High School Internship Program (HIP)

The Department of Geographical Sciences launched the High School Internship Program (HIP) in 2023 with the aim of inspiring high school juniors and seniors to engage in geographical sciences research. In its first year, the program provided hands-on research experience and mentorship to 15 students from the DMV region.

Program Duration: The HIP program is conducted remotely over six weeks in the summer, usually from June to July.

Program Structure: Students work on a research project encompassing a wide range of topics, including climate change, geospatial analysis and more. Each student is paired with a faculty member who acts as a mentor based on a shared research interest.

Program Stipend: Students receive a stipend of $900 for their commitment to 10 hours of work per week over the six-week program.

Support and Funding: The program receives support from the University of Maryland’s Grand Challenges Institutional Grant "Assessing Climate Challenges for a Sustainable Earth," focusing on mitigating climate change impacts in Maryland.

Outcomes: Students present their research through poster presentations, similar to academic conferences. They gain practical experience, collaboration skills, knowledge of geographical sciences, and technical skills related to coding and geospatial methods. A select group of students can continue their internships throughout the academic year.

Read about HIP 2024 
Read about HIP 2023 

Applications for the Summer 2025 High School Internship Program will open, and be linked on this page, in November after Thanksgiving break and close in early January. Students will receive an update about the status of their application in early February. 

For more information, contact Valeria Morales at @email.