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High School Summer Research Program

About

Supported by Weyerhaeuser Giving Fund, the High School Summer Research Program at the NC State College of Natural Resources and North Carolina A&T College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences aims to expand opportunities for high school students to learn about forestry and natural resources, with an emphasis on engaging students of color. This program allows participants to:

  • Learn about career tracks and career development directly from undergraduate and graduate students in the field as well as professionals/practitioners.
  • Connect with mentors from the forestry and natural resources community who can offer advice and assistance to students as they navigate into college and careers beyond this summer program.
  • Participate in seminars hosted by NC State’s Office of Undergraduate Research — and the annual Research and Creativity Symposium, attending in the summer and presenting in the fall or spring.
  • Build community with a cohort of other students that might be interested in similar careers.

Application Information

Applications for the program are made available in the early spring. The College of Natural Resources provides an orientation for all students admitted to the program.

Interested and want to learn more?

Please complete the program interest form.

Questions?

Please address any questions to Zakiya Leggett at zakiya_leggett@ncsu.edu or Porche’ Spence at plspence@ncat.edu.

Summer 2024 Program

For summer 2024, students have the opportunity to receive a stipend up to $1,000 based on their participation in and completion of the program. The program is scheduled to take place from July 8 to August 2, 2024, running from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. It will convene either on or near campus, or virtually through Zoom.

Past Programs

Students from the summer cohorts of 2022 and 2023 showcased their research findings during a mini-symposium concluding the program. A portion of these students also took part in the State of North Carolina Undergraduate Research and Creativity Symposium, hosted at UNC-Wilmington in 2022 and at Wingate University in 2023.

Cultivating Tomorrow’s Leaders in Natural Resources

As part of the four-week program, a group of 12 high school students recently learned about the scientific process, conducted field research and presented their findings.

High school students at research symposium in Wilmington, NC - CNR High School Summer Research Program - Forestry and Environmental Resources at NC State University