R-STEM Academy

About R-STEM Academy

R-STEM Academy is a series of one-day workshops for students in grades 3-12 (2025-2026 school year) to participate in STEM lessons designed by experienced teachers inspired by the ongoing research at Rice University. The main objective is to provide students with hands-on activities to build their conceptual understanding of various STEM studies, while simultaneously strengthening their critical and analytical thinking skills.

Career opportunities in STEM are also included as an additional means of exposure for both students and teachers participating in the academy. Teacher participants from the Research Experience for Teachers (RET) internships work with graduate students and research scientists in innovative university research laboratories to create the R-STEM Academy experience. Lessons are designed to allow students to experience grade-level appropriate activities based on nanotechnology applications.

2026 R-STEM Academy Workshop*

Lessons range from 3rd-12th grade level and cover a variety of topics, including nanotechnology, environmental, computer science, water treatment applications and so much more! A light breakfast will be provided for all students. R-STEM Academy is free for students who apply online.

Students that arrive at the academy without applying and submitting a signed agreement form will be turned away. Students can drive themselves, take public transportation, or parents/guardians can drop off.

Parents and guardians can park and walk students up, but parking validations will not be provided for parents, guardians, or students. Parents and guardians will NOT be allowed into the classrooms with students. Parents are welcome to wait outside the classroom to pick up their child. Parking on campus will be at the parent's expense.

Apply here

Applications close Monday, January 12, 2026.

Dates, Location, and Session Details

February 7, 2026

8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. CST
Houston, TX

Workshop Sessions:

Grades 3–5

Interstellar Travel & Healthy Robots! | Rosila Martins e Gama & Emily Harris
Students design and test their own puff-mobile, then code a robot to make healthy decisions. Creative engineering, problem-solving, and life-skills blend in this hands-on exploration.

Grades 8–10

From Reactions to Remedies | Ashlei Ward & Elizabeth Gillespie
Explore how the body senses danger and engineer nanoparticle treatment systems to understand how biology and technology work together in modern health care.

Tumor Takedown: Precision vs. Power | Michael Bredeweg & Paige Marrero
Treat fruit “patients” with hidden tumors, compare surgical vs. radiation strategies, then design antibodies to target cancer cells—facing real-world biotech problem-solving.

Grades 9–12

SuperBacteria & NanoHeroes United! | Natacha Fullilove & Stacy Moss
Design nanocrystal “heroes” and SUPERBacteria to tackle disease on a molecular level. Biomedical engineering meets superhero creativity.

Glo Up, Blow Up! | Margaret Hankins & Sayira Silverio
Create personalized beauty formulations, then engineer colorful reaction makeovers. Chemistry meets branding and creativity.

Built to Last! | Angelika Contreras & Virginia Kate Kleiber
Investigate how temperature affects metals and soils, apply nanotech ideas to environmental cleanup, and explore semiconductor resilience.

Grades 11–12

Nano-Cooking: Ammonia Dirt Brownies | Ivana Ivancic Galic & Antonio Gomez Pedroso
Examine contaminant properties and catalytic processes, then apply nanotechnology strategies to reclaim polluted soil and study semiconductor behavior.

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February 21, 2026

8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. CST
Houston, TX

Workshop Sessions:

Grades 6–8

From Gummies to Genetics: Exploring Patterns in Science | Taylor Reynolds & Alma Villarreal
Students uncover the science that links candy texture to genetic disease prediction through hands-on experimentation and pattern recognition.

Grades 9–12

America’s Next Top Option | Jessica Ross & Brooks Sutton
Design a quality control system and develop data-driven meal plans for diabetes management. A fast-paced exploration of engineering decision-making.

Filter It Out: The Water Purification Quest | Duane Turner & Nichole De Paul
Engineer filtration systems and neutralize acidic water as students learn how chemistry and engineering restore water quality.

How Environmental Factors Cause Mutations and Cancer | Belinda Salazar & Raziyya Khatoon
Investigate real public health questions and design potential cancer-prevention therapies based on environmental influences.

Engineering the Cell: From Quality Control to Cancer Solutions | Tala’Shandria Allen & Julie Cooper Rohl
Engineer a cell-cycle control machine, then analyze case data to design leukemia treatment strategies. Students don’t just learn biology—they engineer it.

Grades 10–12

Power, Ping, Post: How Charge Drives Your Social Feed | Kim Conner Davis & Saeb Abdallah
Explore how charges power electronics and move data across networks through hands-on investigations tied to everyday tech.

From Coulomb to Carbon: Engineering Disease and Environmental Solutions | Mila Taylor & Jeremy Rosado
Study how electric forces shape protein function, then engineer systems for safe CO₂ storage to address global environmental needs.

Application

Apply here

Applications close January 12, 2026.

- Eligible grade levels vary by activity.
- Please review the specific location activities and grade level before applying.
- Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status no later than one week prior to the workshop.
- Space is limited, therefore, completing the registration process does not guarantee placement in the workshops.
- Applicant's parents/guardians will be required to submit a signed release form with their registration.

*Students who arrive at the workshop without being accepted and submitting a signed agreement form will be not be permitted to attend.

Program Flyer

Below is copy of the R-STEM Academy flyer. You can access a PDF version in English and Spanish for download here.

R-STEM Academy Administration

If you have any questions about R-STEM Academy, you can contact the program leads.

Isaias Cerda, M.S. Ed.
Director of Curriculum and Instruction
713-348-3197 | ic19@rice.edu

Mariana Quinn, M.S.
Assistant Director for Science Education
713-348-8266 | mq10@rice.edu

Brandi West
Assistant Director for Secondary STEM Education
713-348-6274 | bw76@rice.edu

^{*Program times, dates, locations, and compensation subject to change before the first day of the program.}