Summer Research Connection

The Summer Research Connection (SRC) is a 6-week program for K-12 science teachers and Pasadena Unified School District high school students. Participants are placed in research labs at  Caltech where they conduct scientific research in assigned student-teacher teams under the guidance of research mentors.

Seminar presentations given by the high school research interns at the end of the six-week research program are featured on our Youtube channel:

SRC Seminar Presentations 2020

SRC Seminar Presentations 2021

SRC Seminar Presentations 2023

SRC Seminar Presentations 2024 (Day 1) (Day 2)

Hybrid Summer Research Connection (HSRC) used the virtual learning techniques refined during the COVID-19 pandemic to expand participation in SRC. Students and teachers from systemically excluded communities in STEM across Los Angeles and Orange Counties participated in this six-week program through a combination of remote and on-campus research experiences. The funding for this program ended in 2024.

HSRC Seminar Presentations 2022

HSRC Seminar Presentations 2023

HSRC Seminar Presentations 2024

Other examples of the high quality of student summer research performed in Summer Research Connection include this paper by Daniel Martinez and Rohith Sajith who participated in the summer of 2018 and this paper by 2019 SRC researcher Dennis Raush and his Caltech mentors.

Announcement for teachers

Teacher applications for SRC 2025 will be available in March, 2025. Teachers from all levels from all districts teaching all STEM disciplines are encouraged to apply. Teachers participate in research and help mentor students; develop lessons for implementation in their regular classes; and join a cross-program community. Please contact Mitch Aiken: aiken@caltech.edu for more information.

Announcement for students

Through a multi-year grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) and generous additional support from the Siemens Foundation and the National Science Foundation we have been able to offer the Summer Research Connection (SRC) to many K-12 teachers and students over the past few years. Though the HHMI grant has now ended, we are committed to continuing the program, though on a smaller scale.

With our current funding levels and commitments, student research opportunities for 2025 will be targeted to students from Pasadena Unified School District high schools. We will be in contact with these schools to work directly with school leaders to fill those positions.