About

Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) operates three distinct free summer programs for high school students through its Hudson River Field Station in Palisades, New York, each with a different focus but a shared foundation in place-based science along one of the most ecologically significant rivers in North America.

The Secondary School Field Research Program (SSFRP) is the most research-intensive of the three — a six-week field and laboratory internship placing high school students, undergraduate mentors, and science teachers in teams at Piermont Marsh, a National Estuarine Research Reserve on the Hudson. Under the mentorship of Lamont researchers, teams conduct rigorous ecological and physical science investigations: nutrient cycling, groundwater chemistry, bacterial levels, invasive plant management, carbon sequestration, and fish ecology. Students read primary scientific literature, receive one-on-one mentoring, and present research posters at the end of the summer. SSFRP alumni have presented abstracts at the Geological Society of America and American Geophysical Union — unusually consequential outcomes for a high school program. The program was co-founded in 2005 by Lamont scientist Bob Newton and NYC science teacher Susan Vincent, and explicitly targets students from high-need New York City schools through partnerships with the Harlem Children's Society and Columbia Summer Research Program.

The Next Generation of Hudson River Educators (Next Gen) takes a science communication approach over a traditional research one. Over six weeks, students learn the biology, chemistry, geology, and environmental justice dimensions of the Hudson River through field investigations, then design and produce educational materials — games, social media content, presentations — tailored to their home communities. Students have presented findings to local village boards and planning commissions; prior cohort interns have come from North Rockland, Nyack, Spring Valley, and East Harlem schools. A 2024–2027 initiative extends the program's focus specifically to climate impacts on the Hudson.

The Polar Climate Ambassadors (Polar CAP) program centers on the Arctic and Antarctic — what students learn about polar science, and how effectively they can communicate its urgency to others. Interns develop outreach resources and engage community members directly, building scientific communication skills alongside substantive polar science content.

All three programs are free and run at the Lamont campus in Palisades, New York; none is residential. Students must be at least 16 and currently enrolled in high school. All 2026 application deadlines have passed — verify annual opening dates on the primary site. For a high school student in the New York metropolitan area with genuine interest in environmental science, field research, or science communication, Lamont's Hudson River programs offer a rare and valuable opportunity: rigorous, Columbia University–led field experiences at no cost.