Kick-start your science career at Roswell Park

If you’re a high school junior, get first-hand scientific research experience to make those all-important decisions about a college science major and future career in science or healthcare.

At Roswell Park’s Summer Cancer Research Experience Program, you’ll work with our experts on your own independent research project.

Program dates:

June 24 - August 9, 2024

Application dates:

November 1, 2023 – February 21, 2024

Why choose a research experience at Roswell Park?

Hands-on lab experience

The latest technology

Mentorship and collaboration

In addition to lab work, you’ll have classroom instruction on cancer basics, seminars with invited speakers, and professional development opportunities. At the end of the summer, you’ll give a poster presentation at a research conference just like our graduate students and post-doctoral scholars do.

Find your focus

A summer program is a great chance to take a deep dive into a specific research interest – or try something new. When you apply, you’ll rank your choices in our key cancer science areas:

  • Biostatistics
  • Cancer biophysics
  • Cancer cellular/molecular biology
  • Cancer genetics
  • Cancer prevention/epidemiology
  • Health behavior/cancer health disparities
  • Molecular pharmacology and cancer therapeutics
  • Tobacco regulatory science
  • Tumor immunology

Check out the Mentor Directory (2024 Directory will be uploaded on November 1st) to see what projects our faculty are working on:

Drop some knowledge

When you head back to school for your senior year, you’ll have head full of data and skills to impress your teachers, your family, and maybe even your friends. Roswell Park summer program researchers have studied:

  • "Dissecting the Neural-Vascular link in Head and Neck Cancer"
  • “The Role of Heat Shock Protein in Prostate Cancer Progression”
  • “Cigarette Filter Ventilation and its Correlation with Risk and Sensory Perceptions in America's Leading Cigarette Brands"

Ready to get started?

Review the eligibility criteria below, then read through the Frequently Asked Questions. If it sounds like a good fit, get your application in by February 21, 2024 We’ll let you know by early April if you’ve been accepted.

You must meet all of the following criteria at the time of application:

  • Enrolled in junior year (graduating class of 2025) of high school.
  • This is exclusively a program for high school students who are local residents of Western New York. Students must be resident (permanent address) of, and enrollment in school districts in, the following counties in Western New York: Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua. This is a commuter-based only program, there are no exceptions. Enrollment and residency will be verified.
  • U.S. citizen or a U.S. permanent resident
  • 15 years of age or older at the start of the program on June 24, 2024
  • All participants in Roswell Park's experiential research programs will be required to show proof that they are fully vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine authorized by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the World Health Organization (WHO)

 

  • No application fees.

 

  • Limited funding is available to support subsistence allowances for a select number of applicants to the summer program. These subsistence allowances are awarded based on the qualifications of applicants and eligibility criteria required by our outside funding sources.

NOTE ON NEW YORK STATE REGENTS EXAMS: Students taking the Physical or Chemical regents exam during the week they are offered in the summer will be excused from the program for that time.

Questions?

For more information about the high school summer research experience at Roswell Park, connect with:

Julie Carter, PhD, EdM
Assistant Dean of Academics and Partnerships
Education@RoswellPark.org
716-845-4915


Special thanks program funding support

The Roswell Park Alliance Foundation

The Janine Torba Endowment