Jumpstart

Jumpstart is a scientific research skills building program taking place across the spring and summer, and is designed for juniors and seniors attending high school in New York City.

Jumpstart 2025: Program at a Glance

• Combined after-school and summer research program to take place on campus at The Rockefeller University
• After-school portion meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30pm – 7pm; February 27 – June 12, 2025
• Jumpstart students then move into the Summer Science Research Program (SSRP), which requires up to 35 hours per week, Monday-Friday, June 23 – August 7, 2025
• Must be a high school junior or senior (aged 16+ at program start) enrolled in a NYC High School, and must commit to participate in the entire program
• Students who have had limited access to, or have been excluded from adequate STEM opportunities are strongly encouraged to apply

Start your Jumpstart 2025 Application here!

Applications are due on Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. Letters of recommendation are due by Monday, January 6, 2025 at 11:59pm Eastern Time.

Program Overview

RockEDU’s Jumpstart program supports 16 high school students attending NYC schools in a combined after-school and summer research experience. The Jumpstart program takes place across two phases, spanning March through August. In the first phase students will work on campus after school (5 hours per week), and in the second phase students will work on campus full-time (~35 hours per week). The 2025 Jumpstart session will take place in person, and is designed to promote the development of scientific thinking and research skills through a variety of talks, workshops, and individual mentorship. The Jumpstart program is a unit within the New York City Science Research Mentoring Consortium (NYC SRMC), and is supported by the Pinkerton Foundation. 

Students without prior research experience and/or have been excluded from adequate STEM opportunities are strongly encouraged to apply.

Additional Program Details

Phase One (Spring Session): Our Spring after-school sessions meet Tuesdays and Thursdays, 4:30pm — 7pm, February 27 through June 12, 2025. Students will be encouraged to develop and ask questions pertaining to scientific research, gain exposure to research skills and primary literature, and connect with dedicated scientist-mentors at The Rockefeller University.

Jumpstart is facilitated by Rockefeller trainees, with support from RockEDU staff. Furthermore, each student is paired with a Jumpstart Advocate — a practicing scientist who can provide educational and professional support beyond the mentorship each student receives in the laboratory.

Phase Two (Summer Session / SSRP): During the summer session, Jumpstart students move into the SSRP, spending up to 35 hours per week, June 23 through August 7, 2025. Students will be assigned to an SSRP research team consisting of other Jumpstart students as well as new students (global). All students will learn the foundations and experimental techniques necessary to carry out a research project.

Learn more about the summer component of this program (SSRP).

Application Process

Step 1: Complete the online application. Applications are due on Friday, January 3, 2025 at 11:59pm Eastern Time. No exceptions will be made to accommodate late applications. We encourage you to complete the application well in advance of the deadline. The official Jumpstart application can be found here. 

Step 2: Selected Jumpstart applicants will be invited for an interview, to take place over Zoom. Students will be notified in February if they are accepted to Jumpstart.

Eligibility and Expectations

To be eligible for Jumpstart participation, students must be enrolled as a junior or senior in an NYC high school and be at least 16 years old at the start of the program.

Students accepted into the Jumpstart program must commit to participating for the entirety of the program — this includes both the spring after-school and summer portions. We cannot accommodate part time participation. Please be aware: students are prohibited from using any aspect of work performed during Jumpstart or SSRP for science competition submissions.