If you're a student with an interest in chemistry, finding research opportunities in labs can often be challenging, especially for high schoolers.

You may not have the knowledge and skills in these environments, or these opportunities may just be granted to undergrads instead.

Despite these blockades, we have a list of research opportunities for high schoolers to investigate to receive valuable research experience.

Here is the ultimate list of chemistry research opportunities for high schoolers!

Before you continue, check out Rishab's video on STEM summer opportunities that allow you to integrate chemistry into STEM projects!

PlaySTEM Summer Programs for High Schoolers (Research, Camps, Internships) First.

Consider joining your school's chemistry or science club!

Whether it's Science Olympiad, Chemistry Olympiad, or your local science club, these opportunities of going out and competing in the race of knowledge can introduce you to better opportunities and connections with others who are familiar with doing research.

Additionally, these places are convenient if you want to showcase your passion for chemistry and your ability to apply it to problems.

If you want to make it nationally in these kinds of competitions, check out our blogs on winning Chemistry Olympiad as well as winning Science Olympiad!

Ultimate List of Chemistry Research Opportunities for High Schoolers Project SEED Project SEED is an initiative created by the American Chemistry Scholars to provide opportunities for economically disadvantaged students who wish to research.

This program is distributed throughout the states, and depending on your state, there can be up to 80 programs.

These programs have varied requirements and deadlines, but these programs are for "exceptional" juniors and seniors.

Within the American Chemistry Scholars, another opportunity is available called the Chemistry Scholars.

The ACS Scholars Program awards renewable scholarships to high school seniors and undergraduates from historically underrepresented groups in the chemical sciences, majoring in chemistry-related disciplines, and intending to pursue chemistry-related careers.

Selected recipients are awarded up to $5,000

* per academic year.

Within applying to either program, recipients are eligible to apply for several internship positions provided by SCI-member corporations.

For more information, see here.

Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program (ASSIP) PlaySpotlight on ASSIP: Aspiring Scientists Summer Internship Program This program allows high school students to work with faculty research at George Mason University to develop their own research projects.

Here, you'll gain hands-on experience using proper equipment to perform wet-labs, as well as develop writing and communication skills as scientists.

Previous projects in chemistry include research in antibiotic development, measuring Volatile Organic Carbon (VOC), and diagnosis of tuberculosis through qPCR.

To apply for this program students must be at least 15 years old and pay a $25 application fee.

Argonne National Laboratory's Exemplary Student Research Program The Exemplary Student Research Program (ESRP) is a unique and life-changing experience for students and teachers where they work in teams with Argonne scientists to conduct research projects from start to finish.

While these research projects can be a topic of any field, chemistry is a subject that is encouraged.

The program lasts an entire school year beginning in the summer, when teachers apply to form a research team at their school.

During the fall and spring, teams prepare a research proposal; design and set up an experiment; gather and analyze data; make conclusions; and create a final poster.

In this program, school teams are considered to be part of the larger user community at Argonne: ESRP posters are presented annually to the Argonne scientific community in the spring.

California Academy of Sciences Careers in Science (CiS) Intern Program Careers in Science is a multi-year, year-round, paid internship and youth development program for San Francisco high school students who come from underrepresented communities in STEM.

Students from an SFUSD school and rising sophomores or juniors are eligible to apply.

Through this program, faculty will help interns develop the confidence and skills necessary to think critically and succeed in the workforce as informed decision-makers in their communities.

As interns advance through the program, they'll participate in project groups, in which small groups of students work on a science research or environmental action project led by an Academy researcher or partner.

Interns will also serve on the CiS Leadership Council and are eligible for individualized mentorships with Academy experts.

Scripps Research Summer High School Internship Program Scripps Research’s High School Student Research Education Program provides an opportunity for students to look at contemporary issues in biomedical research and provide hands-on laboratory experience and mentorship.

This program prioritizes admitting first-generation college-bound students and students from groups that are underrepresented in science.

Only students from the five REACH partner schools below are eligible to apply for the 2024 Summer Internship Program.

These schools include: Barrio Logan College Institute, San Diego; Hilltop High School, Chula Vista; Hoover High School, San Diego; Lincoln High School, San Diego; and Morse High School, San Diego.

The Young Scientist Program (YSP) The Young Scientist Program strives to achieve to increase the participation of underrepresented groups into the scientific community by providing diversity-focused paid summer research internships, hands-on scientific demonstrations in local classrooms, field trips to the Washington University campuses, dissemination of teaching kits containing pre-planned lessons, individual and personalized mentoring, and loaning or donating laboratory equipment to classrooms in need.

The Summer Focus program is for 16-18 high schoolers from the Greater Saint Louis area to work on a specific project with a mentor.

Alongside two courses to strengthen their communication skills, they are provided one-on-one support from their tutor, as well as a $4,000 stipend for the summer.

Washington University graduate students, post-doctoral associates, and laboratory staff serve as Mentors, Tutors, and Course Instructors.

To be eligible to apply, students must have successfully completed their junior year of high school before the program begins in June.

ASE Internships The Apprenticeships in Science and Engingeering internships typically offers about 75 internships each year.

Mentor partners vary but usually fall under one of the following general disciplines: Biology, Health or Medicine, Earth or Environmental Science, Chemistry, Computer Science, Engineering, Mathematics, and Physics.

Interns will contribute to a project at the mentor's organization throughout the summer for usually eight weeks.

Interns will additionally attend three events: an orientation, a midsummer conference, and the Symposium in August.

To be eligible, students must: Be a rising 10th, 11th, or 12 grader Have an interest in pursuing a career in STEM Live near internships locations (usually in Portland-Metro area) Have reliable transportation methods to and from internship location Concluding Remarks Of course, one of the best ways to create an opportunity for yourself and showcase your knowledge in chemistry is to perform research yourself!

This properly shows your initiative to start something on your own first, and how much you care about what you want to pursue in the future.

Start with the basics and figure out how to create a research topic.

Rishab provides a guide jam-packed with advice and step-by-step guide on this process: PlayHow to Pick a Science Research Topic & Idea: FULL GUIDE.