Since 1986, Liberty Science Center’s Partners in Science program has welcomed high school students to participate in a competitive mentorship program to prepare for future careers in STEM. Students from over 20 high schools completed an 8-week mentorship with researchers at regional institutions.

"Through this experience, I saw firsthand how engineering and medicine can intersect and address meaningful clinical problems," said Simran Marwaha of County Prep High School in Jersey City. Marwaha was one of 30 students at the Partners in Science symposium on Saturday, August 22, and welcomed guests to the symposium.

Each student presented their research projects, which included studies on ultraviolet radiation, optical nanofibers, lung inflammation, cognitive-motor interaction and neurorehabilitation, microplastic particles, autonomous vehicle navigation, youth public health interventions, among other projects.

Demir Akar from Bergen County Academies in Hackensack also commented on his experience, “Being able to conduct research at a university level over the summer really opened my eyes and helped me see a clearer picture of what I wanted to do in the future."

Students worked in professional laboratories alongside mentors from Caldwell University, Jose Marti STEM Academy, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Princeton University, Rowan University, Rutgers University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and Yale University. In addition to their research projects, students also attended career development workshops at LSC.

"Every single one of our sessions had interesting and impactful lessons for us, whether it was interviewing or bringing in outside guests to speak with us," Akar commented on this valuable experience.

Ruben Rosario, Senior Director of School Public Programs, and Dr. Kara Mann, Associate Director of 6-12 STEM Programs, work with the students throughout the summer to help them develop professional skills for STEM careers.

“We also trialed a new program this summer called Pathways to Partners in Science where we actually started to work with rising 10th graders over two weeks here at Liberty Science Center,” said Rosario. “They were able to learn about research and work with staff to prepare them to apply to Partners in Science next year.”

The 2026 Partners in Science program was supported by The Hearst Foundations, Northeastern Chemical Association, Union City Board of Education, and other generous donors.

Applications for the 2027 Partners in Science program will open in fall 2026. Learn more information about this program and application process here.