About
The Summer Research Program was founded in 1990 by Dr. Samuel C. Silverstein and has traditionally been housed at Columbia University. In 2023, the program expanded to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and is currently accepting applications for the summer of 2025.
The program provides hands-on laboratory and didactic professional development experiences for experienced (2-3+ years of teaching middle or high school) science teachers of all areas of the life and physical sciences (e.g., biology, AP biology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, genetics, health, chemistry, computer science, earth science, physics, AP chemistry, AP physics, etc.). Participants of the program spend 7-8 weeks per summer, for two consecutive summers, interning in a scientific laboratory at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Participants gain hands-on research experience, mentored by Mount Sinai faculty members, and the opportunity to fully immerse oneself in the research enterprise by attending lab meetings, department seminars, and internal conferences.
Additionally, the program includes professional development exercises led by scientists across several NYC academic institutions on topics of broad general scientific interest, Japanese-type lesson study, data driven instruction, construction and classroom use of virtual and physical science models, field trips, and other topics/exercises. In the Program’s final week, Fellows present the results of their research in poster and short talk formats.
Compensation includes $4,500 per summer, with an additional $1000 stipend for classroom supplies.
The program and its impact on teachers and their students is described in detail in the Science Magazine report “Teachers’ Participation in Research Programs Improves Their Students’ Achievement in Science”
Read about how the Friedman Brain Institute’s labs hosted three New York City teachers.
Program Directors
Carol Gregorio, PhD
carol.gregorio@mssm.edu
Denise Croote, PhD
denise.croote@mssm.edu
Veronica Szarejko
veronica.szarejko@mssm.edu
Natalia Biscola, PhD
natalia.biscola@mssm.edu
Participating labs
Blanchard Lab
Hurd Lab
Dong Lab
Program Outline
Laboratory Experiences
Teachers spend the majority their summer experiences interning in a scientific laboratory at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, conducting cutting edge biomedical research alongside Mount Sinai faculty members and trainees. At the end of the summer, first year teachers present their work via a poster presentation and second year teachers present their research via a verbal presentation at the program’s End of Summer Symposium.
Professional Development Days
Professional Development Days, which take place weekly, are intended to create a professional learning community composed of all Summer Research Program Fellows and staff. The program includes professional development exercises led by scientists across several NYC academic institutions on topics of broad general scientific interest, Japanese-type lesson study, data driven instruction, construction and classroom use of virtual and physical science models, field trips, and other topics/exercises.
Coffee chats
The goal of the coffee chats is to provide teachers with an opportunity to learn more about the different types of research at Mount Sinai and to enable teachers to meet other members of the Mount Sinai community. We hope that these coffee chats will open the door to informal conversations on how higher education institutions can support primary and secondary education & more!
Teacher Cohorts
2025-2026 Cohort – TBD
2024-2025 Cohort
Christine Chan (ReStart Academy) Lab placement: Hurd Lab
Kathy Pham (Bard High School Early College Queens) Lab placement: Dong Lab
Elsa Rosario (Rachel Carson Intermediate School 237Q) Lab placement: Blanchard Lab