​​We know that a significant gap in traditional education exists, where students often fail to see the practical applications of their academic knowledge until much later in their studies. A disconnect that has led to a declining interest in learning and contributes to the shortage of young professionals entering STEM and policy fields such as health policy.

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Current data highlights this problem: only 19% of U.S. high school students pursue STEM majors in college. In fields like public health, representation is even lower. Comparatively, 40 percent of China's college graduates obtain STEM degrees, with Russia, Germany, Iran, and India in tow at well above 30 percent of their graduates. These statistics show a clear need for early engagement in STEM and related fields, particularly for underrepresented minority students, to foster a more diverse and skilled workforce in the future.

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How does the program work?

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Innovation & Society addresses the need for early exposure to practical problem-solving, STEM fields, and social sciences by engaging high school students in meaningful, hands-on projects. It not only builds individual competencies but also fosters a new generation of leaders equipped to tackle the pressing challenges of the 21st century.

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Further, the program is designed to leverage the natural tech-savviness of today’s youth, who are well-positioned to tackle modern challenges using digital tools and innovative thinking. By immersing students in hands-on STEM experiences, providing mentorship, and exposing them to real-world applications, the program aims to inspire a passion for problem-solving. This early exposure can not only increase student interest in STEM but also prepare them to become the next generation of innovators and leaders, capable of addressing the pressing issues of the 21st century in areas like economic inequality, healthcare, and education.

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Students apply to either the Research or the Innovation & Entrepreneurship tracks. 

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In the Research track, students will collaborate with leading academics, researchers, policy experts, and practitioners to explore critical issues affecting their communities. Over a school term, they will conduct in-depth research and produce case studies on those identified challenges or other topic of interest. This hands-on approach fosters data literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills, empowering students to become thought leaders in their fields. The Research Track culminates in the production of a case study on the chosen and approved topic.

 

The Innovation & Entrepreneurship track is tailored for students interested in applying their skills toward the creation of ventures, social programs, or non-profits. Students will learn key concepts like design thinking and prototyping, using these skills to design products or solutions. This track not only encourages entrepreneurial thinking but also emphasizes the practical implementation of ideas, preparing students to become future innovators and social entrepreneurs.

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What makes Innovation & Society a unique program?

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Other organizations work to address the gap between theoretical education and real-world problem solving through STEM promotion like Project Lead The Way, which offers project-based curricula in STEM fields, and FIRST Robotics, which engages students in designing and building robots to solve challenges. While both initiatives emphasize real-world applications, they focus primarily on technology and engineering, without integrating the broader societal and entrepreneurial aspects found in the "Innovation and Society" program.

 

Efforts such as the Lemelson-MIT Program, foster invention through mentoring and competitions, encouraging students to develop new solutions. However, this program focuses narrowly on invention rather than the broader scope of research-driven entrepreneurship and societal impact. Similarly, Girls Who Code teaches coding and promotes STEM careers among young women but does not offer the interdisciplinary learning or social science integration of our proposed program.

 

What sets the "Innovation and Society" program apart is its unique combination of STEM, social sciences, entrepreneurship and program development, giving students the flexibility to choose between a Research or Innovation & Entrepreneurship track. The program's interdisciplinary approach ensures that students not only develop technical skills but also understand and engage with pressing societal challenges such as public health and economic inequality.

 

Additionally, the program's collaboration with the Harvard Kennedy School’s Data-Smart City Solutions Program offers students unparalleled opportunities to work on city-level initiatives. By participating in the program, students gain firsthand experience in using data analytics to address real-world policy issues, which other programs do not offer. This approach not only equips students with critical technical and analytical skills but also provides a direct link between their academic work and tangible societal outcomes.