Boyce Thompson Institute High School Research Experience

# Boyce Thompson Institute High School Research Experience The Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI), an independent plant-science research institute located on the Cornell University campus in Ithaca, New York, runs a paid summer research experience for local high school students. Interns spend six weeks working full-time inside BTI, Cornell, and USDA labs on projects spanning plant molecular biology, plant-microbe interactions, bioinformatics, and biological engineering of plant systems. ## What You'll Do - Complete a mentored research project with at least one research mentor (a graduate student or postdoc) plus a faculty mentor - Work full-time Monday through Friday in the lab, joining regular lab meetings - Read scientific literature, write a research proposal, and attend weekly professional development seminars - Present your findings as a scientific poster at the George and Helen Kohut Symposium in August ## Who Should Apply Current high school students (not graduating seniors) who are at least 16 years old by the program start and live year-round within roughly an hour's commute of Ithaca, NY. No prior research experience is required. Interns receive an educational stipend of approximately $4,200; housing is not provided. Applications open in late fall and close the first Friday of March. ## Outcomes Interns leave with a completed, poster-presented research project, mentors in academic science, and paid lab experience at one of the country's leading plant-biology institutes - preparation that regularly leads alumni into university research positions and STEM majors.