The program is open to high school students entering their senior year who are nominated by their school science chairperson. Each science chairperson may nominate two students during their junior year.

Semi-finalists are interviewed by Laboratory scientists and winners go on to spend a minimum of 10 hours per week, September through March of their senior year, doing original research under the watchful eye of a scientist mentor.

At the conclusion of the program, students give oral presentations of their research projects to an enthusiastic audience of the students’ scientific mentors, Lab administrators, parents and teachers.