Research Training Program

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The Southern California Academy of Sciences Research Training Program (RTP) is an initiative established to encourage enthusiastic STEM high school students to conduct original research in a professional laboratory setting under the guidance of a working scientist. The RTP teaches students how to give presentations, make posters and write papers in scientific formats. The SCAS RTP Committee selects students from applications with recommendations from teachers or qualified mentors. Research papers are presented and judged at the SCAS Annual Meeting in May each year. The students with the best paper and poster presentation are invited to represent SCAS as a delegate at the American Junior Academy of Sciences (AJAS) meeting in February the following year. The AJAS meeting occurs concurrently with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting.  The top students receive a one-year honorary AAAS membership, with a subscription to the journal Science. The delegates are encouraged to continue in STEM in college and to eventually return as a full member of SCAS to present at a future SCAS annual meeting.

Program Benefits and Features

  1. Individualized research opportunities with an expert mentor during the academic year.
  2. Open to all disciplines of science, engineering and math.
  3. Visit professional laboratory facilities and learn about current research from professional scientists.
  4. Learn how to conduct research with hands-on experiences.
  5. Present findings at the SCAS annual meeting along side college students and professional scientists.
  6. Abstracts are published in the SCAS Bulletin.
  7. Compete to be a student delegate to the American Junior Academy of Science (AJAS) at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 2026

Schedule

SCAS RTP 2024-25 Meeting Dates

Meeting #1: September 14, 2024 - Virtual Meeting (Dr. Kimo Morris and Dr. Andrés Carrillo, hosts)
                    Introduction to the SCAS Research Training Program (RTP)
                    Agenda
                    Zoom Recorded Meeting

Meeting #2: November 2, 2024 - Cabrillo Marine Aquarium (Dr. Juli Passarelli & Dr. Danny Tang, Dr. Andrés Carrillo, hosts)
                    How to Write a Scientific Paper & Poster Preparation
                   Agenda 
                    Tips on Writing A Scientific Paper
                    Tips on Creating A Scientific Poster
 

Meeting #3:  March 8, 2025 - NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory
                    Careers in Science, AJAS Experiences (Delegates), and Laboratory Tours
                    Agenda
                    AJAS 2024 Slideshow

April 25, 2025 SCAS ANNUAL MEETING (Friday) - University of California, Irvine

AJAS - AAAS NATIONAL MEETING:  February 12-16, 2025: American Junior Academy of Science national meeting with AAAS, Boston, Massachusetts.

FUTURE AJAS - AAAS ANNUAL MEETING: February 11-15, 2026: American Junior Academy of Science national meeting with AAAS, TBA