There are a lot of great STEM opportunities happening in the next few months. Enjoy exploring the possibilities!
National Programs and Events
AEOP Summer High School Internships
Applications are open for this summer’s AEOP High School Internships. This nationwide program provides talented high school students with hands-on STEM research opportunities in world-class facilities at U.S. Army Research Laboratories and Centers and partner universities under the mentorship of professional scientists and engineers. View the current list of participating locations by scrolling to the map on their website. Each listing has a short overview of the internship, including areas of interest (aka subject matter), a description of the type of work, and eligibility requirements. (Note: Additional locations may be added as funding becomes available—keep an eye on social media and the website for notifications.)
AEOP Summer Unite Program
Applications are open for the Army’s Unite summer program, a four to-six week, pre-collegiate STEM summer experience for high school students. Held at higher education institutions across the country, the program encourages students to pursue college majors and careers in engineering and other STEM-related fields. With a mix of hands-on academics, exciting enrichment activities, and career exploration, Unite offers an engaging and challenging introduction to STEM. View the current list of participating locations by scrolling to the map on their website. Applications are open until May.
AEOP GEMS: Summer Enrichment Program
Applications are open for the Army’s GEMS program for rising 5th- to 12th-grade students. Participants will work alongside college students pursuing STEM careers and learn about STEM in a hands-on, lab-based environment. There’s no fee to participate, and students receive a small stipend to cover some of their costs (travel and food). Scroll to the map on the Army’s website to view the current list of participating locations. Note that application deadlines vary by site.
Autodesk Make It Real: Empowering Young Innovators to Tackle the Housing Crisis
Autodesk, the world’s leading design and technology company, is excited to announce its annual Make It Real program, featuring NFL quarterback and aerospace scholar Joshua Dobbs. This initiative invites young people ages 13 to 22 to tackle real-world challenges through design and construction. This year’s program focuses on affordable housing with the “Make It Home” student design contest. For this contest, students are challenged to develop design and construction solutions to ease the housing crisis by specifically asking the question: What if affordable housing could solve other problems in a community? Participants who showcase innovative designs that promote affordable housing can win exciting prizes that total $50,000. The prizes are intended as scholarship funds to support the winners’ education, such as tuition, books, room & board, transportation, or childcare. Expert judges for the contest will include Josh and representatives from Autodesk, the National Society of Black Engineers, the Boston Society for Architecture, and Terner Labs at UC Berkeley. The design contest deadline is June 30, 2025.
CodeWizardsHQ Logic Challenge
Join CodeWizardsHQ for the 6th Annual Logic Challenge! This free 10-week event, running from February 24th to May 4th, invites students ages 8-18 to sharpen their computational thinking and problem-solving skills through weekly logic puzzles tailored to their age group. Late starters are welcome to join after February 24th and catch up. With exciting challenges and awesome tech prizes, it’s the ultimate competition for elementary, middle, and high school students! Register now!
Splash Programs
In March and April, universities around the country will hold Splash programs, in which students take classes taught by college students. Many programs are free! Visit Learning Unlimited to see which universities offer them. Registration is required.
National Robotics Week: April 5-13, 2025
The mission of National Robotics Week is to inspire students and people of all ages to explore robotics and STEM-related fields. Find events nationwide!
Fun with Snap Circuits Classes
Create & Learn is offering a free online event series to learn the basics of electronic circuits using Snap Circuits for grades 2-8. Build several fun projects while learning what a circuit is, how circuits work, and how to add more parts to a circuit to make sounds, light, and more! The first class is on Saturday, March 8. Enroll now.
Register for Summer STEM Programs
Now is the time to sign up for STEM summer camps and pre-college programs. Some programs focus on a single interest, while others provide wider exposure to multiple STEM fields. Specific topics include coding, robotics, engineering, and science (e.g., biotech, marine biology, and medicine), to name a few. Learn about nationwide summer camps available to students. If you live in Massachusetts, review my extensive list of 100+ STEM summer camps.
Upcoming Events & Activities in Massachusetts
Red Sox STEM Education Days, Presented by Moderna
Teachers, on May 8 and June 4, bring your students for a morning of STEM education and enjoy an afternoon Red Sox game. For groups of 15 or more, please contact Scott Baackes at 617-226-6458 or [email protected].
New England Aquarium Internships
The New England Aquarium offers Teen Internships, where students receive extensive training in marine science, climate science, public speaking, and customer service. Due to funding, the vast majority of these positions are open to teens (ages 14-18) who reside in either Boston or Cambridge. However, the Aquarium has a limited number of positions open for residents of other cities and towns. The application for summer 2025 opens on March 5 and will close once they receive 100 applications or on March 30, whichever comes first. If you would like to have the application link emailed to you once it’s open, please complete the Summer 2025 Teen Internship Interest Form.
MIT Museum STEM Adventures Week
The MIT Museum is offering two one-week-long engineering design challenge programs for students entering grades 7-9 this summer. Get inspired by the museum galleries and MIT’s campus with the staff and learn new skills through hands-on workshops and activities in their education suite. Registration is open.
New Summer STEAM Programs at RSM
Alongside its popular six-and-three-week summer math programs, RSM is launching new STEAM programs at most of the 16 branches in Massachusetts and New Hampshire. The week-long programs are designed to spark curiosity in young learners in grades K-5. They include a full day of engaging hands-on math, science, engineering, chess, music and art activities. View the summer schedule at the branch near you and register today.
Summer Science Weeks at the Harvard Museums of Science & CultureÂ
Dive into a week of discovery at Harvard Museums of Science & Culture’s Summer Science Weeks. Explore the ins and outs of skeletons, become a fearless earth explorer, and uncover the secrets behind the pages that bring life to science. Delve into geological mysteries, marvel at the wonders of amazing animals, explore the hidden world of spineless creatures, and plunge into the blue planet to witness life in the sea like never before. Hands-on activities, interactive exhibits, and engaging demonstrations for children entering grades 1-8. $210 for members and $235 for nonmembers. Advance registration required.
Calendar of Massachusetts Events
March 8: The Robo Hub in Cambridge is hosting a Girls In STEAM event from 10am-12pm to celebrate International Women’s Day. Build robots, create potions, code interactive designs, and discover the stories of amazing women who changed the world through science, tech, engineering, art, and math. This is a free event. Reserve a spot.
March 22: The MIT Museum is hosting Teen Science Cafe for students in grades 8-12, with a theme of “Transportation of Tomorrow.” Attendees will hear from an MIT researcher whose work focuses on the intersection of AI and transportation, and participate in hands-on activities involving engineering and science. This is a free event and registered is required.
March 22: Einstein’s Workshop in Burlington invites parents to a summer camp open house from 4-6pm. Learn about their camps, ask teachers questions, and see sample activities from many popular camps. RSVP by March 18.
March 29: Northeastern Splash offers the opportunity for students in grades 8-12 to take fun and informative workshops offered by undergraduates. Registration opens March 7 for this free event.
March 29: Nonprofit greenlight for girls is hosting g4g Day in Bridgewater at Bridgewater State University. The event will welcome 150 girls aged 10-15 for a morning filled with interactive STEM workshops, inspiring role models, and plenty of opportunities to ignite curiosity and confidence in young minds. This is a free event! Register now.
April 5: Einstein’s Workshop in Burlington is hosting a Robotics Festival from 10:30am -12pm. FIRST Lego League Explore teams will be showing off their hard work! This free event is open to the public.
April 5: Acera School in Winchester is hosting a Girls in STEM event for grades K-8 from 10am-12pm. This free event features a keynote speaker, engaging STEM activities, and discussion with STEM mentors. Register now.
April 13: Clark University Splash provides a full day of classes taught by Clark students for students in grades 5-12. Registration for this free event will be open from March 3 to April 10.
April 21-25: (school vacation week): Here is a sample of organizations offering STEM vacation camps and programs.
- Acera School (Winchester) hosts STEAM camps full of immersive projects and activities for ages 5-14.
- Code Wiz (various locations) offers robotics, coding, Roblox, and Minecraft camps for ages 7+.
- Einstein’s Workshop (Burlington) offers electronics, science, robotics, and Minecraft camps for grades K-8.
- Mass Audubon offers nature-based school vacation camps and programs at Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries statewide for ages 4.5-12.
- MIT Museum (Cambridge) offers science and engineering programs to families.
- The Robo Hub (Cambridge) offers coding, robotics, and engineering for grades 3-8.
April 21-27: During Massachusetts Space Week, The Space Consortium will bring free public space events, including their signature Space Film Festival, a one-of-a-kind Space Careers and Resources Fair, expert panels, stargazing nights, and interactive workshops to inspire space enthusiasts of all ages. New this year, the organization is launching an exciting statewide collaboration with 65 public libraries, bringing local space events to communities across Massachusetts! Check out the list of events.
April 26: Science on State Street is an annual festival held by the Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University. This event emphasizes themes connected to our planet. Explore STEM and its contribution to promoting environmental justice, renewable energy, and sustainability. Science on State Street is a free, family-friendly, and interactive event!
April 26: Come celebrate MIT Museum’s Inaugural DNA Day Celebration, commemorating the discovery of DNA’s double helix structure in 1953 and the completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003. Learn about the advances in genomic research, participate in a DNA scavenger hunt, explore the work of bio-artists and more. All activities are free with museum admission.
May 3: The Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts is hosting STEM Fest at Camp Cedar Hill in Waltham. Participants explore fun, hands-on STEM challenges while choosing their own adventure and deciding what areas and topics to explore. The event is open to all Girl Scout levels, with activities and experiments created and designated specifically for different ages. A patch and swag are included. Cost: $40. Register now.
Image Credit: Christa McAuliffe Center
