High School Science Academy
NWRI's High School Science Academy aims to give Omaha high school students the opportunity to participate in college-level lectures and field/lab work, and nurture their interest in the biological sciences before leaving high school. Each month, students explore a different topic in the biological sciences. They participate in one full evening of lecture on a weeknight, followed by a half or full-day field or lab session on a weekend later in the month. All sessions are taught by university professors and are supervised by NWRI's education staff. Past topics have included entomology, parasitology, prairie ecology, pollinators, small mammal diversity, genetics, bat biology, and much more! Enrolled students also have the option to view the great sandhill crane migration in central Nebraska each March and to participate in a 5-day fieldwork program at UNL's Cedar Point Biological Station in western Nebraska each summer.
All materials are provided and students are served meals and snacks at every session. If students and their families do not have access to transportation to and from sessions, it can be provided from school pick-up points at no charge.
The application for the 2019-2020 school year is now open. Applications are due September 10, 2019.
The 2019-2020 schedule is coming soon!
2018-2019 Schedule
| Month | Topic |
|---|---|
| September 25, 2018 | Orientation |
| October 9 & 11, 2018 | Chiroptology (AKA BATS!) |
| November 6 & 10, 2018 | Native Prairie Ecology - Management by Fire |
| December | No session, holiday month |
| January 22 & 26, 2019 | Science and Critical Thinking: Analyzing Cryptozoology and the Paranormal |
| February 18 & 23, 2019 | Genome Instability and the Evolution of Cancer and Drug Resistance |
| March 19 & 23, 2019 | Pollinators and Bee Keeping |
| March 30-31, 2019 | Sandhill Crane Viewing Trip (Optional) |
| April 16 & 20, 2019 | Living in the City: What Urban Nature Can Teach Us About Evolution |
| May 7 & 11, 2019 | Wildlife Medicine and Rehabilitation |
| June 3-7, 2019 | Cedar Point Biological Station (optional, 5-day trip) |
Important Forms for Students Enrolled in the HSSA
