The Lawrence Hall of Science
The public science center of the University of California, Berkeley.
Wednesday - Sunday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. Closed December 24 & 25 Open New Year’s Day View Additional Hours >
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We partner with school districts to support science learning. We offer district-wide elementary, middle, and high school programs, either virtually or in-person.
We collaborate with a range of partners to innovate in science education. Together, we go further.
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Can’t wait for summer? Join us for this weekend series during the school year! Teen Research Programs are offer top-tier, immersive science education with The Lawrence at U.C. Berkeley! Through our weekend workshops, your teen will delve into a cutting edge STEM field, engaging in hands-on investigations and engineering design projects, captivating lab visits, networking with esteemed students and faculty, and exploring diverse STEM career paths. Our programs stand out for their unparalleled in-depth content and expert instructors deeply immersed in their respective fields. Your teen is not just acquiring knowledge but gaining invaluable skills they can use in pursuit of a STEM degree and beyond. Each program is uniquely crafted to equip your teen with a profound understanding of science and tangible experiences to enrich their college and career journey significantly. Join our Teen Research Programs that are not only informative—but transformative.
Are you ready to dive into the incredible world of bioinspired design and engineering? In this program, teen scientists learn how nature inspires us to create novel solutions for societal challenges.
Sundays 1:00-5:00 p.m. on January 26, February 2, February 8*, February 23, March 3, March 9, and March 16 at The Lawrence (*Saturday on UC Berkeley campus) Non-residential
Physics can tell us a lot about how the world around us works, and more specifically how our own bodies and senses perceive the world around us. So, might physics be used to build empathy?
Registration open to Members and Public
Registration Closed 11:59 p.m.
Last day to enter health information in Campdoc
The Lawrence financial aid awards centers on equity—removing barriers, enhancing opportunities, and broadening participation in science. In our continued effort to make these learning experiences available to more families.
Prioritization is based on a family’s financial need, if a teen will potentially be in the first generation from their family to attend or complete college, and if a teen has limited access to STEM experiences and mentors outside of school. Financial aid is awarded on a rolling basis until all funds are depleted. Please apply early, so you are considered early. Your personal information will be deleted after all financial aid decisions have been made. The application must be filled out by the parent or legal guardian.
“I loved this program and was excited to go to it every single day! To be honest, this will probably be one of my most memorable experiences in STEM and in general.”
Teen Research Participant
“It was a great program that sparked intellectual curiosity and new friendships and demystified the college experience. Growth for my teen in so many dimensions!”
Parent of Teen Research Participant
“I loved asking questions and hearing about different people’s experiences in college or STEM careers.”
“It was an amazing experience! The exposure to the scientific method, application, presenting skills, and residential experience. Exposure to college students and the college ambiance were illuminating. New friendships were forged. The Team Leads and the RAs were wonderful.”
“It was literally so amazing to visit a research lab. I genuinely realized I wanted to work here in college for sure, and it made me happy to recognize the equipment they were using and ask questions. It all just kind of came together like a puzzle being solved. When our transformation lab resulted in blue bacteria, I felt accomplished because we did it correctly, which gave me self-confidence.”
“What could be better: your teen growing academically and socially, with a highly driven peer group, and having the time of their life? Worth every penny and more!”
“I loved seeing the people teaching us about STEM. They’re all really fun, which shows that STEM doesn’t have to be all work or frustration with errors. That STEM is also about having fun with people who share your interests and want to work with you.”
“I really liked the dissections we did, as well as being able to observe and touch real human organs. The trip to the neuroscience lab was a real treat, and I enjoyed it immensely.”
“Finding areas of STEM during the camp that I found interesting that I wouldn’t have before made me feel like there could be a chance of me pursuing a STEM career.”
“It was so fun. I got to talk with undergrad and grad students who gave me a lot of insight into what life is like for them and their path of how they got here.”
All Weekend Series programs take place at The Lawrence. Your track may include a visit to UC Berkeley for one of the weekend workshops.
We do not provide transportation to and from The Lawrence. There is a pay by the hour parking lot adjacent or you can take public transportation. The UC Berkeley shuttle does not run on weekends.
All weekend series workshops take place from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. These times are also the designated drop-off and pick-up times; please stick to them. We encourage parents to sign the ‘Teen Program Dismissal Form’ at the time of registration so that teens can arrive and leave independently with the conclusion of programming.
The drop-off and pick-up location will be at The Lawrence unless a particular workshop happens on UC Berkeley campus. These details will be communicated to you in a welcome email before the program starts.
Yes, so long as a parent has approved it! They must still make direct eye contact and sign out with their instructors at the conclusion of programming. If you did not sign this waiver at the time of registration or cannot recall, please email the registration office and indicate your request for self dismissal in writing, stating your name, child’s name, and the registered program.
Yes, you can pick up your teen early or drop them off late if needed. Please let us know as far in advance as possible by emailing, stating your name, child’s name, the registered program, and the request.
If your teen misses a workshop we do our best to catch them up. They will have the opportunity to work in small groups throughout the project phase.
Teens are supervised at all times from sign-in to sign-out. The teen to staff ratio ranges from 1:12 during classroom instruction. Staff includes adult professionals, graduate students, and undergraduate students.
No meals or food are provided. Please pack snacks and a water bottle for each weekend workshop.
Yes, all teens should pack a hat, water bottle, sunscreen, and personal snacks for the day. For the safety of others, we ask that you not include any food containing tree nuts or peanuts.
Phones, tablets, and other similar devices should be stowed in your bag during program times. Phones and other devices are permitted during breaks and other designated times.
Some teens prefer to use their personal laptop. If so, they may bring it and must keep it on them at all times. If you do not wish to bring your own laptop or do not have access to one, we will provide one if required for the program.
No, for multiple reasons, we do not allow participants to register for programs designed for grade levels other than their own.
All teens will receive a personalized certificate of completion from UC Berkeley on the last day of the program.
We use CampDoc (also known as DocNetwork), an electronic health record system, to collect participants’ information securely. The information you provide will help us to support your teen safely and to optimize their learning and social experience.
If you still have any other programming-related questions, please email thelawrenceteens@berkeley.edu.
If you still have any other registration-related questions, please email lhsreg@berkeley.edu.
Due to the limited availability of spots, registration is non-refundable. If the program needs to be canceled by The Lawrence Hall of Science you will be notified at least five days before the starting date, and your registration fee will be fully refunded.
We eliminated discounts to Members; instead, Members now receive priority registration for the programs and dates they desire ahead of the general public.
No, we do not offer discounts for multiple children or multiple programs.
The University has identified all our programs’ costs as educational, not child care. Educational programs fall into the category “Educational, learning or study skills services” and are not considered FSA reimbursable expenses.
Covid proof of vaccination is no longer required, but California still requires all other immunizations. The Lawrence does not issue refunds for COVID-related absences.
You can give the gift of science discovery this summer! Your donation—of any amount—helps provide need-based scholarships to our teen research programs.
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