FORGES

Foundations for Outreach & Recruitment of Great Engineers & Scientists

At the University of Delaware, the CHARM FORGES program collaborates with industry partners and multiple academic departments from the College of Engineering and the College of Arts and Sciences to offer local high school students a week-long summer program featuring a wide range of hands-on science activities. Each day, participants engage with a different academic unit through STEM-focused workshops, laboratory tours, and interactions with University of Delaware faculty, graduate students, and undergraduates. The FORGES program seeks students interested in pursuing future careers in the sciences and provides exposure to diverse fields, including chemical and biomolecular engineering, materials science and engineering, mechanical engineering, chemistry and biochemistry, and gene editing technology.

Why join FORGES?

Participants can expect to:
    • Learn about more STEM fields you may not encounter in the standard HS STEM curriculum, like Materials Science.
    • Become more comfortable in a university-level laboratory before beginning college.
    • Work directly with UD faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate students who can answer your college & career questions.
    • Create connections for your future career that will strengthen your resume!

*Quotes below taken from post-program assessments.

“We didn’t just do labs and stuff, there was a purpose behind it. There was a bigger picture that would tell you ‘this is what this is used for in the real world’ or you were literally doing what people in that profession actually do.”

“I’ve always wanted to be a pre-med major, but I feel like FORGES furthered my knowledge of it…I [was able] to meet someone here who did do pre-med in college, and I got to ask them a lot of questions.”

“I thought it would be beneficial to me in learning different aspects of science, not just the ones…I’m particularly familiar with, but like material science stuff that I didn’t know was a thing.”

Upcoming FORGES Summer Program: June 22 – 26, 2026

Eligibility

Eligible applicants:

    • Are current freshman, sophomores, and juniors
    • Have a curiosity for STEM career and educational pathways
    • Are a US citizen, US national, or permanent resident of the US

The application for FORGES 2026 is now open!

Applications are due on March 1, 2026.

Click Here to Apply!

Previous FORGES Cohorts

2025 Student Cohort

Chukwuebuka Dara, MOT Charter School ’26
Ankolik Das, Appoqunimink High School ’26
Maiya Donato, Padua Academy ’26
Hasnat Ghumman, Odyssey Charter School ’26
Musaab Ismail, Newark Charter School ’26
Jacqueline Kurylo, Cab Calloway School ’26
Maya Lalani, MOT Charter School ’26
Joe Lin, Downingtown STEM Academy ’26
Zara Martinez, Downingtown STEM Academy ’26
Vaani Modi, Newark Charter School ’27
Allen Scott, Newark Charter School ’27
Sanjana Thottempudi, Charter School of Wilmington ’26

2024 Student Cohort

MarQuex Barrett, St. Elizabeth High School ’25
Paul Carpenter, Middletown High School ’25
Sirriya Cruz, St. Elizabeth High School ’25
Ne’Hemiah Hamilton, St. Elizabeth High School ’25
Jade McDaniel, St. Elizabeth High School ’26
Shil Shah, Middletown High School ’26
Nasir Shaw, Middletown High School ’25
Devyanshi Sharma, Middletown High School ’25