Across the University of Northern Colorado campus, there is no shortage of new and exciting programs. For 65 years one program that has been causing excitement across campus: the Frontiers of Science Institute (FSI): a six week program for high school students to study a broad range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) topics and perform their very own research. 

“This year they took wilderness medicine, and they did a snake class where they learned about the biochemistry of snake venom. Next week, they're learning about statistics and different math interpretations, and health and anatomy. They take all different kinds of topics and it’s mainly to give them a snippet of what a college course in some of these topics would be like,” said Victoria Duncan, Ph.D. ’24, director of FSI and assistant director of the Math and Science Teaching (MAST) Institute. 

“I might be a co-author on a research paper that an undergraduate student is working on right now, which would help me a lot on my resume and college applications. I’m learning a lot here.” 

— Nalan Rajan, high school sophomore, Palo Alto, California

Experiencing what it’s like to live and study on a college campus can be a life-changing experience for students. For many past participants who once had reservations about attending college and their ability to do so, participating in FSI gave them confidence that they could succeed in that type of setting, despite not having anyone in their immediate family who had earned a college degree. FSI is a way for high school students to participate in a trial-sized version of college in both atmosphere and substance. 

“Through this experience, I have become better prepared to face the challenges of college life. Having acquired personal readiness and a diverse range of extracurricular activities to enrich my resume, I am now filled with confidence that this will enhance my chances of gaining admission to the colleges I aspire to attend,” said a previous FSI participant. 

When students are accepted into the program, they begin working on a research project under the guidance of a mentor. The students will produce a paper, podcast or another method of communicating their findings, complete a 10-minute scientific talk on their findings, and present at a poster celebration for alumni and staff. 

Hyojae Lee is a senior high school student from Aurora, Colorado. Unsure of whether she’d like to stay in state or go out of state for college, FSI has allowed her to better understand the reality of being away from home. Encouraged by her teachers to apply for the program, Lee is now doing high-level research that she wouldn’t have been able to perform otherwise. 

“My group is looking at the impact of puberty blockers on the activity levels in rats,” said Lee. 

Another student, Nalan Rajan, a sophomore high school student from Palo Alto, California, is studying with graduate student Lani Irvin to see if antibiotics can balance aphid populations for improved crop yields. 

“I might be a co-author on a research paper that an undergraduate student is working on right now, which would help me a lot on my resume and college applications,” said Rajan, “I’m learning a lot here.” 

After all research is conducted, students present it on stage to one another. Presenting research findings is a common occurrence for a scientist. Through these experiences, students can more fully understand what to expect when seeking out research positions in college. 

All high school students are welcome to apply for the program, and while the majority of students historically are from Colorado, in recent years FSI has received some interest from out-of-state students. Historically, STEM fields have been dominated by men, but FSI has been pushing to increase representation and diversity among its participants. 

“Thinking of women in STEM, that is a long history of underrepresentation. We try specifically to recruit young women who have an interest in STEM. Last year, over half the cohort were women, which is awesome,” said Duncan. 

FSI has received generous donor support for quite some time, and this year, over $114,000 was raised from corporate, foundation, and individual donors to support the program. With this generous support, every student in the program is receiving significant scholarship support, with multiple students receiving a full scholarship. The breadth of support for FSI is a testament to the importance of investing in STEM education and to the quality, uniqueness, and impact this longstanding program has had on hundreds of students.  

Celebrating its 65th anniversary, FSI is welcoming its alumni back to campus to meet current students and research mentors at its culminating event on July 20. Alumni are encouraged to share about their experience with the program, what it has done for their career paths, and any of their favorite memories from their time in FSI. The banquet should be a perfect culmination of the 65 years of research and relationships fostered by FSI as students current and past connect and celebrate their shared love of STEM.