High Pressure Summer School

The Facility for Open Research in a Compressed Environment (FORCE) at Arizona State University is proud to announce the 2026 FORCE Summer School on High Pressure Research. This six week summer program is designed to introduce undergraduate students to high pressure research through a combination of lectures, high pressure experiments, analytical instrument tutorials and demonstrations, and science communication activities. The summer school will also include weekly field trips around Arizona.

Important Information

The summer school will run from June 1 to July 9, 2026. Successful applicants will receive paid round-trip travel to Tempe, AZ, on-campus housing for the duration of the school, and a stipend totaling $4000 for the six weeks. The online application is due by January 25, 2026 at 11:59 pm MST. Applicants will be notified of acceptances in March, and all applicants will be notified when the selection process has concluded. 

Program structure and instructors

The program will be structured in the following modules: Foundations of high pressure research, Phase diagrams and thermodynamics, Analytical techniques for high pressure samples, and Science communication. 

Eligibility

Students pursuing an undergraduate degree who are not graduating seniors are eligible to apply. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Qualified applicants should have completed introductory chemistry and physics courses. Preference will be given to students attending universities without high pressure research programs. No prior research experience is necessary. We welcome applications from students of any major who are interested in learning about high pressure research through hands-on laboratory experience. 

Funding

The 2026 FORCE Summer School on High Pressure Research is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF EAR 2131833).

Questions?

For more information about FORCE, visit our website at https://force.asu.edu/. For more information about the Summer School, please contact Thomas Sharp ([email protected]) or Leah Shteynman ([email protected]).