USC Summer Science Camp for Middle School Girls & High School Women

The Wrigley Institute and the USC Office of Continuing Education and Summer Programs invite young women to be a part of a community of scientists on Catalina Island. We offer two weeklong programs - one for middle school students, one for high school students - with an interactive approach to learning that challenges young women to explore ecological and biological principles.

Students enrolled in these summer science camps will spend a week at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island. They'll perform research in the field and in the laboratory, conduct self-guided experiments and go through educational simulations to learn about the interactions of physical, chemical and biological components of the environment. The science is integrated with cultural and social studies to offer a well-rounded view of an island ecosystem and the role of people in it.

During each weeklong camp, the students have opportunities to meet female graduate students and faculty researchers. The students have the chance to learn about careers in environmental, biological and physical sciences from women who are in these fields or preparing to enter them.

These science camps are designed to demonstrate the effect that humans have on delicate ecosystems through a study of marine biology and oceanography. The camps are taught by scientists and educators from the USC Wrigley Institute and the USC Sea Grant Program. The camp is one of many programs offered by the USC Office of Continuing Education and Summer Programs.