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THE 2026 TEEN SCIENCE SCHOLAR APPLICATION WILL OPEN IN EARLY JANUARY 2026

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 2025, the majority of scholars reported having gained a variety of science skills, work skills, and 21st-century learning skills, such as: creating presentations for non-scientific audiences; public speaking; collaborating with peers; asking for assistance; seeking feedback from supervisors/peers; and including others' perspectives when making decisions.

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. 

Eligible Applicants Are:

  • Sophomores or Juniors in the 2025-2026 school year
  • Available Monday – Friday for ONE session
    • Session 1: Tuesday, June 2 – Friday, June 26 (no TSS held 6/19 in observance of Juneteenth)
    • Session 2: Tuesday, July 7 – Friday, July 31
  • Interested in the sciences as a possible career
  • No prior experience is required
  • Must be between the ages of 14 and 17 at the time of the internship.  

Teen Science Scholars is made possible with generous support by: Huntington Bank, Jon & Roxanne Isenhart, Lael Moe & Cathy Fennelly, Lockheed Martin, Daniels Fund, Harvey Family Foundation, The Philip & Susan Greenberg Fund, Simpson Family Giving Fund.  

If you are interested in receiving updates, including notification when the application opens, please fill out the Teen Science Scholar Interest Form below.

Questions? Contact [email protected] or 303-370-6478.

Teen Science Scholar Interest Form

Teen Science Scholars 2026 Projects

People looking at collections

Earth Sciences: Fossils in the Field and Collection

Session 1: June 2 – June 26
2 Interns will be accepted to this track

Join the Earth Sciences Collections team for an unforgettable journey into the world of paleontology! Explore our vast vertebrate fossil collections and take part in hands-on field trips to key fossil sites across the Denver Basin—home to the last of the dinosaurs. You’ll learn how to find, identify, and collect fossils while mastering the art of recording and preserving scientific data. Back in the lab, you’ll catalog your discoveries into our research collection, leaving a lasting mark in our online database. Your work will help advance real scientific research—and at the end, you’ll showcase your findings to family and the museum community! 

Mentor: Kristen MacKenzie 

People looking through a microscope

Deep Dive into Deep-Time Science: Paleontological Research at DMNS

Session 1: June 2 – June 26 
4 Interns will be accepted to this track

Work with three curators from the Department of Earth Sciences to uncover the latest discoveries in the field, laboratory, and museum. Our department welcomes four Teen Science Scholars to participate in a paleontological sciences program at the DMNS. From fossil dinosaurs of Madagascar to mammals and plants from the Rocky Mountain Region, we are excited to work with students in various aspects of museum paleontology. Activities will include learning specimen curation in the paleobotany collections, sorting and analyzing bones of multiple (8 in total!) predatory dinosaurs from one of the single most amazing fossils localities known from the entire southern hemisphere, and joining a fossil excavation to search for 67-million-year-old fossil vertebrates right near the museum. 

Mentors: Patrick O’Connor, Gussie McCracken, Tyler Lyson 

Person working in a lab

Exploring Bat Health and Beyond

Session 1: June 2 – June 26
3 Interns will be accepted to this track

Did you know that malaria affects more than just humans? Join the Teen Science Scholars program in Wildlife Disease Ecology and dive into the fascinating world of malaria - not in people, but in bats and other wild creatures! You’ll get to roll up your sleeves and do real science: test for malaria DNA in our Genomics Lab, check out blood cells under the microscope in the Zoological Collections, and discover how bats, parasites, and ecosystems all connect in the bigger story of disease and evolution. You won’t just be learning - you’ll actually be helping discover new species of malaria parasites that scientists have never identified before! Along the way, you’ll build skills in hands-on research, science communication, and critical thinking - all while exploring what a career in STEM could look like for you. If you’re curious, creative, and ready to explore the hidden side of wildlife health, this experience is for you! 

Mentor: Holly Lutz

People working with collections

Anthropology and Conservation 

Session 1: June 2 – June 26
4 Interns will be accepted to this track

The first week of the internship will be an intensive introduction to museum conservation: you will gain hands-on experience in museum conservation including safe handling, examination, technical photography, written documentation and the group will carry out a conservation project.  You will also learn about and participate in an ongoing multi-year project to deinstall the Museum’s North American Indian Cultures Hall. This work will involve moving and documenting Indigenous belongings that have been on display here at the museum for decades.  You will also learn the similarities and differences between our research collections and our education collections to understand the importance of education collections in aspects of museum education. You will work behind-the-scenes on processing and selecting collections for museum programming and shadow professional museum educators in preparation for the Teen Science Scholar Showcase. 

Mentors: Michele Koons, Melissa Bechoefer, Megan Salas and Casey Mallinckrodt 

Person working in a lab

Plants and People

Session 2: July 7 – July 31
3 Interns will be accepted for this track

Students will explore archaeology, botany, and genetics through hands-on fieldwork, lab activities, museum collections, and field trips. They will learn archaeological methods like pollen analysis and flotation, lab techniques such as DNA extraction and plant barcoding, and how to use herbarium collections to study human-plant relationships. The session will culminate in a student-created podcast segment, guided by museum professionals. 

Mentors: Emmy Dawson, Bridget Chalifour 

People looking at computers

Space Sciences

Session 2: July 7 – July 31
2 Interns will be accepted for this track

In Space Science, students will participate in computer-based activities that support the OpenSpace visualization software used in the Gates Planetarium and on the Space Odyssey exhibit floor. This work includes but is not limited to helping to build visualization assets; creating and editing HTML/CSS files and modifying JavaScript and Lua scripts for software control interfaces; and creating summaries of current space news and incorporating downloaded visuals into the software for use by education staff. 

Mentor: KaChun Yu 

Person working on computer

Zoology and Data Science 

Session 2: July 7 – July 31
2 Interns will be accepted for this track

The Zoology and Data Science track is a collection-based track that offers a chance to conduct science in a very cool setting! Working with two mentors, you will gain hands-on experience in zoology research. First, you will be trained in the care and preservation of zoological collections and their associated data. Then you will learn how to find digital data, navigate open data repositories, how different areas of knowledge communicate, and how to wrangle data effectively. By the end of our module, we want you to feel comfortable with experimenting with technology and the world of open data. 

Mentors: Laura Rocha Prado and Cameron Pittman 

Teens Looking at Bird Feathers

Flyers and Crawlers: Colorado Ornithology and Parasites

Session 1: June 4 – June 27
3 students will be accepted to this track

The Ornithology Teen Science Scholars program offers an exciting, hands-on dive into bird research and genetics! Throughout the summer, you’ll get to explore the fascinating world of birds and their tiny feather lice, learning how to safely catch live birds in the wild and handle them up close. You’ll even band birds and collect blood samples for cutting-edge genetic research. In the lab, you’ll dissect bird specimens, investigate them for lice, and record your findings like a true scientist. You’ll also step into the genetics lab, where you'll extract DNA, prep it for sequencing, and explore the secrets hidden in genomes through real DNA analysis! Disclaimer: This internship involves the dissection and handling of dead animals. You will see and work with blood, organs, and sharp dissecting tools. 

Please note that this track includes outdoor work under the direct supervision of DMNS scientists. While all transportation and safety equipment will be provided by DMNS, scholars selected for this track can expect to work in summer weather. Scholars should be prepared for physical tasks, including walking, lifting, and carrying. More details will be provided at the interview stage. Please reach out to Chelsea Barker, Program Coordinator, with any questions. 

Mentors: Andie Carrillo, Vertebrate Preparator, Garth Spellman, Director of Zoology and Health Sciences, Curator of Ornithology.

Person prepping a fossil

Prospecting, Preparing, and Preserving the Past: Colorado Paleontology

Session 1: June 4 – June 27
4 students will be accepted to this track

Join the Museum’s team of paleontologists to explore and uncover new fossils from Colorado. Scholars will spend three days and two nights alongside DMNS scientists searching for 66-million-year-old vertebrate and plant fossils in Corral Bluffs, near Colorado Springs. Back at the Museum, teens will clean and stabilize fossils in the paleontology lab, make 3D digital models of specimens, and, help create a database of fossils that can be used by researchers and scientists from around the world. Through this work, Scholars will have the opportunity to experience a fossil’s journey first-hand, from the moment of discovery to understanding how fossils teach us about our prehistoric world.   

Please note that this track includes outdoor work under the direct supervision of DMNS scientists. While DMNS will provide all transportation and safety equipment, scholars selected for this track can expect to work in summer weather. Scholars should be prepared for physical tasks, including walking, lifting, and carrying. More details will be provided at the interview stage. Please reach out to Chelsea Barker, Program Coordinator, with any questions.  

Mentors: Natalie Toth, Chief Fossil Preparator, Kristen MacKenzie, Earth Sciences Collections Manager, Salvador Bastien, Fossil Preparator, Tyler Lyson, Curator of Earth Sciences, Evan Tamez-Galvan, Fossil Preparator, Sadie Sherman, Fossil Preparator, Alex Polich, Fossil Preparator, Nicole Neu-Yagle, Earth Sciences Assistant Collections Manager

People looking at archives material

Collections Conglomeration: From Archives to Zoology with Data in Between

Session 1: June 4 – June 27
3 students will be accepted to this track

They say variety is the spice of life; if you agree, this is the TSS Program for you! Three students will gain exposure to three different areas in the Museum's collections branch: Archives, Data Science, and Zoology, spending one week in each unit. 

In Archives, the scholars will work with physical and digital records documenting scientific research, excavations, and Museum history. They’ll assist archivists in preserving these important materials and making them more accessible, gaining insights into how archives support scientific and cultural knowledge. 

In Zoology, the scholars will go a little wild, learning how to prepare and integrate zoological specimens into the Museum’s Research Collections, including but not limited to Mammals, Birds, Reptiles, and Amphibians. 

Descriptive and scientific data will be captured from collection projects and tinkered with using data wrangling tools during the Data Science section. Scholars will leave this program with a better understanding of how to make information accessible to all. This internship offers a well-rounded view of museum collections work, from historical preservation to specimen care, with the digital and data-driven tools that bring it all together! 

Mentors: Laura Uglean-Jackson, Digital Archivist, Lauren Conrad, Assistant Archivist, Allyce Farino, Assistant Archivist for Digital Assets, Laura Rocha Prado, Science Data Administrator, Cameron Pittman, Assistant Collections Manager of Vertebrate Zoology. 

Person doing DNA work

The Insects of Nature Play – From Field Collecting to DNA Analysis

Session 2: July 9 – August 1
3 students will be accepted to this track

In this cross-disciplinary internship, scholars will be collecting insects from our brand-new outdoor playground, Nature Play—both during the day and even for select sessions after dark! The purpose of this project is comparing the Nature Play insect fauna with baseline data we collected before the site’s transformation. Scholars will learn about proper fieldwork and collection best practices, preparation, pinning, and mounting techniques. Additionally, they will have the opportunity to work in a real lab, gaining hands-on experience with wet lab techniques such as pipetting, DNA extractions, and polymerase chain reactions (PCR), all while developing a deeper understanding of genetic research.

Please note that this track includes outdoor work under the direct supervision of DMNS scientists. While DMNS will provide all transportation and safety equipment, scholars selected for this track can expect to work in summer weather. Scholars should be prepared for physical tasks, including walking, lifting, and carrying. More details will be provided at the interview stage. Please reach out to Chelsea Barker, Program Coordinator, with any questions.  

Mentors: Frank Krell, Senior Curator of Entomology, Bridget Chalifour, Genomics Scientist, Jeff Stephenson, Education Collections Manager, and Genna Anderegg, Assistant Collections Manager of Invertebrate Zoology

Madagascar’s Bizarre Fossil Animals: From the Lab to Collections

Madagascar’s Bizarre Fossil Animals: From the Lab to Collections

Session 2: July 9 – August 1
4 students will be accepted for this track

Have you ever wanted to be a paleontologist? Join us at the Museum for an exciting project working with real paleontologists on fossils, including beautifully preserved dinosaurs, from the Late Cretaceous of Madagascar! You’ll get to see what it’s like to work in a museum, learn about the different career paths in paleo and the sciences, and get hands-on experience with fossil research and museum collections. You’ll start your internship learning about Madagascar paleontology and geology from scientists in the Museum and beyond. We’ll even spend a day locally in the field! Then, you’ll apply what you’ve learned to ongoing research analyzing actual fossils. Finally, you’ll join the collections team and learn more about fossil data and what it takes to keep fossils organized and safe. This is a great opportunity for anyone who wants to learn more about diverse STEM careers and build their science background. 

Please note that this track includes outdoor work under the direct supervision of DMNS scientists. While DMNS will provide all transportation and safety equipment, scholars selected for this track can expect to work in summer weather. Scholars should be prepared for physical tasks, including walking, lifting, and carrying. More details will be provided at the interview stage. Please reach out to Chelsea Barker, Program Coordinator, with any questions. 

Mentors: Pat O’Connor, Director of Earth & Space Sciences, David Krause, Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology, Sierra Swenson, Earth Sciences Assistant Collections Manager.

People observing anthropology collections

The Art and Science of Indigenous Jewelry

Session 2: July 9 – August 1
3 students will be accepted to this track

Students will choose two pieces of Indigenous jewelry from the collections to research the history of these objects, complete conservation condition reports that will include technical photography, materials analysis, and written documentation, and assist in the long-term preventative conservation of silver objects. The work may include participating in tribal visits, diving into object research, documenting objects with digital photography and microscopy, utilizing an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer, deinstalling belongings from the North American Indian Cultures Hall, creating custom housing for collections, and designing a mini-exhibit. This internship may also include guest speakers from Indigenous communities and field trips to local institutions. 

The Anthropology Department is ideal for students who are interested in Indigenous cultures and science, have an interest in working with and caring for objects, and enjoy writing and research. This opportunity is also ideal for detail-oriented students who want to combine scientific analysis with an interest in history.   

Mentors: Angela Rueda, Anthropology Collections Manager, Chris Patrello, Curator of Anthropology, Casey Mallinckrodt, Head Conservator, Erika Heacock, Anthropology Assistant Collections Manager, Johnny Gordon, Anthropology Collections Assistant, Katy Kaspari, Objects Conservator, Megan Salas, Objects Conservator, Ella Thomas, Conservation Assistant 

Discover

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. 

Explore 

Each year, the Denver Museum of Nature & 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.

Questions?

Contact [email protected] or 303-370-6478

Teen Science Scholars Donors and Sponsors

Teen Science Scholars is made possible with generous support by: Huntington Bank, Jon & Roxanne Isenhart, Lael Moe & Cathy Fennelly, Lockheed Martin, Daniels Fund, The Gateway Fund II, Harvey Family Foundation, The Philip & Susan Greenberg Fund, Simpson Family Giving Fund.  Teen Science Scholars would not be possible without our generous supporters and sponsors! 

Support Teen Science Scholars
Huntington Bank

FAQs

The 2026 stipend amount for participating in a session is $1,803. 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 fieldwork is involved, all supplies, meals, and expenses will be covered.

Yes, you can apply to be a Teen Science Scholar. Please keep in mind that TSS is intended for high schoolers from underserved and/or underrepresented communities or schools. Scholars must be physically present at the Museum for the duration of Teen Science Scholars.

The Museum does not provide housing for this program. RTD is free for those 19 and younger as a part of the Zero Fare for Youth program.

Scholars must be between the ages of 14 and 17 during the internship. 

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

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. 

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

The application does not require transcripts, letters of recommendation, or resumes. Applicants will be asked to explain why they have chosen their first and second-choice tracks. There is no minimum or maximum word count for these questions. The application will ask for your household's approximate annual income in 2025 (before taxes) and the number of people who live there. If you live in more than one household, please answer for the household where you spend the majority of your time. 

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

This summer, DMNS is offering two 3-week sessions, each accommodating ten scholars. Each session will feature three distinct tracks. Selected applicants will participate in one track during a single session. Applicants will be asked to indicate their top two track preferences on the application.

No problem! Please indicate which session you prefer on the application where it is asked. Make sure that your first and second choices for tracks match your availability. 

If you are selected for an interview, you will receive an email with instructions on scheduling a date and time around mid-March. Interviews will likely take place in the last two weeks of March through the first week of April. Kindly check your email regularly and reply promptly. We will extend offers for accepted scholars in mid-April. Parents or Guardians of students who have accepted the internship will be invited to speak with a member of DMNS staff regarding dates, expectations, and other details in the second half of April. Applicants who have not been selected for Teen Science Scholars will be notified via email by the end of April 2026.

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.