Program Overview

Introduction to the 2026 George A. Jeffries NanoExplorers Summer Research Program

The George A. Jeffries NanoExplorers program at the University of Texas at Dallas is a non-residential summer program designed to promote STEM-based education for high school students. The primary goal of the program is to inspire high school students to become productive scientists and engineers by enabling them to conduct original research work.

Program Highlights

• Selected participants will engage in an immersive 8-week hands-on non-residential research program.
• Participants will interact with faculty, staff, and graduate students in STEM fields across the University of Texas at Dallas, including the schools of Natural Science and Mathematics, Engineering and Computer Science, and Behavioral and Brain Science.
• Students will be paired with a faculty mentor's laboratory based on interest and availability.
• Participants will present their summer research work at a symposium at the end of the program.

Participant Eligibility

• Participants must be at least 16 years of age at the time of registration (June 1, 2026).
• Schedules vary according to the specific research group; however, participants are expected to work at least 25 hours per week.
• Participants must be available 100% during the entire 8-week program.
• Accepted participants must arrange for their own housing and transportation.

Application and Selection Process

• Participation in the program will be limited to 50 students and will be based on interest and the availability of faculty mentors and space.
• Students selected to participate in the program will be notified by email on or before March 1, 2026, and must commit to the program by March 13, 2026.

Enrollment and Cost

• The 2026 George A. Jeffries NanoExplorers Summer Research Program will begin on June 8, 2026, and end on July 30, 2026.
• The cost for the program is $5,000 per student.
• Payment is due on March 13, 2026, after selections have been made and participants have been offered and accepted the position.
• A limited number of scholarships may be available based on financial need.
• Once payment has been received, refunds will only be given for medical emergencies or extreme circumstances beyond the control of the participant.
• Participants must be registered and compliant with the guidelines provided by the University of Texas at Dallas Office of Programs for Minors prior to the start of the program.

Program Outcomes and Benefits

The George A. Jeffries NanoExplorers program has a proven track record of success. Leveraging their accomplishments as NanoExplorers, these students have gone on to attend the highest-ranked universities in the nation and have entered the University of Texas at Dallas as prestigious McDermott Scholars. They have presented their work at international conferences, co-authored seminal publications that receive national and international news coverage, and have had their work featured in Science and Nature magazines – the highest impact journals in the world. Since the program's inception in 2002, over 600 students have gained their first real laboratory experience in University of Texas at Dallas laboratories. Students participating in this program have been extremely successful in winning international scholarships and awards based on research carried out during the program. Since the institute started tracking the success of the participants in 2006, over 100 awards and scholarships in international competitions have been awarded to NanoExplorers.