Program Duration: June 16 – July 25, 2025

Description: The PERI Institute STEM Education Research Program is an opportunity for high school students to engage in the research process while learning about cutting edge work aimed at improving STEM education. High school students, referred to as PERI Institute Scholars, will spend six weeks working with UCI faculty and staff engaging in hands-on research projects. Regardless of future career goals, scholars will benefit from a better understanding of how research is conducted while building their communication and teamwork skills and expanding their academic network. The Institute will begin with a one-week in-person bootcamp held at UCI where students will learn about the research process, meet their research mentor and cohort, and familiarize themselves with the UCI campus.

Program Schedule: 

• Week 1: In-Person Research Camp
• Weeks 2-5: Collaborative Hands-On (Virtual) Research Experience 
• Week 6: Research Poster Symposium

As a PERI Institute Scholar, you will

• Engage in authentic research experiences with UCI faculty and staff.
• Expand your academic network.
• Gain a head start in learning about how to be a successful college student.
• Present at a research poster symposium attended by the UCI community.

Eligibility Requirement:

• Rising Sophomore, Junior, or Senior high school students

If you are interested in applying, please complete the application. Applications are being accepted on a rolling basis and will close on Monday, April 28th at 5 pm PST. We highly recommend that you prepare your responses in advance to prevent any session timeouts. For your convenience, you can access the complete application here. Please send your questions to Leanna Fong at leannaf@uci.edu.