The FLi Sci Scholars Program

Five tracks, built to turn curiosity into a career in science.

Our FLi Sci Scholars Program is a unique 2-year journey that combines curriculum learning with hands-on research experience. This fully virtual program is designed to nurture the next generation of scientific leaders, providing students historically excluded from science with the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to excel in their chosen fields.

01 — How it works

A structured 2-year program, not a one-off workshop.

Stage 01 · Application

Applications open each spring

High school students from first-generation or low-income backgrounds submit an application. Selection is based on interest, fit, and what FLi Sci can meaningfully add to a scholar's trajectory — not on existing advantages.

Stage 02 · Track Placement

Match to STEM, FLi Psy, Pre-Medical, Social Science, or Data Science

Scholars are placed into the track that best fits their interests, guided by a graduate fellow working as their primary mentor and research lead for cohort year one.

Stage 03 · Cohort Program (Year One)

Weekly sessions start in the fall

Scholars meet regularly with their cohort — covering research methods, track-specific topics, and career navigation. Sessions are structured to be rigorous but relatable.

Stage 04 · Research Project (Year One)

A real research question, owned by the scholar

Each scholar develops and works through a research question of their own — supported by their graduate fellow and the broader cohort community.

Stage 05 · Research Experience (Year Two)

Scholars placed into real research experiences

Each scholar engages in a real research experience - whether through placement in a high school summer research program or through mentor-matched research projects suported by FLi Sci.

Stage 06 · Alumni Pipeline

The cohort never really ends

Alumni serve on our Youth Advisory Board, return as mentors, and keep contributing to the pipeline they came through.


02 — The Five Tracks

Choose the path that fits the question you want to ask.

Track 01

STEM

Science, Technology, Engineering & Math

Our broadest track, offering exposure to STEM disciplines and the scientific method through hands-on research mentorship with a graduate-level mentor.

STEM scholars build a foundation in how science actually gets done: forming hypotheses, designing experiments, and navigating the culture and expectations of research environments. Prior research experience is not required.

What scholars take with them: exposure to research environments, confidence speaking the language of science, and clarity about what a scientific career could actually look like.

Track 02

FLi Psy

Psychology & Behavioral Science

A psychology and behavioral-science track that introduces scholars to the foundations of research design, measurement, and the study of human minds and behavior.

FLi Psy scholars are led through the conceptual and technical skills needed to engage with psychology research: how studies are designed, how constructs are measured, how evidence is weighed. The track is deliberately accessible — scholars need only curiosity and a willingness to learn.

What scholars take with them: research-design literacy, the ability to critically read a psychology paper, and hands-on experience developing their own research question.

Track 03

Pre-Medical

Health & Medicine

A pre-medical track that provides mentorship for medical school programs and covers research topics in health, genetics, epidemiology, and pharmacology.

Pre-Medical scholars explore the science that underlies medicine — forming research questions focused on health and medicine, navigating clinical research studies, and receiving mentorship from people who have navigated the medical school pipeline. The track is designed for students who are drawn to medicine but haven't yet had access to the guidance that makes that path feel real.

What scholars take with them: familiarity with health sciences research, confidence speaking the language of human health, and a clearer picture of the medical school landscape.

Track 04

Social Science

Social Science & Policy

An interdisciplinary track that exposes students to research topics in sociology, economics, political science, and law.

Social Science scholars are introduced to research as a tool for understanding people, systems, and power — engaging with methods and ideas from sociology, economics, political science, and law. Rather than treating these as separate disciplines, the track draws connections across them, showing scholars how questions about society can be approached rigorously and from multiple angles.

What scholars take with them: an interdisciplinary research lens, exposure to social science methods and literature, and experience forming a research question about something that matters to them.

Track 05

Data Science

Quantitative Methods & Data Literacy

A quantitative track that builds data literacy, statistical reasoning, and the technical confidence required in today's data-driven scientific fields.

Data Science scholars learn to reason with data: descriptive statistics, basic inference, visualization, and the habits of mind that keep data from being misused. The emphasis is on building real technical confidence — not checking a box.

What scholars take with them: working data literacy, early experience with analytical tools, and the ability to ask and answer quantitative questions.

03 — Cohort History

Four cohorts. One growing community.

Cohort 01 · 2021

The first class

The founding cohort — a proof that structured, cohort-based mentorship could move first-generation and low-income students meaningfully closer to scientific careers.

Cohort 02 · 2022

Scaling the model

The second cohort widened the geographic and disciplinary reach. Testimonials from this class became the backbone of our case for the work.

Cohort 03 · 2023

Multi-track structure

The third cohort marked the introduction of multiple tracks, tailoring research mentorship to each scholar's career path.

Cohort 04 · 2024

Five-track structure

The current cohort is organized around the five tracks — STEM, FLi Psy, Pre-Medical, Social Science, and Data Science — each led by a dedicated graduate fellow.

Ready?

Apply for the next cohort.

Recruitment opens each spring. If you're a first-generation or low-income student curious about a career in science, we'd like to hear from you.