ABOUT THE OFIS MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
Our Future Is Science (OFIS) is a virtual Mentorship Program that pairs graduate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) students with high-school students, fostering a supportive and relatable mentorship dynamic.
OFIS emphasizes scientific learning, community engagement, and career exploration, with the goal of applying scientific principles to improve local communities.
Over 8 months, OFIS Mentees craft Science Engagement Projects through Mentor-guided research and by conducting interviews with scientists and community leaders to create evidence-based solutions to real-world challenges they observe in their communities.
OFIS Mentees and Mentors benefit from attending weekly Mentorship Team Meetings and monthly Community Talks featuring scientists and community leaders. They also attend professional development workshops and have access to the OFIS eLibrary, which covers topics such as artificial intelligence, environmental adaptation, health disparities, and big data.
An honorarium of $1,000 is awarded to Mentees, and $1,500 to Mentors, for successful participation in OFIS.
THE MENTORSHIP PROGRAM EXPERIENCE
PROGRAM DURATION (4th year)
September 2024 to May 2025
PROGRAM DETAILS
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MENTEES will work virtually with mentors to:
Community Journey: Discover how science drives change in local communities.
Scientific Investigation: Design a capstone project by working closely with Mentors, scientists, and community leaders to demonstrate how science can be used to understand and improve societal problems.
STEM Topics: Explore areas like artificial intelligence, environmental adaptation, healthcare, food and water insecurity.
Careers: Gain insight into various STEM fields, virtually tour labs and worksites, and network with industry leaders.
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Enhance college applications with strong credentials, and uncover potential college essay topics.
Design a professional-level Science Engagement Project with measurable impacts and present it to the public.
Prepare to become a leader in the scientific workforce.
Work closely with a mentorship team and receive valuable advice and feedback.
Improve public speaking, critical thinking, presentation, and collaboration skills.
Receive a $1,000 stipend.
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MENTORS will have the opportunity to:
Participate virtually. OFIS is 100% virtual, allowing Mentors to participate from communities all over the U.S. (continental and territories)
Explore and deepen commitments to communities. Teams of Mentors and Mentees will explore links between STEM and local communities. Explore topics such as artificial intelligence, environmental adaptation, healthcare, and food and water insecurity in.
Demonstrate the scientific method. Share your knowledge and experience via mentorship team meetings, virtual lab tours, and group discussions.
Learn by doing. Mentor students as they create a Science Engagement Project.
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Foster the future scientific workforce.
Identify societal implications in STEM research.
Boost CVs with mentoring, curriculum design, and teaching experiences.
Expand professional connections and engage with renowned scientists and organizations in curated Community Talks.
Enhance science communication.
Earn a $1,500 honorarium.
We accept mentors from all universities in the U.S. Be a trailblazer, and represent your school in OFIS!
Science Engagement Projects
Universities that previous OFIS Mentors have attended.
What OFIS alumni mentees are saying…
“Research for my OFIS capstone led me to interview a person who invited me to apply for an internship along the same lines as my capstone research. Now I am participating in this summer internship, using the research skills I learned in OFIS.”
— OFIS Mentee, 11th grade, Michigan
“OFIS has fostered my interest in science and helped me grow professionally. Before this program I was afraid of public speaking. OFIS helped me get over that fear.”
— OFIS Mentee, 11th grade, Missouri
What OFIS alumni mentors are saying…
“OFIS has made me value more the importance of social justice in the research that we do— from the common topic of recruiting more diverse populations for clinical trials,
to paying attention to these factors when analyzing data from existing trials. OFIS has reinforced the urgency I see in developing bone marrow transplants that are more accessible to people of all ethnicities.”
— OFIS Mentor, Harvard University
“I was able to gain a new perspective on the relationship between science and social
justice through helping the mentees with
the capstone project. Mentees were
engaging and asking questions I would not
have thought to ask. Mentors were always available to lend assistance and plan for the
next meeting.”
— OFIS Mentor, Delaware State University
“Participating in OFIS made me more vocal about the importance of social justice work in the sciences and inspired me to start sharing resources and having conversations in my current lab. Additionally, this summer I will be working for a program for high school-age girls and will use my OFIS experience to be a better instructor.”
— OFIS Mentor, University of Guam
INSPIRING YOUR FUTURE
Experience science.
Connect with scientists.
Explore careers.
Solve a problem in your community.
Design a Science Engagement Project.
Improve your public speaking.
Expand your network.
OFIS Mentee Trinity explores the environmental impacts of microplastics in her home state of Florida and organizes an educational park clean-up with local non-profit organizations.
Our Future Is Science (OFIS) is an initiative of Aspen Institute Science & Society Program that aims to position societally minded youth as leaders and innovators who will push science forward in the 21st century.
High school mentees work to identify a problem in their community and apply the scientific process coupled with learnings from the OFIS Social Justice e-Library and insights from the OFIS Community Talk speakers, to design a science-based solution.
Exemplary 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 capstone topics include:
Impacts of Poor-quality Housing in the NYC (South Bronx)
Cancer Clusters Coldwater Creek (North St. Louis)
Microplastics in South Florida
The Environmental Impact of Redlining in Tacoma, Washington
African Americans and the Criminal Justice System in Nashville, Tennessee
Black Maternal and Child Health Pregnancy in Oakland, California