Summer Opportunities: Secondary School Field Research Program

Applications for the 2024 Summer Program are now closed.

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory’s Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP) brings high school students, undergraduate students, and science teachers to the Lamont campus each summer for six weeks of field and laboratory research. Students and teachers collaborate with Lamont researchers on a scientific research project in a tiered mentoring system. The Piermont Marsh, New York serves as the main field site and outdoor classroom. Research teams are composed of high school students, one or two undergraduate mentors with a teacher contact, and a Lamont researcher as science support. The main structure is the high school students and their undergraduate mentors as they conduct rigorous scientific research about ecological and physical processes in the wetland.

Students and teachers prepare by reading and discussing a science journal article about the marsh. Students then break into research teams, review and refine their sampling protocols, and develop a sample plan for the summer. Teams then collect samples and perform laboratory experiments on topics ranging from nutrient cycling, natural carbon sequestration, non-chemical management of invasive plants, the construction of rechargeable batteries powered by soil bacteria, and more. After the data are analyzed, each team creates a research poster and presentation to share their work at the end of the summer symposium. During the school year, supporting coursework is offered on topics such as wetland ecology, field sampling, and data analysis.