The Importance of STEM Opportunities

They didn’t expect to find lead in the drinking water.

But that’s what UNC E3P chair Dr. Drew Coleman and a pair of summer 2022 interns from Robeson Early College High School discovered. The students had come to Dr. Coleman’s lab for a week-long environmental research project, learning how to collect and analyze water samples. Their results: elevated lead levels in several campus drinking fountains. In the years since, UNC has detected elevated levels in more than 125 buildings across campus and is in the process of updating water use procedures, repairing pipelines, and installing purifying water fountains. 

This is just one powerful example of science making an impact on people’s lives. For students and early career researchers, these types of discoveries do more than reveal the unknown: they illustrate what science can do for us. Pre-college STEM programs (PCSPs) can help shift students’ perspectives from seeing science as a course to viewing it as a tool for informing and protecting communities. 

In PCSPs, students not only learn from scientists, they become scientists themselves.

Access Disparities Across NC

Despite North Carolina’s reputation as an R1 powerhouse in both high level research funding and production, especially within the Research Triangle, the pathways into STEM remain uneven across the state. According to a National Center for Education Statistics report from 2021, 50% of rural high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) STEM courses, with less than 30% of their 11th- and 12th-graders enrolled in those courses. This is compared to over 76% of urban schools offering AP courses, and nearly 50% of enrolled AP students. 

For reference, of the over 1.5 million North Carolina high school students, nearly 48% attend schools in rural and small town communities, and roughly 35% are experiencing high poverty rates. From 2017-18 to 2023-24, EducationNC (EdNC) data underscore that educational inequities persist (Figure 1), as schools serving students experiencing poverty remain concentrated among the lowest performing schools, while low-poverty schools continue to earn higher performance scores. This persistent gap is likely influenced by a combination of systemic and institutional factors, underscoring the need for further research to understand and address the underlying causes.

While there has been an increase in school STEM performance across North Carolina, rural and high-poverty schools often face chronic shortages of certified STEM teachers and limited resources for up-to-date materials and equipment. If North Carolina wants to continue leading in innovation, it must invest not only in research infrastructure, but also in the human infrastructure that sustains curiosity. That means expanding opportunities for high schoolers and supporting rural partnerships.

STEM Opportunities for Students!

The result of this patchwork of opportunities is that the resources aren’t accessible for the students who need them most. Some students have access to fully funded or paid research internships and training, while others can only participate in programs that require paid tuition, travel, or unpaid work. A 2025 compilation of formal pre-college STEM programs within North Carolina shows that the majority of programs are concentrated within the Research Triangle and Charlotte regions, leaving large swaths of the state (particularly in Appalachia and the coast) underserved. 

Across North Carolina, educators and scientists are working to host and promote programs that make research tangible, local, and inclusive to students. Here’s a look at ten of the state’s leading initiatives (in no particular order) spanning paid internships, free camps, and tuition-based summer academies.

Advice for Students Interested in STEM

For career researchers and academics in STEM, their education and training paths are rarely linear. However, they all begin with the same spark; curiosity about how the world works. As a student, identify what fascinates you, and seek out any opportunity to learn more about it. See Figure 2 for insights on what a potential path could look like for you.

This exploration of opportunities includes coursework provided at your school or online, as well as talking with teachers, counselors, and mentors about local and nationally organized teams (e.g. organizations, communities, or youth chapters). Take chances on hands-on experiences such as volunteering, internships, or summer research programs. Show your commitment through consistent effort and by stepping into increasing levels of engagement, leadership, and responsibility. Along the way, connect with your peers, mentors, and professionals.

Even if a job or project isn’t exactly what you envisioned, bring curiosity, kindness, and your best effort to it. North Carolina has a thriving network of educators, researchers, and community leaders who are eager to support you and genuinely want to see you succeed. 

Ultimately, success in STEM isn’t defined by your final destination. It’s found in the growth, discovery, and community you build along the way.