Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)

JSHS is a national STEM research competition for U.S. high school students, organized by the Academy of Applied Science and sponsored by the Department of Defense. It provides scholarships and recognition through regional and national symposia, primarily held online.

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) is a prestigious national STEM competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense and organized by the Academy of Applied Science. It encourages high school students in grades 9-12 to conduct and present original scientific research. The competition promotes early engagement in STEM fields and offers significant scholarship opportunities and national recognition through regional and national symposia.

Competition Details

Judging Criteria

Judging is based on the originality, quality, scientific rigor, and clarity of written and oral presentations. Evaluation occurs in multiple rounds: initial paper submission review, regional symposium presentations (oral and poster), and national symposium competitions. Presentations are scored by panels of STEM professionals and educators. Top performers at regionals advance to the national level, where scholarships and awards are granted for research excellence and presentation skills.