Yale Young Global Scholars program YYGS
An official Yale University program, participants in the Yale Young Global Scholars Program for Outstanding High School Students can expect an amazing summer experience studying in beautiful campus lecture halls and classrooms, living in Yale’s historic residential colleges, eating in award-winning dining halls, meeting a talented community of fellow students, engaging with world-renowned professors, and interacting with extraordinary visiting practitioners.
Politics, Law, & Economics
The Politics, Law, & Economics (PLE) session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program is aimed at students with an interest in understanding American legal principles, economic ideas, and values and practices of government in historical and comparative perspectives. Using and critiquing the vast resources of the American intellectual and political tradition, students move on to consider potential solutions for important contemporary social problems.Students learn key ideas in economic, legal, and political theory that are the basis for understanding social systems well beyond the borders of the United States. Lectures and elective seminars will cover topics such as civil rights, democratic institutions, market regulation, freedom of speech, the American presidency, and comparative constitutions.
Over the two-week program, students will complete a research-based assignment and will be asked to present their work to instructors and fellow students. They will also participate in a lively simulation activity, learn about relevant career paths from faculty and practitioners, and build a toolkit of critical skills for academic work and leadership in college and beyond.
Who teaches in it?
Drawing on Yale’s exceptional academic traditions in the humanities and social sciences, PLE lectures are given by faculty in the Yale Law School, and Departments of History, Political Science, and Economics, as well as distinguished guests. They include:
While not formally required, students interested in PLE should have some background in high school social studies and history.
The Politics, Law, & Economics (PLE) session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program is aimed at students with an interest in understanding American legal principles, economic ideas, and values and practices of government in historical and comparative perspectives. Using and critiquing the vast resources of the American intellectual and political tradition, students move on to consider potential solutions for important contemporary social problems.Students learn key ideas in economic, legal, and political theory that are the basis for understanding social systems well beyond the borders of the United States. Lectures and elective seminars will cover topics such as civil rights, democratic institutions, market regulation, freedom of speech, the American presidency, and comparative constitutions.
Over the two-week program, students will complete a research-based assignment and will be asked to present their work to instructors and fellow students. They will also participate in a lively simulation activity, learn about relevant career paths from faculty and practitioners, and build a toolkit of critical skills for academic work and leadership in college and beyond.
Who teaches in it?
Drawing on Yale’s exceptional academic traditions in the humanities and social sciences, PLE lectures are given by faculty in the Yale Law School, and Departments of History, Political Science, and Economics, as well as distinguished guests. They include:
- Akhil Reed Amar, Sterling Professor of Law and Political Science
- Paul Solman, Distinguished Fellow in Grand Strategy and PBS NewshourCorrespondent
- William Nordhaus, Sterling Professor of Economics
- Jonathan Holloway, Professor of History, African American Studies & American Studies and Chair of African American Studies
While not formally required, students interested in PLE should have some background in high school social studies and history.
International Affairs & Security
The International Affairs & Security (IAS) session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program is designed for students with interests in international relations and security. The session emphasizes leadership development, and draws on historical examples and contemporary issues to help students think strategically and negotiate potential responses to complex international dilemmas.
Modeled on the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy administered by International Security Studies for Yale undergraduate and graduate students, the program takes a broad view of the idea “grand strategy” as the relationship of means to large ends. In addition to attending lectures and seminars on topics such as cybersecurity, international terrorism, humanitarian intervention, executive decision-making, and resource security, students complete a capstone project called the “Marshall Brief.” For this exercise, students work in teams throughout the program to develop a policy proposal and write a report of their recommendations, ending with a presentation to an audience of instructors and fellow students.
Students also participate in a crisis simulation modeled on real-world events, learn about careers in policy-making, national security, and international organizations, and reflect on the challenges of effective leadership.
Who teaches in it?
IAS brings together faculty and distinguished practitioners in a variety of fields, including those in the Departments of History and Political Science, the Jackson Institute, the Yale School of Management, and the Yale Law School. They include:
While not formally required, students interested in IAS should have some background in high school history and social studies. Extensive background in these fields is not required.
The International Affairs & Security (IAS) session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program is designed for students with interests in international relations and security. The session emphasizes leadership development, and draws on historical examples and contemporary issues to help students think strategically and negotiate potential responses to complex international dilemmas.
Modeled on the Brady-Johnson Program in Grand Strategy administered by International Security Studies for Yale undergraduate and graduate students, the program takes a broad view of the idea “grand strategy” as the relationship of means to large ends. In addition to attending lectures and seminars on topics such as cybersecurity, international terrorism, humanitarian intervention, executive decision-making, and resource security, students complete a capstone project called the “Marshall Brief.” For this exercise, students work in teams throughout the program to develop a policy proposal and write a report of their recommendations, ending with a presentation to an audience of instructors and fellow students.
Students also participate in a crisis simulation modeled on real-world events, learn about careers in policy-making, national security, and international organizations, and reflect on the challenges of effective leadership.
Who teaches in it?
IAS brings together faculty and distinguished practitioners in a variety of fields, including those in the Departments of History and Political Science, the Jackson Institute, the Yale School of Management, and the Yale Law School. They include:
- John Lewis Gaddis, Robert A. Lovett Professor of Military and Naval History and recent Pulitzer Prize winner
- Ambassador John Negroponte, Distinguished Fellow in Grand Strategy and former United States representative to the U.N.
- Paul Kennedy, CBE, J. Richardson Dilworth Professor of History
While not formally required, students interested in IAS should have some background in high school history and social studies. Extensive background in these fields is not required.
Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship TIE
The Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship (TIE) session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program targets students interested in how innovations in science or technology become a reality. This session will provide students with hands-on experience in solving a real-life problem whose implications may extend far beyond the two weeks spent at Yale.
This session will combine cutting edge work in technology with theories of innovation and problem solving. With an emphasis on developing practical innovative skills, students will learn strategies to identify the root causes of current issues, how to effectively communicate complex ideas to a broad audience, and the relationship between innovation, business, and policy.
Working in teams, students will first identify a need for innovation, conceptualize an idea, and incubate a solution. Emphasis will be put on the feasibility, marketability, and impact of these solutions. Participants will have the opportunity to tour some of Yale’s most impressive buildings and labs and see first-hand how innovations in design can be applied. Students will also hear from professionals working in both businesses and non-profits tackling emerging global challenges.
If you have asked yourself any of the below, or related questions, you will probably be interested in the Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program.
How can I make sure that my new idea will succeed?
What is the future of finance?
How does technology impact globalization, and vice versa?
How do intellectual property rights impact innovation?
Will technological advances and the accompanying new economic forces affect the world order?
How does one lead if you don’t know where one is going?
How does an idea or product go viral?
Other topics may include:
Faculty involved in the program come from across the University including the Yale School of Management, Yale Law School, and various departments including psychology and computer science.
The Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship (TIE) session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program targets students interested in how innovations in science or technology become a reality. This session will provide students with hands-on experience in solving a real-life problem whose implications may extend far beyond the two weeks spent at Yale.
This session will combine cutting edge work in technology with theories of innovation and problem solving. With an emphasis on developing practical innovative skills, students will learn strategies to identify the root causes of current issues, how to effectively communicate complex ideas to a broad audience, and the relationship between innovation, business, and policy.
Working in teams, students will first identify a need for innovation, conceptualize an idea, and incubate a solution. Emphasis will be put on the feasibility, marketability, and impact of these solutions. Participants will have the opportunity to tour some of Yale’s most impressive buildings and labs and see first-hand how innovations in design can be applied. Students will also hear from professionals working in both businesses and non-profits tackling emerging global challenges.
If you have asked yourself any of the below, or related questions, you will probably be interested in the Technology, Innovation & Entrepreneurship session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program.
How can I make sure that my new idea will succeed?
What is the future of finance?
How does technology impact globalization, and vice versa?
How do intellectual property rights impact innovation?
Will technological advances and the accompanying new economic forces affect the world order?
How does one lead if you don’t know where one is going?
How does an idea or product go viral?
Other topics may include:
- Theories of innovation and problem solving
- Historical analysis of innovation & innovators
- How to harness creativity
- Crowdsourcing
- Finance
- Supply chains
- Procedural hurdles necessary for all types of entrepreneurship
- Fundraising
- Start-ups
- Marketing
- Disruptive innovation
Faculty involved in the program come from across the University including the Yale School of Management, Yale Law School, and various departments including psychology and computer science.
Sustainability, Energy, & EnvironmentClick here for general information & the STEM expansion plan >>Due to the overwhelming interest in Science, Policy & Innovation (SPI), we have expanded this offering into three independent sessions. All three new sessions will continue to focus on the interaction of science and policy.
With an emphasis on developing scientific citizenship, students will learn how to effectively convey complex ideas to a non-expert audience and how understand how scientific innovation is shaped by–and makes impacts on–policymakers and businesses, as well as the forces of globalization, development, and markets.
Participants have the opportunity to tour Yale labs and core facilities such as the Yale Center for Proteomics & Genomics, the Center for Engineering Innovation & Design and Peabody Natural History Museum and talk to the scientists working there.
The focus of these programs is not simply to expose participants to cutting edge science and its applications, but to encourage them to think like scientists. To this end lectures and seminars will cover themes including advances in basic science, ethics, translational science and the socio-political determinants of the application of science. Working in teams, students will develop and present a novel, pragmatic response to a contemporary challenge in one of the core program areas.
Who teaches in it?
Faculty involved in these program are drawn from across the University including the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale Law School, Yale Medical School, Yale School of Public Health, Yale School of Engineering & Applied Science and various departments in the sciences.
See the list of faculty who taught in SPI 2015 >>
Are there prerequisites?
While not formally required, students interested in these programs should have some background in high school science and math, and should be familiar with the scientific method.
Given the interdisciplinary focus of these session, students who have substantial science backgrounds are encouraged to apply, as are students who are interested in using and applying science in problem-based solutions in policy and entrepreneurial work.
Applicants are not expected to be experts in the respective fields of study. Rather they are required to demonstrate an unquenchable curiosity about the practice and application of science.
Applied Science & EngineeringClick here for general information & the STEM expansion plan >>
The Applied Science & Engineering (ASE) session will emphasize themes in the study and application of physical and computer sciences as well as engineering. Questions of interest will range from nanoscopic to astral in scale.
If you have asked yourself any of the below, or related questions, you will probably be interested in the Applied Science & Engineering session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program.
How much carbon is saved by driving electric cars?
How do advances in nanotechnology affect the future of electronics?
How do astronomers track near-earth objects?
How do sociology and computer science complement each other?
How can we make things that are too small to touch?
Can nanoparticles be used to optimize medical interventions?
Why does the mainstream media only report on the product, and not the process of science?
Can mathematical principles be used to understand social networks?
How do technological advances affect our society?
Are robots the answer to all of our problems?
Other topics may include:
The Applied Science & Engineering (ASE) session will emphasize themes in the study and application of physical and computer sciences as well as engineering. Questions of interest will range from nanoscopic to astral in scale.
If you have asked yourself any of the below, or related questions, you will probably be interested in the Applied Science & Engineering session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program.
How much carbon is saved by driving electric cars?
How do advances in nanotechnology affect the future of electronics?
How do astronomers track near-earth objects?
How do sociology and computer science complement each other?
How can we make things that are too small to touch?
Can nanoparticles be used to optimize medical interventions?
Why does the mainstream media only report on the product, and not the process of science?
Can mathematical principles be used to understand social networks?
How do technological advances affect our society?
Are robots the answer to all of our problems?
Other topics may include:
- Nanotechnology
- Astrophysics
- Biotechnology
- Network systems
- Robotics
- Algorithms
- Design
- Architecture
- Space travel
- Big Data
Biological & Biomedical Science
Looking for Yale’s doctoral program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)? Click here >
Click here for general information & the STEM expansion plan >>
The Biological & Biomedical Science (BBS) session will emphasize themes in the study and application of life sciences. Questions of interest will range from molecular to global in scale.
If you have asked yourself any of the below, or related questions, you will probably be interested in the Biological & Biomedical Science session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program.
What is the relationship of biological systems on the cellular, system, organismic and societal level?
How can social factors be integrated into epidemic management?
Can knowing an individual’s genetic makeup improve their medical care?
Can novel biological organisms be created in a dish?
Can the mind ever be understood by studying the brain?
Should healthcare be a business?
How do basic findings in biology affect how a physician treats their patients?
How does government make decisions that rely on science when science is always changing?
How do the microbes in our digestive system affect our health?
How might healthcare reform change American society?
Should an elected government be permitted to dictate what an individual chooses to eat?
Why does the mainstream media only report on the product, and not the process of science?
Other topics may include:
Looking for Yale’s doctoral program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)? Click here >
Looking for Yale’s doctoral program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)? Click here >
Click here for general information & the STEM expansion plan >>
The Biological & Biomedical Science (BBS) session will emphasize themes in the study and application of life sciences. Questions of interest will range from molecular to global in scale.
If you have asked yourself any of the below, or related questions, you will probably be interested in the Biological & Biomedical Science session of the Yale Young Global Scholars Program.
What is the relationship of biological systems on the cellular, system, organismic and societal level?
How can social factors be integrated into epidemic management?
Can knowing an individual’s genetic makeup improve their medical care?
Can novel biological organisms be created in a dish?
Can the mind ever be understood by studying the brain?
Should healthcare be a business?
How do basic findings in biology affect how a physician treats their patients?
How does government make decisions that rely on science when science is always changing?
How do the microbes in our digestive system affect our health?
How might healthcare reform change American society?
Should an elected government be permitted to dictate what an individual chooses to eat?
Why does the mainstream media only report on the product, and not the process of science?
Other topics may include:
- Vaccines
- Health inequality
- Synthetic biology
- Infectious diseases
- Nutrition
- Personalized medicine
- Genetic testing
- Public/Global Health
Looking for Yale’s doctoral program in Biological and Biomedical Sciences (BBS)? Click here >