The UCSD IEM OPALS high school internship program is committed to providing pre-college students with a strong foundation in STEM. Our program emphasizes the importance of setting realistic expectations and fostering a thoughtful and rigorous research mindset. Interns will have the unique opportunity to engage with researchers, graduate students, and undergraduate students who are actively involved in interdisciplinary research at the intersection of engineering and medical science. Through this experience, interns will develop a deep understanding of the scientific principles behind the research and will be encouraged to critically analyze experimental data. By the conclusion of the internship, students will present their findings in a research talk or poster, showcasing their comprehension and analytical skills.

Our program offers exposure to a wide range of research topics. Interns may explore innovative areas such as comparing calcium responses in neurodegenerative disease cells to those in normal cells, enhancing imaging techniques for biophotonics, studying the stress responses of endothelial and nerve cells, or investigating the applications of nanotechnology at the cellular and tissue levels. Additionally, students may participate in projects that apply AI and machine learning algorithms to accelerate image processing following laser manipulations.

The program is divided into two sessions:

• The Summer session is an intensive four-week program, mainly in-person from 9 AM to 4 PM every weekday.
• The Spring session runs from mid-January to the end of June, requiring interns to commit 2-4 hours per week.

For questions, contact: ieminternships@ucsd.edu

Dates and Deadlines

Summer 2025

• Application Period Opens: February 1, 2025
  • Applications will be prioritized on a First-Come, First-Serve basis.
  • Applications are accepted until maximum enrollment is achieved or March 15, 2025
• Program Dates: Jul 7 - Aug 1, 2025
  • 6-8 hours/day
  • Monday - Friday

Requirements & Apply

How to Apply?

1. Complete OPALS Application Fee Payment
2. Apply for the Summer 2025 OPALS Program
3. If you are interested in the Pre-College Courses that the OPALS team offers, please click here
4. If you have any questions or concerns, contact ieminternships@ucsd.edu

Eligibility and Application Details:

• Current high school and community college students with curiosity and enthusiasm for STEM are welcome to apply.
• Housing & Transportation will not be provided for applicants.
• Due to the high demand for our OPALS program, we are implementing a minimum age requirement of 16 years as of July 1, 2025. This year, a limited number of spots will be reserved exclusively for returning interns under 16.
• Since seats are limited, we may be unable to accommodate all applicants.
• Applicants will be notified of acceptance decisions via email.

Commitments & Cost

Summer 2025

Application Fee: $50 Program Fee: $2,000

• The program is unable to provide housing or transportation.
• Voluntary donations to the IEM OPALS program to defray program costs (approximately $1000 per intern) are gratefully accepted. However, please note that donations will not influence acceptance of the program.

Chief Scientists

Veronica Gomez

Institute of Engineering in Medicine, UCSD

Linda Shi

Institute of Engineering in Medicine, UCSD

Chengbiao Wu

Department of Neurosciences, UCSD

Management Team

Andrew D. McCulloch

Director, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, UCSD

Philip Godfrey

Management Services Officer, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, UCSD

Justina Houston

Administrative Assistant, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, UCSD

Jiyeon Song

Communication & Office Assistant, Institute of Engineering in Medicine, UCSD

Contact

• IEM Internships: ieminternships@ucsd.edu
• Program Director: Dr. Linda Shi (zshi@ucsd.edu)