DEEPS CORES also provides a direct pathway into the world of scientific research. In 2024, the program grew to include paid summer research internships — funded by NASA’s Rhode Island Space Grant program, which promotes the study of STEM at all education levels. Hope High School students spend up to seven weeks on Brown’s campus each summer as DEEPS interns, gaining hands-on experience alongside students and faculty. Last year, six teens took part in the program, contributing to real research projects while gaining a firsthand look at the scientific process.

For Hope High School senior Shawn Wilson, the experience deepened his interest in STEM, introduced him to new fields and boosted his confidence to consider a science degree. He hopes to attend the University of Rhode Island next fall and is exploring paths in engineering and forensic science. Over the summer, the 18-year-old worked in a lab at Brown’s Geology-Chemistry Research Building. He prepared more than 200 ocean samples for analysis as part of a project in which Brown researchers are studying deep-sea mud layers to reconstruct Earth’s climate history, helping to refine climate models and improve future predictions.

“I find science really interesting because there’s still so much research, so many unanswered questions,” Wilson said. “The internship is a great experience because we have many mentors here guiding us through the process. At first it was tough to get the hang of things, but over time it became easier and they’ve trusted us to contribute to these projects. I never imagined I’d be working in a lab, but now, I could maybe see it as part of my future.”

A program with purpose 

Brown’s Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences has invested in outreach programs like CORES for nearly two decades as part of its commitment to community engagement, according to Olga Prilipko Huber, outreach coordinator for DEEPS.

That commitment began in earnest in 2007 with a National Science Foundation grant co-led by DEEPS professor Tim Herbert. With grant support, Brown graduate students developed and helped teach science lessons to students across multiple elementary and high schools in Providence. When the district adopted the Next Generation Science Standards in 2016, DEEPS launched a new STEM program for elementary schools, DEEPS STEP, which designed nine-week Earth science modules for second and third graders and co-taught them at the city’s Vartan Gregorian, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Pleasant View elementary schools. Inspired by her own research experience as a high school student, DEEPS graduate student Sloane Garelick then proposed the DEEPS CORES program in 2020 to create similar opportunities for Providence high school students.

By cultivating lasting partnerships with Providence-area schools, the department seeks to create meaningful learning experiences for local students, Prilipko Huber said.

“It’s part of DEEPS’ culture to support STEM education in public schools,” Prilipko Huber said. “Many students in Providence’s public schools come from low-income backgrounds, are English language learners or belong to underrepresented groups in STEM. With our resources, we’re committed to providing them greater access to enriching educational opportunities such as hands-on science experiments, mentorship from researchers and exposure to STEM careers. 

Ultimately, the goal of the program is to inspire confidence and open doors for students, regardless of the path they choose, she added. “If some develop an interest in Earth sciences, that’s a cherry on top — but more than anything, we want them to believe in their own potential, no matter what field they pursue.” 

The program uses an inquiry-based learning model, encouraging students to ask questions, explore ideas and develop scientific thinking skills, Prilipko Huber said. Rather than passively receive information, they engage with scenarios that make Earth science relevant and exciting.

“The idea is to show students that there’s a vast world full of incredible phenomena worth exploring,” Prilipko Huber said.

Instead of simply explaining how volcanoes work, instructors challenge students with real-world scenarios. One lesson introduces the largest recorded volcanic eruption in human history — the 1815 Tambora eruption in Indonesia.

“We show them a map and ask them to predict which areas were affected,” she said. “As they analyze new information, they refine their answers and realize the whole world was impacted, as ash and aerosols spread through the atmosphere by the jet streams.”

By guiding students through the process, Prilipko Huber said, they become active learners who form their own questions, analyze data and refine their ideas. “The goal is to make them want to learn more.”

Science in action

On an early February morning, 10th graders at Hope High School used bottles of warm (red) and cold (blue) water held within jars of room-temperature water to explore how air currents move. As they observed the red water rising and the blue water staying at the bottom, a Brown volunteer guided them in understanding the science: warm water, like warm air, is less dense and rises, while cold water is denser and sinks, creating pressure differences that drive wind. The same principle explains ocean breezes along the Rhode Island coast, the instructors explained.

Hope High School junior Julian Genao called the program — in which each lesson includes a hands-on experiment — “fun and exciting,” and said he joined DEEPS CORES to improve in school and explore different branches of science. 

“We’re lucky to be so close to Brown,” Genao said. “Through DEEPS CORES, we not only learn from Brown students, but we also get help applying to Pre-College, which is free for district students, and I feel like it’s an opportunity we should take while we have it so that we can make connections at Brown that could help shape our future and careers.” 

Now in its fourth year at Hope High School, the two-year program is designed to foster deep relationships by engaging students over multiple years. As sophomores, students explore topics like life on Earth, the water cycle, volcanoes, plate tectonics and earthquakes. In their junior year, they delve into planetary habitability, Earth systems, the carbon cycle and climate change, while also learning about career pathways. 

Over the two years, Brown students including Kierra Wilk, a fourth-year doctoral student, build strong relationships with the high schoolers, creating an environment where mentorship extends beyond science lessons, she said. 

“I think one of the beautiful things about DEEPS CORES is that while our goal was to provide Earth science education, by coming in each week we’ve built a rapport with our students that allows us to support them in all of their academic endeavors,” Wilk said. “And in turn, we’ve become better advocates, communicators and educators. I think Brown and the Providence community have a lot to gain when they engage with one another.”

Organizers hope to expand the program in the future. DEEPS plans to introduce a one-day career workshop for CORES participants in which students have the opportunity to connect with geoscience professionals in their senior year, exploring career paths and gaining insights into the college application process.

Elmer Pos, a high school junior, has participated in the program for two years and said it offered him a chance to learn more about the Earth while also getting a glimpse of college life. 

“I joined because I wanted to explore the different areas within Earth science, and this program has already taught me so much,” Pos said. “DEEPS also gives you a lot of exposure to Brown and an opportunity to experience what it’s like at an Ivy League school.” 

For Sully, the Hope High School science teacher, creating opportunities to provide that exposure is vital.

“Brown is right there, yet for many students, it feels like a whole different planet,” Sully said. “This program helps change that. We take them on campus visits, support them through the Pre-College application process, and have helped many secure full funding for Summer@Brown. When they feel welcomed, they start to see themselves thriving there — and even belonging. It’s been a truly transformative experience for so many of our students.”