Teen Science Scholars

The 2024 TEEN SCIENCE SCHOLAR APPLICATION IS CLOSED.

EXPLORE
Each year, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science interviews and selects 20 Teen Science Scholars to work as interns within the Science Division.

TSS is intended for high schoolers from underserved and/or underrepresented communities or schools. These internships provide hands-on opportunities to carry out scientific work alongside Museum scientists while exploring opportunities in museum and STEM careers. Scholars also participate in professional development activities, including public speaking, planning for college, and honing skills for joining the workforce. At the end of the summer, Scholars celebrate and present their work and experiences during a Showcase event.

In 2023, 100% of scholars said they would recommend the program to other students. 100% of scholars also reported gaining skills in:

Using professional communication
Being a productive member of a team
Collaborating on projects
Seeking out new learning experiences

Teens who come from communities that have been historically underrepresented in the sciences, individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds or schools, and/or those who will be the first generation in their family to complete a four-year college degree are strongly encouraged to apply.

DISCOVER
In previous years, Teen Science Scholars completed internships in archaeology, earth sciences, education collections, health science, ornithology, photography, zoology/genetics, and botany collections.

Teen Science Scholars is made possible with generous support by the Isenhart Charitable Fund, Robert Zupkus & Janet Burda, The Gateway Fund II, Simpson Family Giving Fund, The Philip & Susan Greenberg Fund, Philip Ferranti, Daniels Fund, and Huntington Bank.

Applications will be reviewed and individuals will be notified in early March for interviews that will take place in mid-March.

All applicants will receive a response no later than mid-April. A representative from Teen Science Scholars will connect directly with a scholar's parent/guardian/caretaker to share details, expectations, and answer questions in mid to late April.

2024 Teen Science Scholars will receive a $1,700 stipend paid in two installments. Stipends are not used as compensation but to offset expenses during the internship. All interns will receive daily lunch vouchers for DMNS's cafeteria.

All materials and supplies are provided by the Museum, including any transportation for field trips or fieldwork. If field work is involved, all supplies, meals, and expenses will be covered.

Yes, you can apply to be a Teen Science Scholar. Please keep in mind you must be physically present at the Museum from June to July.

The Museum does not provide housing for this program. RTD is free for all riders under 19 years of age through summer 2024, and interns are strongly encouraged to take advantage of that offer.

As long as you are eligible for the program, you can apply for 2024. Please contact us at [email protected] to have your account reset. We kindly request that you do not create a new account.

The schedule will be Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. –3 p.m., but exact start and end times will vary by department. Field trips or fieldwork may occur outside normal business hours. You will be informed of the department-specific schedule during your interview. The internship will run June 10 - July 25, 2024, excluding July 1 - July 5.

Fieldwork refers to multi-hour or multi-day research experiences, sometimes conducted in offsite locations, with scientists and other researchers. It can include physically demanding tasks and being away from the Museum for long stretches of time. Each discipline's description will clearly state whether it will include work-day or multi-day fieldwork.

Multi-day fieldwork might include working outdoors, camping, and being away from the Denver area for several days at a stretch. Scholars will sleep at or near the work site.

Workday fieldwork might include commuting from the museum, working outdoors, or conducting outdoor scientific work. Scholars will start and end their day at the Museum.

Field trips may include day trips to nearby sites of interest, museums, or other places where research or scientific work may take place. Scholars will start and end their day at the Museum.

DMNS will host several free online information sessions beginning in December and running through February 2024. Dates and links will be posted to this page.

If a student is selected for Teen Science Scholars, a representative will connect directly with a scholar's parent/guardian/caretaker to share details, expectations, and answer questions.

If you are an educator or youth mentor and would like to invite a DMNS staff member to talk to a group of students or educators about Teen Science Scholars, please fill out the interest list form on this page.

Please reach out to program coordinator Chelsea Barker who can arrange for the use of a DMNS computer once applications become available.

At this time, all our internships will be offered in English. If a selected student's parent/guardian/caretaker would feel more comfortable conversing in another language, please get in touch with program coordinator Chelsea Barker to arrange translation services.