real, with an expert mentor
Building a STEM spike
Students aiming for selective competitions (ISEF, Regeneron STS, Thermo Fisher JIC) and selective colleges, who need demonstrated depth rather than another extracurricular line item.
Rising seniors on a clock
Students who want a completed research manuscript in hand before applications open. Work that essays, supplements, and recommenders can reference in the fall.
Choose your research track
Your student selects a field, and we pair them with a mentor from our faculty whose doctoral work sits inside that discipline.
Artificial Intelligence
Build and evaluate modern AI systems that use LLMs, generative architectures, computer vision and machine learning. Towards a paper that engages a real open question, not a tutorial.
Computer Science
A focused project in algorithms, systems, theory, or applied CS, ending in a manuscript that demonstrates real technical depth.
Microbiology
Antimicrobial resistance, the microbiome, host-pathogen interactions. Guided by a mentor whose PhD centered on these questions.
Neuroscience
How the brain encodes, computes, and adapts. From computational modeling, psychology to analysis of published neural datasets.
Medicine
A clinically grounded question in translational medicine, epidemiology, or biomedical data analysis.
Aeronautics
Aerodynamics, propulsion, fluid dynamics, and flight dynamics, mentored by a researcher inside the discipline.
Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Circuits, signals, embedded systems, or robotics, scoped to fit the summer without losing rigor.
Physics & Mechanical Engineering
Classical or computational physics, mechanics, or engineering design. From finite element analysis to experimental modeling.
Choose your research track
Your student selects a field, and we pair them with a mentor from our faculty whose doctoral work sits inside that discipline.
Artificial Intelligence
Build and evaluate modern AI systems that use LLMs, generative architectures, computer vision and machine learning. Towards a paper that engages a real open question, not a tutorial.
Computer Science
A focused project in algorithms, systems, theory, or applied CS, ending in a manuscript that demonstrates real technical depth.
Microbiology
Antimicrobial resistance, the microbiome, host-pathogen interactions. Guided by a mentor whose PhD centered on these questions.
Neuroscience
How the brain encodes, computes, and adapts. From computational modeling, psychology to analysis of published neural datasets.
Medicine
A clinically grounded question in translational medicine, epidemiology, or biomedical data analysis.
Aeronautics
Aerodynamics, propulsion, fluid dynamics, and flight dynamics, mentored by a researcher inside the discipline.
Electrical & Electronics Engineering
Circuits, signals, embedded systems, or robotics, scoped to fit the summer without losing rigor.
Physics & Mechanical Engineering
Classical or computational physics, mechanics, or engineering design. From finite element analysis to experimental modeling.
How the summer unfolds
A clear roadmap from curiosity to contribution. Each phase helps students develop the skills, habits, and research output needed to stand out in competitive academic environments.
01
Question & scope
Your student and mentor lock in a research question that's genuine, original, and achievable in the timeframe.
02
Literature & method
Grounding the question in real published work, then designing a defensible method. The part most students never get taught.
03
Execution & analysis
Experiments, data collection, and honest failure analysis. The mentor coaches through the parts that don't go to plan.
04
The paper
A written research artifact, formatted to academic and competition standards. The deliverable that outlasts the summer.
How the summer unfolds
A clear roadmap from curiosity to contribution. Each phase helps students develop the skills, habits, and research output needed to stand out in competitive academic environments.
01
Question & scope
Your student and mentor lock in a research question that's genuine, original, and achievable in the timeframe.
02
Literature & method
Grounding the question in real published work, then designing a defensible method. The part most students never get taught.
03
Execution & analysis
Experiments, data collection, and honest failure analysis. The mentor coaches through the parts that don't go to plan.
04
The paper
A written research artifact, formatted to academic and competition standards. The deliverable that outlasts the summer.
What your student leaves with
A completed, written research manuscript in their field
A defensible method and a real result, including what didn’t work and why
A clear answer to “is research my path?”, before they commit a year to it
Research output that can be enhanced for real competitions
What your student leaves with
A completed, written research manuscript in their field
A defensible method and a real result, including what didn’t work and why
A clear answer to “is research my path?”, before they commit a year to it
Research output that can be enhanced for real competitions
Rising seniors
Finish the research before applications open
For rising seniors, the program is timed to land a completed research manuscript in your student's hands before they start filling the Common App or UCs app. In time to reference in essays, supplements, and recommendation conversations.
Rising seniors
Finish the research before applications open
For rising seniors, the program is timed to land a completed research manuscript in your student's hands before they start filling the Common App or UCs app. In time to reference in essays, supplements, and recommendation conversations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions
It’s a 1:1 summer research program for grades 7–12. Each student is paired with a PhD-completed mentor and completes a real research manuscript. Framing a question, reviewing the literature, designing a method, and producing a written deliverable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quick answers to common questions
It’s a 1:1 summer research program for grades 7–12. Each student is paired with a PhD-completed mentor and completes a real research manuscript. Framing a question, reviewing the literature, designing a method, and producing a written deliverable.
Summer 2026: now enrolling
Spots for the Summer 2026 research program are filling now. Tracks fill on a first-come basis, and PhD mentor availability in each field is limited. Book a briefing session to check availability in your student's field.