14 Engineering Research Programs for High School Students in New York
Research can be a great way to explore a topic in detail and gain experience in data collection, analysis, presentation, and scientific writing. If you are a high school student interested in engineering, a research program can be an opportunity to learn about the role scientific studies play in solving problems in the field.
As a participant in a research program, you will also get to explore career paths in engineering and its subfields. These programs offer activity-based learning opportunities, mentorship from professionals, and exposure to advanced tools and concepts. You will build valuable connections with peers, professors, and industry experts, which can help guide your future academic and career choices. New York is home to top universities and organizations that offer research opportunities in engineering for local high schoolers.
In this blog, we have listed 14 engineering research programs for high school students in New York. We have focused on key factors such as academic rigor, mentorship opportunities, quality, and accessibility.
1. NYU’s Applied Research Innovations in Science and Engineering (ARISE)
Location: NYU Tandon School of Engineering, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $1,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: June 2 – August 8
Application deadline: March 5
Eligibility: Rising juniors and seniors who live and attend school in New York City
This engineering research program for high school students in New York offers a mix of research training and direct lab experience. You will begin with four weeks of safety instruction, college-level writing workshops, and sessions on research methods. Then, you will spend six weeks working in one of 80+ research labs, where you will contribute to ongoing projects alongside faculty and graduate mentors. Over 10 weeks, you can expect to log around 120 hours of lab work. You will also develop presentation skills while presenting your findings at a colloquium and at the American Museum of Natural History Poster Symposium.
2. Veritas AI Programs
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies by program; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts each year
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students; the AI Fellowship program requires prior experience with Python or completion of the AI Scholars program
Veritas AI offers engineering research programs for high school students in New York that provide pathways to explore artificial intelligence and machine learning. In the AI Scholars program, you will spend 10 weeks building skills in Python programming, data science workflows, and core AI concepts such as regression, neural networks, deep learning, and natural language processing. Projects may involve activities like image classification, sentiment analysis, and studying the role of ethics in AI. The AI Fellowship runs for 12–15 weeks and allows you to design and execute your own AI project under one-on-one mentorship. Early weeks focus on topic exploration and feasibility analysis, followed by coding, troubleshooting, and refining your final product.
3. Stony Brook Simons Summer Research Program
Location: Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY
Cost: No tuition; optional residential costs: $2,360; a stipend is offered
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~5%
Dates: June 30 – August 8
Application deadline: February 7
Eligibility: High school juniors who are at least 16 at the time of application and are U.S. citizens/permanent residents
The Simons Summer Research Program is among the long-running engineering research programs for high school students in New York, focusing on offering opportunities for both individual work and collaboration. You will be paired with faculty mentors for intensive research in science, math, or engineering. You will be a part of an active research group, taking on specific project responsibilities and learning laboratory methods used in professional settings in the process. Alongside lab work, you will attend faculty research talks, specialized workshops, and facility tours to gain broader exposure to research environments. You will also share your experience at an end-of-program poster symposium.
4. Lumiere Research Scholar Program
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies; financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Several cohorts each
Application deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: High school students with a strong academic background
This 12-week program pairs you with a researcher from a leading university to develop an independent project from scratch. You will begin by selecting or customizing a research topic, then spend the early weeks exploring it in depth and refining your research question, and finally complete a 15-page research paper. Topics span engineering, data science, biotechnology, astrophysics, and more, while also offering flexibility to branch into interdisciplinary topics. The curriculum also includes workshops on the research process, giving you structured guidance on methodology, analysis, and presentation. The program also offers sessions with a writing coach to help you gain skills in scientific writing.
5. Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program (SEAP)
Location: Multiple labs nationwide, including near NY
Cost/Stipend: $4,000 for new participants; $4,500 for returning participants
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks during the summer
Application deadline: November 1
Eligibility: High school sophomores, juniors, and seniors who are at least 16 years old by the start of the internship
SEAP is an engineering research program for high school students in New York that places you in Department of the Navy laboratories to contribute to active research projects. You will work alongside scientists and engineers, gaining exposure to naval technology and learning how STEM concepts are applied in real defense research. Mentorship is a central part of the experience, with professionals guiding you through lab processes, technical problem-solving, and research design. While the exact responsibilities differ by lab placement, you will shadow professionals, attend professional development seminars and meetings, and network with peers, researchers, and engineers during the program.
6. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) Scholars Program
Location: Multiple locations nationwide, including New York
Stipend: $501.60/week
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: Vary depending on project
Application deadline: January 10
Eligibility: Students who are at least 16 years old with a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale and are U.S. citizens
The AFRL Scholars program places upper-level high school students in research settings alongside scientists and engineers at AFRL facilities. During the program, you will contribute to projects aimed at advancing technology and national security, applying engineering and STEM principles to real challenges. You may work on experimental design, prototype development, or data analysis, depending on the research area and site you choose. The experience is intended to mirror the workflow of professional researchers, from planning and testing to refining results. In addition, access to state-of-the-art labs will allow you to see how engineering concepts are implemented in practice.
7. Biorocket Research Internship Program @ Genspace
Location: Genspace, Brooklyn, NY
Stipend: $2,000
Acceptance rate/cohort size: ~13
Dates: Spring: February 27 – May 22; Summer: June 30 – August 15
Application deadline: January 8
Eligibility: High school students who are at least 16 years old by the start of the program and attend an NYC Public or Charter School
This engineering research program for high school students in New York places students in a biology-focused research setting. You will learn genetic engineering techniques, core lab skills, and methods for effectively communicating scientific concepts to different audiences. The work takes place in collaboration with a small team of peers and scientist mentors, who will guide you in designing a research project that aligns with your interests. The experience includes behind-the-scenes lab tours, field trips to biotech companies, and career guidance from professionals in science and technology. Science communication is a key component, with improv-based training offered to help you share your work clearly and confidently.
8. Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) High School Internships
Location: Multiple locations nationwide
Stipend: Paid
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: 6–10 weeks from May to August
Application deadline: Rolling
Eligibility: High school students who are U.S. citizens/legal residents
The AEOP High School Internship program offers paid opportunities for students to work in university labs or U.S. Army Research Centers alongside professional scientists and engineers. You will gain hands-on experience contributing to army-sponsored research, working with high-tech equipment, and tackling real-world STEM challenges. You will receive one-on-one mentorship, career coaching, and access to training resources through the AEOP Learning Hub. Most positions are full-time and in-person, allowing you to gain exposure to laboratory environments and insights into the daily work of researchers.
9. Columbia University’s Engineering the Next Generation (ENG)
Location: Columbia University, New York, NY
Stipend: $15/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: July 7 – August 14
Application deadline: March 26
Eligibility: Rising seniors (the CS3 track is for rising seniors from Harlem and surrounding areas)
The Engineering the Next Generation program at Columbia University offers rising seniors a six-week, paid opportunity to gain hands-on research experience in engineering. You will work alongside faculty, staff, and student researchers while exploring fields such as biomedical engineering, computer science, and environmental engineering. The program combines research with college prep and science communication workshops, as well as seminars designed to build both technical and professional skills. You can choose between two tracks: Foundations of Research and CS3 My Streetscape Summer Research Institute.
10. Rockefeller University’s Summer Science Research Program
Location: Rockefeller University, Manhattan, NY
Cost/Stipend: No cost; need-based stipends may be provided
Cohort size: 32
Dates: June 23 – August 7
Application deadline: January 3
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years old
This research program allows you to work within a student research team at Rockefeller University on a project shaped by mentors from Rockefeller, Memorial Sloan Kettering, and Weill Cornell. Each team works like a small research lab, with lead scientists offering guidance and providing lab training. Following a week of orientation and foundational instruction, you will choose a research question to investigate for the rest of the program. You can expect your experience to mirror a real lab workflow, consisting of planning, analyzing data, experimenting, and collaborating with peers. Toward the end of the program, you will complete a research poster and present your findings at a formal symposium.
11. CUNY’s STEM Research Academy
Location: Various CUNY campuses across New York City, NY
Stipend: $1,575
Cohort size: 25 students accepted for the Spring component; 10 students (out of the 25 spring participants) selected for the summer research component
Dates: Spring Research Course: February 18 – May 31; Summer Internship: June 26 – August 15
Application deadline: Typically in December/January
Eligibility: 10th- and 11th-grade students attending New York City public schools with an interest in STEM; highly motivated 9th graders may be considered on an individual basis.
This is a two-part STEM research program for high school students in New York that begins in the spring with a research skills course taught at CUNY campuses, followed by six weeks of research in the summer in a university lab. You can choose a college focusing on engineering research. During the program, you will learn how to frame scientific questions, collect and analyze data, and prepare for a research presentation while working alongside CUNY faculty and peers from across NYC. The summer component of the program focuses on hands-on lab experience and helps strengthen your scientific literacy and quantitative reasoning. Your experience will conclude with a presentation at the American Museum of Natural History.
12. Cooper Union Summer STEM
Location: 41 Cooper Square, East Village of Manhattan, NY
Cost: $1,950 (three weeks) | $3,950 (six weeks); financial aid is available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 18–24 students/class
Dates: 3- and 6-week classes starting July 7
Application deadline: Varies by class
Eligibility: 9th, 10th, and 11th graders; some classes require students to have completed the 9th grade
Summer STEM is an engineering program for high school students in New York that gives you the chance to explore the field and related STEM disciplines through immersive courses. The curriculum mirrors first- and second-year undergraduate coursework at The Cooper Union and covers topics like embedded systems, engineering design, data visualization, computational physics, and sustainable technology. Based on the course you choose, you will gain familiarity with tools like Onshape and TouchDesigner. Projects typically involve building prototypes, analyzing real-world problems, and/or practicing research techniques, offering you an opportunity to build technical skills and creative problem-solving.
13. NASA’s OSTEM Internships
Location: Virtual or NASA centers nationwide
Stipend: Paid and unpaid internships available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective
Dates: Spring: Mid-January – Early May | Summer: Late May/Early June – August | Fall: Late August/Early September – Mid-December
Application deadline: Spring: September 12 | Summer: February 27 | Fall: May 22
Eligibility: Full-time students who are at least 16 at the time of application, have a minimum 3.0 GPA on a 4.0 scale, and are U.S. citizens
NASA Internships allow high school students to work directly with scientists, engineers, and other specialists on active projects. Assignments may focus on robotics, spacecraft systems, structural engineering, or other areas tied to NASA’s missions in science, aeronautics, and space exploration. The internship will provide practical experience in applying engineering concepts to solve real-world problems, often in collaboration with experienced mentors. Depending on the project, you may contribute to design, testing, or data analysis tasks while developing technical and problem-solving skills.
14. George Mason University Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP)
Location: Virtual projects available for New York students
Cost/Stipend: $25 application fee with need-based fee waivers available; no stipend
Acceptance rate/Cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 18 – August 8
Application deadline: February 2
Eligibility: Students who are at least 15 years old
ASSIP offers virtual research internships in various fields, including engineering and its subfields. You can choose a mentor offering a remote research format to engage in engineering research and refine your scientific writing and communication skills over eight weeks. During the program, you will also learn about STEM career paths through discussion forums led by professors, researchers, or professionals. The program ends with the annual ASSIP Research Symposium and Celebration. You may also get to publish your work or present it at scientific conferences.