The Air Across Texas project is a high school student research project funded by the National Science Foundation (Award # 2325570) designed to engage high school students across the state of Texas in academic research focused on air quality. The program will emphasize the quality and development of the research process and will use hands-on project-based learning to enable students to understand how to use a research-based approach when encountering challenging scientific concepts or subjects. The AAT program will run twice, each time in three phases. These phases will include virtual and in-person settings and emphasize parallel active learning (via hands-on activities) and teamwork. Students will receive a stipend after completing each phase and full financial support for required travel. 

Click Here to Apply to the Air Across Texas Program!

Program Highlights

• $2,000 stipend (paid in increments after each phase)
• Gain valuable mentorship and research experience
• Virtual monthly meetings
• Field equipment provided
• Several free trips to visit Texas Tech University

The project will be conducted in 4 phases, and will be conducted annually, starting in September 2025:

• Phase 1 (Virtual / Sept. 25 - Jan. 26): Students will be introduced to different scientific topics to increase knowledge and prepare for the next phase
• Phase 2 (Virtual / Feb. 26 - May 26): Students will focus on hands-on research-based project using a low-costs quality sensor provided by the project and placed around their homes
• Phase 3 (Face-to-face / 1 week in June or July 26): Students will come to TTU for a 1-week Summer Research Symposium (SRS). Students will have social and scientific activities and workshops to prepare them for college experiences. Parents will also come to TTU for the beginning of the program to learn about potential STEM careers, collegiate opportunities, and ways to support their students. Students who complete the program will be invited back to TTU to present their research in the fall.
• Phase 4 (Face-to-face / 1 weekend in October 2026): Students will present their research at the TrUE Undergraduate Research Symposium (Paid trip with your parents to Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX).

Informational Sessions

Information sessions for the Air Across Texas program will be held in the Spring of 2025 to answer questions about the upcoming academic year. Stay tuned for specific dates and details!

Informational Zoom Sessions

Click Here to Apply to the Air Across Texas Program!

 

Our approximate timeline is as follows:

• January 31, 2025 @ midnight: Applications close. Please make sure your letter of support has been received by this day. It should be emailed and sent to Jessica Spott at jessica.spott@ttu.edu or airacrosstx@ttu.edu. We will respond to the email to confirm it has been received.
• February 19 - March 3, 2025: Interviews are scheduled. After reviewing applications, we will let you know when we will schedule interviews for those who have made it to the next phase of the process.
• March 5 - 14, 2025: Interviews Conducted. We will contact you through the email that you submitted with your application to schedule an interview.
• April 7, 2025: Acceptance/Declination letters will be sent via email.

If you are interested in applying to the program or have questions, please email stem-core@ttu.edu.