Young Scholars NASA Date Science Analysis and Research Paper Program

Internship Title: NASA Data Science Analysis & Research Paper Internship (Young Scholars Program)

‍Organization: George Mason University

‍Location: Hybrid (primarily virtual with optional in-person participation at George Mason University Fairfax Campus)

‍Type: Academic research program (program fee; scholarships may be available)

‍Schedule: June 13 - August 29, 2026

‍Eligibility: High school students interested in STEM, astronomy, or data science

‍Application Deadline: Varies by year; limited seats available

‍Program Dates: Approximately June–August (about three months)

Overview

The NASA Data Science Analysis and Scholarly Research Internship is a three-month summer research program offered through the Young Scholars Research Program at George Mason University. The program introduces high school students to real-world space science research using publicly available data from NASA missions.

Participants work with faculty mentors and astronomy researchers to analyze data related to exoplanets and space missions, including observations from NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the James Webb Space Telescope. Students learn how scientists analyze astronomical data to detect and study planets beyond our solar system.

During the program, students conduct an independent research project on a specific planetary system or dataset. They use professional scientific tools and programming environments to analyze data, interpret results, and write a scholarly research paper based on their findings.

The program concludes with a research conference where students present their work and share their findings with peers, mentors, and guests. Completed research papers may also be published through George Mason University’s research platforms.

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