L.A.B.S.
An after school lab skills program
Prepare to answer scientific research questions and learn to work independently in a laboratory setting in HudsonAlpha’s free after school program Launching Aspiring Biotechnology Scientists – or LABS.
LABS equips high school students from disadvantaged and under-represented populations with the skills and knowledge essential to confidently take the “next steps” towards participating in tomorrow’s stem-based workforce. This program gives students the opportunity to work independently in HudsonAlpha’s state-of-the-art facilities, making them ready to take advantage of future laboratory opportunities.
LABS Cohort VIII is currently underway
Students completed their first semester between August 20-September 26, 2024. They will have a lab coat ceremony at 5 pm on January 16, 2025, and then resume their Tuesday/Thursday meetings between January 21-February 27, 2025. The week-long summer 2025 experience will be held from 8-5 pm each day between June 9-13, 2025.
Details and how to apply for our ninth cohort are found below
Students must be enrolled in 9-11th grade upon time of application.
Participants selected in the 2025-2026 cohort will commit to engage, grow, and learn together over two semesters (Fall 2025 and Spring 2026) with a culminating one-week summer experience in 2026. Students will meet in the educational labs at the HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4:15 to 6:15 pm on August 19-September 25, 2025, and January 27-March 5, 2026. The week-long summer 2026 experience (actual dates TBD) will be held from 8-5 pm each day that week, with lunch and snacks provided.
Applications for the 2025-2026 LABS cohort (Cohort IX) open January 31, 2025, at 9:00 am and close April 11, 2025, at 5:00 pm. A selection committee will choose which students will be invited to participate in the program, and students will be notified of their selection in May 2025. The program includes a parent orientation the week before the first session in August 2025. Our LABS program aims to provide experiences to students who are either underrepresented in the sciences (in gender or race) or disadvantaged (based on ability or access or lower-income households) and might not traditionally have this opportunity. While special consideration will be given to students who fall within those parameters, we invite any public, private, or home-schooled high school students who meet the grade requirements to apply!
LABS participants will receive monetary stipends each semester to help offset travel expenses and compensate for the potential loss of income due to the inability to work an after-school job while participating in LABS. Additionally, snacks and summer meals will be provided. LABS students will also have access to professional development opportunities and college exam preparation materials.
Please contact us at edoutreach@hudsonalpha.org if you have any questions.
LABS is supported by the National Science Foundation ExLENT grant (Award # 2322497)
Additional support is provided by:
