We’re so excited to highlight the 15 recipients of the Jane Street and Hudson River Trading Summer STEM Stipends! These stipends are awarded to BEAM high school students in partnership with Jane Street Capital and Hudson River Trading.
BEAM provides individualized guidance and counseling to our high school students, and one of our aims is to support students with applying to and attending rigorous STEM summer programs and internships. With the support of our corporate partners, we’re able to ensure that more students can access these life-changing opportunities.
The Summer STEM Stipends also address the fact that BEAM students who attend summer programs often cannot take summer jobs; students who receive a stipend are relieved of the difficult choice between supporting their families by working through the summer and furthering their STEM journey.
Read on to see what our Summer STEM Scholars shared last spring in advance of their summer!
Los Angeles
Ashley v.
Edward R. Roybal Learning Center, 11th Grade
Attended: Pomona College Academy for Youth Success, Turner-UCLA Allied Health internship
Hello everyone! My name is Ashley and I’m currently a junior attending Edward R Roybal Learning Center near downtown Los Angeles. As a BEAM student, I have been exposed to challenging and intriguing math by attending BEAM’s Saturday classes throughout the school year. Additionally, I have been able to connect with many other BEAM students. I’ve formed strong friendships and have gotten so much support from BEAM staff, who helped me get into the amazing programs I will be attending this summer!
Math is everywhere, and it can be challenging at times, but developing a love for math comes from finding what type of math you most enjoy doing. This year I noticed that I loved doing math in my chemistry class at school. From balancing chemical equations to finding the mass of certain objects, I found I loved applying math to science. I am now considering majoring in biochemistry or biology and following a pre-med path in college.
I decided to apply to the Turner-UCLA Allied Health Internship, where I will have the opportunity to shadow various healthcare professionals and expose myself to different careers I could pursue in the future. This summer, I hope to be inspired by the many amazing healthcare professionals I meet and start imagining myself in their shoes.
Julysa A.
Fairfax Senior HS, 10th Grade
Attended: Upward Bound
STEM excites me because there’s always a puzzle to solve and always something to dive deep into. Using STEM, you can go from solving the world's greatest mystery of how the universe was born to understanding how the chemicals within your food make it so delicious. I especially love math, as there is always an answer that can be found through steps. And even if it seems impossible, like understanding the fabric of space, new math can be created, such as calculus.
Something I have done that has grown my love for STEM is MESA and Robotics. Both brought me joy and great experiences, while allowing me to learn more about the world. I am currently planning to attend Upward Bound, and I hope to learn Physics there, as well as ASL! I chose Upward Bound because I did it last year and really enjoyed their field trips and activities.
New York
Lorraine A., NYC
Bard HS Early College Queens, 11th Grade
Attending: Kode with Klossy, Girls Who Code, Wave Hill's Woodland Ecology Research Mentorship (WERM)
STEM excites me because using STEM, you can find ways to make the world a better place. A moment that increased my interest in STEM was when I went to Japan during the summer of 2023 and witnessed the culture there. During the trip, I became certain that I wanted to protect nature and bring the beauty of nature everywhere.
In June, I will be attending Kode with Klossy and Girls who Code because I want to continue learning about coding and technology. Then, in July and August I will be a part of the WERM program at Wave Hill in the Bronx. I am very excited to learn about taking care of nature. All these programs will help me learn more about biology, ecology and technology, which is something I believe will have a big impact on my life and future. I want to learn about the connection between nature and technology and ways I can help, and then I want to teach others about how they can help.
Allison W.
The Brooklyn Latin HS, 11th Grade
Attending: Columbia SHAPE, Bucknell Engineering Camp
I am very excited about the field of STEM, particularly science and engineering because math is involved. Ever since I was a kid, I really enjoyed using conceptual and procedural math. Understanding these 'types' of math allows me to use different logical structures and apply them to various science and engineering fields to help me understand the world. For example, in chemistry, when calculating the theoretical yield of a property, you have to be able to follow fundamental math procedures to actually arrive at an answer. Likewise in engineering, if you're trying to build a living knee replacement due to arthritis, you have to use math concepts to program the knee to its desired position. Since 6th grade, BEAM has given me the opportunity to explore many different concepts in math, from infinity to probability.
This summer, I will be attending engineering camp at Bucknell University. At camp, I hope to expand my knowledge of the engineering field and delve deeper into mechanical engineering as well as biomedical engineering. I am trying to explore and immerse myself into the exciting fields of engineering. I hope to learn more about mechanical engineering and understand what purpose the field holds. Additionally, I will be attending another engineering program called Columbia SHAPE. In this program, I hope to learn more about chemical engineering and how it is applied to our everyday lives through energy sustainability.
Megan P.
Bronx HS of Science, 10th Grade
Attending: Columbia SHAPE
Hi! I'm Megan Pattanakul, a sophomore at the Bronx High School of Science. I was born and raised in Queens as a first-generation student, with proud Thai parents. As an older sister, I take great pride in my family.
Throughout my years, I have found many passions, such as public forum debate and swimming, where I actively compete for both a club and my school's swim team while also fostering my love for mathematics and STEM. I am passionately pursuing a career in STEM! My time at BEAM has provided me with guidance through career choices and explorations into the different routes and varieties of math. BEAM has opened up opportunities and doors that have helped me to discover what I want to do in life.
This summer I will be attending the Columbia SHAPE program, where I hope to expand my knowledge on mathematics and probability. I'm excited to explore the campus and design projects while learning about different theories and paradoxes. In the future, I aspire to expand my knowledge, advance in my career, and discover new avenues of opportunity.
Caren F.
Bronx HS of Science, 10th Grade
Attending: Memorial Sloan Kettering Summer Exposure Program, Manne Institute at Bronx Science
My name is Caren Fu, and I am a sophomore at the Bronx High School of Science. I am a first-generation student whose immigrant parents were born in Indonesia and China. In a family of five, I am the youngest, with an older brother and sister who are both attending college.
Through BEAM I have had many chances to further my math and STEM skills, which led me to a civil/bioengineering path. My interest in engineering and biology also stems from the Elements of Engineering course I took in my freshman year and the AP Biology course I am enrolled in this year. These different opportunities fostered my love for challenging myself and my eagerness to learn more about STEM.
I am also a part of the Spring Stanley Manne Institute researching E. Coli and bacteria, which has led to my interest in pursuing programs such as cancer prevention research at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. BEAM has helped me throughout this process by providing many different program options for me to choose from, such as the MSK Health Equity program. From this program, I hope to further my passion for bioengineering and to continue pursuing research opportunities.
Zain El J.
Darul Arqam School, 11th Grade
Attending: Brown Pre-College Program, Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute
Something that excites me about math is the many ways you can go about solving complex problems. BEAM has helped my interest in math grow with their Number Theory and Infinity classes! These classes are very challenging and intriguing, as many of the problems are very complex, and unlike basic math, the answers are never concrete.
Another BEAM class that helped grow my interest in math is the Introduction to Money and Investing Class, which gives students the basic rundown of how the stock market works, how to calculate compound interest, where to put their money, and how to invest in many different ways. The investing class is very interesting for those wanting to learn a mix of math and economics.
The programs I am attending this summer are the Brown University Pre-College Program and the Stanford Pre-Collegiate Summer Institute. I chose these programs to enhance my knowledge in fields that interest me, such as economics, psychology, and math. I also hope to get a good feel for the college experience in these advanced level programs.
Joelle N.
Bard Early College Queens, 11th Grade
Attending: Brown Pre-College Program
As an aspiring architectural engineer, I am deeply passionate about leveraging the advancements in civil engineering to fulfill my goal of creating innovative, sustainable, and transformative urban environments. The concept of smart infrastructure fires my imagination because it represents evolution in architectural design. Envisioning myself at the forefront of integrating cutting-edge sensors, data analytics, and IoT technologies into architectural projects fills me with boundless excitement. With smart infrastructure, I see the potential to design buildings that not only serve their functional purposes but also dynamically interact with their surroundings, proactively enhancing safety and efficiency. The prospect of crafting structures that seamlessly blend aesthetic appeal with intelligent responsiveness to the environment is profoundly inspiring to me.
Similarly, the emphasis on green infrastructure resonates deeply with my personal aspirations. The opportunity to integrate elements like green roofs, permeable pavements, and rain gardens into architectural designs excites me tremendously. These sustainable solutions offer a pathway to address critical environmental challenges such as stormwater management and urban heat island effects. By incorporating green infrastructure principles into my projects, I am driven by the belief that I can contribute to fostering more resilient and ecologically vibrant cities, where the harmony between people and nature thrives. The emergence of smart infrastructure and green infrastructure is an exciting frontier for me as an architectural engineer hopeful. Embracing these advancements allows me to pursue my passion for design innovation while making tangible contributions to building a more sustainable and resilient future for generations to come. This summer, I am attending the Brown Pre-College program.
Tasneem T.
Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics, 11th Grade
Attending: Summer Research Mentoring Program, American Museum of Natural History
The field of STEM excites me because I’m a very curious person. It makes sense to me to use logic to try to figure out a phenomenon, and it feels satisfying to use reasoning as a way to prove your hypothesis is right. I’ve always loved math and science, and the idea that these fields are what explains so much in the world just amazes me.
This summer I will be attending the Summer Research Mentoring Program at the American Museum of Natural History. I chose it because of the opportunity it offers to students like myself from unsupported, underfunded neighborhoods. Going to this program will help shape my experiences, and give me a taste of what I might do in the future.
Sanjana A.
Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics, 11th Grade
Attending: Columbia SHAPE
The amazing thing about STEM is that there's never only one way to solve a problem. I also enjoy seeing how different types of math and science connect with each other to build amazing things. I've joined BEAM Saturday classes in order to further my interest in math. Attending Saturday classes has helped me delve deeper into different types of math, whether it's combinatorics, theoretical math, puzzles, or investment. Beyond math, I have also done volunteer gardening from a young age and fell in love with it. Volunteering taught me a lot about grit and teamwork. I learned firsthand the necessity of expecting potential obstacles and creating plans to address them. Furthermore, I developed a deeper appreciation for my teammates and their resourcefulness in overcoming adversity.
The program I'll be attending this summer is Columbia SHAPE, where I’ll be taking a course called “Chemical Engineering: Material and Energy Balance.” I'm so excited for this course because it's focused on using the ideas of STEM to help others.
Jayden S.
Bard High School Early College Queens, 10th Grade
Attending: Bridge to Biostats Program
Something that excites me about math, and STEM in general, is how various technologies can solve the world's biggest problems. We have gene editing. quantum computing, brain computer interfaces and so much more. These technologies will be the key to the world's future and creating an innovative society.
My interest in the STEM field was sparked when I joined a program called The Knowledge Society (TKS), a 10-month program that drives high school students to go out in the real world and make an impact. We have sessions where we learn about many different fields, like AI, cancer biology and more. In this program, I have made pitch decks for both Microsoft and Meta focusing on solving the biggest problems that they are facing. I have created one pagers for many different technologies, and throughout the past year I have worked in and conducted research on a field called soft robotics. My work has been centered on creating articles and content about the potential applications that soft robotics has. I have even physically made my own soft robots. I developed this project into a potential startup where I would use soft robots in rovers for future space missions. I later presented this idea to multiple entrepreneurs and founders.
This summer I am attending the Bridge to Biostats program, which is centered on data science and biomedical research. I chose this program because computer science is a field that excites me, and data science helps contribute to learning data structures and other important concepts. Learning about biomedical research will also help me understand the importance of the anatomy of the human body and will help in my own research on soft robots’ medical applications.
Yasong F.
Stuyvesant HS, 11th Grade
Attending: Internship at Weill Cornell Medicine
Wonder, enthusiasm, and interest in new knowledge fuel my love for STEM. I enjoy everything from sitting in a classroom and learning how a process works for the first time to working out proofs or carrying out a research project. The never-ending pool of things to learn and discover in STEM creates a sense of mystery and sparks my interest.
BEAM was the start of me recognizing the parts of STEM that interested me so deeply. Throughout my summers at BEAM, the counselors always encouraged me to find the answer to a problem, and to do so in different ways. I was with BEAM when I realized that there is so much more to math and STEM than what I had thought previously; I used to always solve questions in the exact way that was taught to me, but BEAM encouraged me to go beyond that and to explore other methods.
In high school, the intricate processes and missing links in biology class intrigued me. Afterwards, I applied for my school's research class and it was there that I learned how the previously unknown became known. Because of what I learned in those classes, I took the opportunity to intern in a lab at Weill Cornell Medicine, where I will be learning about sex differences in hypertension and neurodegenerative diseases this summer. I'm super excited!
Trinity BJ.
Brooklyn Technical HS, 9th Grade
Attending: THE BKLVUP Cultivate: Flats Soil Testing Internship, Black Girls Code
I fell in love with math in 3rd grade, despite having a teacher who seemingly lacked a passion for math. She often rushed through our lessons, but I continued to ask questions about whatever math I found interesting. From then on, I excelled in math, and even participated in math classes outside of school. I took classes with New York, Stanford, Emory, and Michigan Math Circles, along with tech classes centered around math with Google, Techgirlz, and Black Girls Code.
I still love math because it challenges me to think critically and solve complex problems in creative ways. Mastering concepts in math gives me a strong sense of accomplishment and boosts my confidence in my abilities. When I went to BEAM Summer Away, I wrote a proof for the first time and it made me even more interested in doing math. I always like solving problems, but writing out exactly why I was right and how I came to my conclusion was very fun and exciting.
Oumou B., NYC
University Heights HS, 10th Grade
Attending: Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Summer Exposure Program
Hello! My name is Oumou, and I am a rising high school junior. I find math extremely fascinating because it offers a new perspective on the world we live in. The feeling that I get when I am able to solve complex problems, discover patterns, and create solutions is incredibly rewarding. Having the privilege of participating in BEAM has significantly increased my love for math. I was given advanced math challenges by BEAM, forcing me to think outside the box and consider new ideas. Collaborating with peers who shared the same passion created unforgettable memories for me. BEAM has made math such an enjoyable and educational experience.
This summer, I have the honor of participating in Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center's summer exposure program. I have a deep-rooted love for the medical field and hope to pursue a career in medicine. This program will help guide me through my journey!
Samuel P., NYC
Brooklyn Technical HS, 10th Grade
Attending: City Tech CollegeNOW STEM Internship
This summer, I will be doing an internship at City Tech, where I’ll choose a topic I’m interested in and complete a research paper using my knowledge of STEM. I will have a mentor that helps me with my project along the way.
I’m focusing my research on Air Pollution using Data Science, which I’m excited about. I’ll also get to present on all the work I do at the Natural History Museum to other College Now students and families.