The Ultimate Guide to Internships at Stanford's SHTEM
Getting into prestigious universities for your undergrad can be significantly easier if you’ve secured a solid high school internship. These include programs offered by recognized institutions and colleges like Stanford. Internships also give you deeper insight into your chosen field in a professional setting, while helping you build your knowledge and skill set.
In this blog, we'll explore the Stanford Compression Forum’s SHTEM (Science, Humanities, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) program, which offers compelling summer research opportunities for high school juniors and seniors. SHTEM internships provide hands-on experience, and a chance to collaborate with experts and contribute to cutting-edge research projects. The program is entirely virtual, allowing a flexible and accessible way to build your skills and explore potential career paths — from home!
Participating in SHTEM will showcase your dedication to your chosen field and your ability to excel in competitive environments, setting you apart from other college applicants. A Stanford internship can help you get solid letters of recommendation from professionals in the field, that will help you in your future academic and career endeavors.
What is SHTEM?
The Stanford Compression Forum's SHTEM is its annual summer internship program. It offers high school and early CC (Community College) students exciting research opportunities over the summer.
This internship is intended to provide early exposure to research that combines different areas of expertise by including the ‘human’ element in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. During the internship, you'll be grouped to work on multifaceted projects that will benefit from your existing interests and strengths, while exposing you to new subjects. Your work will be mentored by students, faculty, and staff at the Stanford Compression Forum and its affiliated organizations.
Research Areas & Faculty
SHTEM provides students early exposure to cutting-edge research in an academic environment, introducing students to a diverse range of research topics pursued in engineering, and emphasizing the inseparability of the humanities and the human element from research in STEM.
Project themes will span and combine the science of information and communication, engineering, the arts, linguistics, psychology, biology, neuroscience, computer science, technology, philosophy, and design, among other areas.
Previous cohorts included about 60 high school students, which were hosted by Professor Tsachy Weissman and the Stanford Compression Forum. During the program, high schoolers pursued research projects in various domains under the supervision of 34 mentors.
You can check out the detailed list of mentors and past year projects in the STEM to SHTEM Journal for High Schoolers.
How is SHTEM Structured?
The program spans 8 weeks in the summer (June to August). Students are expected to attend the entire duration of the internship. You will spend most of the time conducting research from where you live (if you’re working on hardware projects, the required materials will be sent to you) and be in regular communication with your mentor(s) and group members.
High school students and CC (Community College) students will be placed in project groups among their respective peers. Within your group, you’ll study various SHTEM problems, including how humans make decisions under time pressure, how scent influences virtual reality experiences, and how people communicate nonverbally when carrying objects as a team – something robots could learn to do better.
In daily activities, high school students will interact with other high schoolers, and CC students will interact with other CC students, barring program-wide activities such as orientation and final presentations, where all students will interact with each other. During the internship, you’ll be mentored in groups of sizes ranging from 2-5. You will be expected to work 30-40 hours a week. Your day-to-day schedule is determined between you and your mentor once you have been assigned to a project. If you have any scheduling conflicts, please mention that in your application.
Location & Dates: The program is held virtually. In 2024, it will be conducted from June 17, 2024, to August 9, 2024.
Cohort size: Last year (Summer 2023), only 63 high school students were accepted into the program and had an opportunity to work on research projects under the guidance and supervision of 34 mentors. This number may change in 2024.
Who is eligible?
The internship program has specific requirements for applications. To be eligible to apply:
You must currently be a high school junior or senior (i.e. 11th or 12th grade at the time of application) OR a full-time CC student (within the first three years of CC).
If you are a high school junior or senior, you must be at least 14 by June 17. If you are a full-time CC student, you must be between the ages of 17-21 (inclusive) by June 17.
Students are not expected to have prior research experience. Students without any research experience are especially encouraged to apply.
Returning interns can apply, but preference will be given to applicants without SHTEM experience.
International students can apply as well.
No exceptions will be made for any eligibility requirements.
Application process
There is a single round of applications conducted for SHTEM, and typically, there is a waiting list as well. The applications open in December of the previous year and close in February or March. Application decisions will be emailed out in late April. This program does not include an interview component.
Your day-to-day schedule is determined between you and your mentor once you have been assigned to a project. If you have possible conflicts regarding the schedule, you must mention them in your application.
If you require financial assistance to participate in the program, you need to submit proof of financial need along with your application. If approved, you may be eligible to receive a stipend.
Only ONE letter of recommendation will be accepted along with the application. There is no preference, although it should be someone who can speak to your strengths.
Cost & Stipend
Besides the $50 application fee, there is no cost to participate in the program.
For students who demonstrate financial need, stipends can be provided. Although this internship is unpaid, if spending the time needed to participate in this program would pose a financial burden for you, you must specify it clearly in your application.
Pros & Cons of applying to the SHTEM program
Pros:
SHTEM is entirely virtual, which means you can avoid the added expense and hassle of commuting to the internship location every day or arranging accommodation. SHTEM offers a flexible way of refining your skills and exploring new avenues in your chosen field.
SHTEM is a prestigious program as it is extremely selective in accepting applicants into the program. Last year (Summer 2023), only 63 students were accepted from hundreds of applicants. Also, SHTEM offers mentorship in groups consisting of 2-5 interns.
You will have unlimited access to resources and guidance. Whether it is theoretical learning, mentorship, or real contribution to a research project - a SHTEM internship will offer you all of it, at the appropriate times and with appropriate guidance.
SHTEM is a unique internship opportunity as it involves the human element in STEM fields that will allow you to break through conventional limitations of knowledge fields and explore new ways of thinking that combine different areas of expertise. This will also work toward boosting your college applications.
You will get a valuable networking opportunity with Stanford faculty, mentors, seniors, and peers. You will get to connect with experts and like-minded individuals at all levels.
Besides the $50 application fee, there is no cost to participate in the program making it easily accessible for you to gain experience in hands-on research and helping you to improve your skills.
Cons:
The program is highly selective so the extremely competitive nature of the program can make it challenging for some students, who may not want to spend too much time and effort on an application with such a low acceptance rate.
This internship requires complete commitment to the program. The internship program for Summer 2024 will be 8 weeks long. You’ll be expected to attend the entire duration of the internship and to work 30-40 hours a week.
This is an unpaid internship where the research demands can be quite intense and require a full-time commitment, which may limit availability for other activities and seem like a financial burden for some students.
Our Review - Should You Apply?
The internship is a great opportunity for you to get exposure to STEM research in a new and exciting way. By collaborating in groups, students from diverse backgrounds can research intriguing questions at the intersection of different fields. You can also learn from your peers' unique approaches to these questions. This early exposure to research can break down barriers for underrepresented students, and hopefully, inspire them to pursue careers in engineering, medicine, and science.
Although the internship is unpaid, it will offer the chance to gain valuable research experience that goes beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries by incorporating the ‘human’ element in STEM fields. You'll also have an opportunity to meet and learn from amazing people and mentors. This project will also help you develop advanced programming and communication skills, and an interest in computer science and electrical engineering.
Looking for an immersive internship experience?
Check out Ladder Internships!
Ladder Internships is a selective, virtual internship program where students work with startups and nonprofits from around the world! The startups range across a variety of industries. As part of their internship, each student will work on a real-world project that is of genuine need to the startup they are working with, and present their work at the end of their internship. In addition to working closely with their manager from the startup, each intern will also work with a Ladder Coach throughout their internship. Apply n1ow!
Stephen is one of the founders of Ladder Internships and a Harvard College graduate.