Established in 1968, The ACS Project Seed Program opens new doors for economically disadvantaged students to experience what it is like to be a scientist. Students entering their junior or senior year in high schools are given a rare chance to work alongside scientist-mentors on research projects in laboratories, which allow them to discover new career paths as they approach critical turning points in their lives. There are large pools of economically disadvantaged African American and Hispanic families in the surrounding community of USC. Project Seed is one of the programs that is overseen by the American Chemical Society (ACS). The program allows high school students not only to experience what is like to be a scientist, but to learn how colleges operate, along with opportunities to improve oral and presentation skills. The University of South Carolina Project Seed Program is coordinated by Dr. Chuanbing Tang of Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Dr. Tang has coordinated and mentored high school students in this program since 2010. Upon working in the summer each faculty will chose one of their graduate students to mentor a high school student in the summer. Selected students will work 8-10 weeks in the summer, typically in June- August, and will receive a stipend for their work. One of the main goals in this program is safety. Upon arrival into the program high school students will take two sessions of safety training: general laboratory safety and hazardous waste. Throughout the program, summer luncheons will take place every two weeks. The purpose of these lunches is to have student feedback as well as to see how everything is going in the laboratory. A poster session is also held at the end of this program in each summer. If you or someone you know be interested in applying for the Project Seed Program, please fill out the application under the “how to apply” tab. ACS Project Seed Handbook More information available at ACS Project SEED.