Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS)

Any South Dakota, North Dakota or Minnesota students in grades 9-12 conducting original research can submit an application for consideration by Jan. 10, 2025. Select students will be awarded the opportunity to present an oral presentation or a poster talk. There is no registration fee to apply or participate.

Step 1 | Students in grades 9–12 must select research in one of the following areas:

• Environmental Science
• Life & Behavioral Sciences
• Medicine & Health
• Biomedical Sciences, Molecular/Cellular
• Engineering and Technology
• Math and Computer Sciences/Computer Engineering
• Physical Sciences
• Chemistry

Step 2 | Students must conduct original research.

Step 3 | Students must register as a participant for the North Central Region JSHS event.

Step 4 | Participants must submit an abstract and research paper reporting the results of their STEM research by Jan. 15, 2024.

Please refer to the Core Rules of Competition to ensure your materials follow regional guidelines.

Students who are selected to give presentations at the North Central Regional JSHS have an opportunity to win undergraduate, tuition-based scholarships up to $2,000.

The JSHS will distribute $4,500 in academic scholarships to the top three regional finalists:

• $2,000 to first place
• $1,500 to second place
• $1,000 to third place.

The top five finalists are invited to advance to the National JSHS. Two of the five finalists will orally present their research in competition for military-sponsored scholarships, while three of the five finalists will present their research in poster sessions where the top three students in each category receive recognition and cash awards. National JSHS scholarships are awarded as follows:

• Eight $12,000 undergraduate tuition scholarships, awarded to each of the first place finalists in the national oral presentation competition
• Eight $8,000 undergraduate tuition scholarships, awarded to each of the second place finalists in the national oral presentation competition
• Eight $4,000 undergraduate tuition scholarships, awarded to each of the third place finalists in the national oral presentation competition

JSHS is a Department of Defense (DoD) sponsored STEM program (U.S. Office of Secretary of Defense and U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force) that encourages high school students to conduct original research in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.