The Carnegie Mellon University/Pittsburgh Public Schools Outreach for Internships in Science exposes high school students from groups which are normally underrepresented in the sciences, such as women and minorities, to college-level scientific situations early in their academic training. The program places these students in scientific and theoretical laboratories as members of research groups to develop their interests in science and to encourage in considering science as a career. The summer research culminates with a Symposium, in which each student presents his/her work to faculty, guests, and one another.

High schools in the Pittsburgh Public Schools lack the resources to conduct in-depth, independent experiments. Though most science classes involve guided labs as part of the curriculum, students are not in charge of the research, the outcomes of the labs are already known, and materials are basic and limited. They have little opportunity to ask questions and experiment to find answers. Textbook principals remain remote, disconnected subject matter until the student applies his/her knowledge to phenomena by observation and experimentation. Participating in real, cutting-edge science with professors, graduate students, and undergraduates, students share the excitment of the scientific endeavor. Students who do science are far more likely to become scientists or appreciate and understand science than those who have merely read about science.

By exposing these students to high-level scientific research and to practicing scientists, the program encourages them to further their scientific educations, leading to scientifically literate citizens and future scientists.

History of the Program . . .

People in the Program

1995

1997

The Management

Links to Faculty and Labs involved with the program

Pictures

Publicity

Funding

Thanks to . . .

This page is maintained by Julia Sero.

Send email comments on the web page to sero+@andrew.cmu.edu, and comments on the program to Mike Shore at msen+@andrew.cmu.edu.