Editor's Note: The following story was written by John Boccacino and originally appeared in SU Today.

For the fifth summer, Syracuse University put its physics labs and faculty mentors to work for 12 high school students from the Syracuse City School District (SCSD). Students were led through six weeks of college-level research that culminated in a poster session and celebration on Aug. 7 in the Physics Building.

The Syracuse University-Summer High School Internship Program (SU-SHIP) gives students hands-on laboratory experience alongside faculty, graduate and postdoctoral students in the College of Arts and Sciences’ (A&S) Department of Physics.

“This is a full-time job over the summer for these students, most of whom are really interested in physics and engineering,” says Jennifer Ross, professor of physics and the founding director of the program. “We offer these students a pre-college experience where they can study and learn from each other and from our faculty and students. It’s the perfect way to help them further their passion for science and engineering.”

This year, thanks to the efforts of Chancellor J. Michael Haynie, Ross says the program received “essential” funding from Micron. Additional funding was provided by the John Ben Snow Foundation and Memorial Trust, research funds contributed by faculty members across campus and an anonymous gift.

Making Physics a Full-Time Summer Job

Students log approximately 35-40 hours each week honing their research skills. Between testing out theories in the lab, students eat in the University’s dining halls, explore the campus maker spaces and learn why Syracuse University could be their college destination for studying physics.

Read the full story in SU Today.