Students Step into the Role of Athletic Trainers, Cardiologists, Dietitians, and More with Free Summer Science Program

Philadelphia, PA - June 18, 2025— GSK Science in the Summer™, a nationwide science program for students in grades 2 through 6, has announced a new theme for 2025: Be a Health Scientist!

The 100% free STEM enrichment program offers students the unique opportunity to become real scientists and engineers, engaging in hands-on activities that, in 2025, will bring the world of health science to life. They will discover different career paths, from athletic trainer to epidemiologist, solve real-life problems, and build critical thinking skills—all while asking big questions like, what affects our health? How can we prevent illness? How do we help people heal?

Supported by GSK and led by The Franklin Institute, the STEM education program, now in its 39th year, expects to reach 23,400 students across 450 organizations in under-resourced communities while providing professional training to approximately 500 educators, helping them develop skills to provide high-quality informal STEM experiences for youth nationwide.

In the Philadelphia area alone, an estimated 6,400 students will experience being a health scientist this summer at over 180 locations, including Boys & Girls Clubs, Mighty Writers, Free Library of Philadelphia, Project HOME, Sunrise of Philadelphia, Inc., Girls Inc., and more. The program ends with a field trip to The Franklin Institute’s new Body Odyssey exhibit later in the summer.

Through hands-on activities, students will take on the roles of athletic trainers, cardiologists, dietitians, epidemiologists, and orthopedic doctors. They will design tools to unclog arteries, test beverages for vitamin C, track the spread of illness through communities, and more—all while practicing scientific skills such as observation and hypothesis testing.

Each Be a Health Scientist! activity tells a story that invites students to play the role of someone in that field.

Be an Athletic Trainer

Members of a sports team are reporting various knee problems during training. Students will test the strength and mobility of their knee joints using models and choose appropriate training exercises for each player to improve their knee function.

Be a Cardiologist

A person with heart problems has been diagnosed with a blockage in one of their arteries. Students will use a model to investigate how the blockage affects blood flow in the artery and then design a tool to clear the blockage and improve the patient’s blood flow.

Be a Dietitian

A patient needs more Vitamin C in their diet but struggles to find ways to get it. Students will test the Vitamin C content of drinks to see which one(s) can help the patient the most.

Be an Epidemiologist

An illness is spreading through a school community, and it is the student’s job to find out what’s going on. They will use a model to explore how illnesses spread, locate the source, and suggest ways to prevent it from spreading further.

Be an Orthopedic Doctor

A hockey player has broken the tibia bone in their lower leg. Students will design and test a solution for keeping the broken bone aligned and supported while it heals.

GSK Science in the Summer™ was created in Philadelphia as part of GSK’s commitment to supporting accessible STEM education, and the program has reached more than 400,000 children across the US since its launch.

“By bringing scientific concepts to life through fun, hands-on learning opportunities, GSK Science in the Summer™ gives students tangible examples of the types of STEM career paths they can pursue in their future,” said Maya Martinez-Davis, President, US at GSK. “We see the power of science in action every day at GSK, and we’re proud to help inspire the next generation of scientists through this program.”

“GSK Science in the Summer™ aims to increase youth interest and confidence in doing science and pursuing STEM careers, especially those in under-resourced communities,” said Dr. Darryl Williams, Senior Vice President of Science, Education, and HR at The Franklin Institute. “The Franklin Institute recognizes that when youth have high-quality, positive STEM experiences outside of the school setting with educators with whom they closely identify, it increases their positive STEM identity and allows them to see themselves as belonging in science, and year after year, this program excels at doing that."

The Franklin Institute develops the GSK Science in the Summer™ curriculum, freely available at scienceinthesummer.fi.edu.

The Franklin Institute

Located in the heart of Philadelphia, The Franklin Institute is a renowned and innovative leader in the field of science and technology learning, as well as a dynamic center of activity. As Pennsylvania’s most visited museum, it is dedicated to creating a passion for learning about science by offering access to hands-on science education. For more information, visit www.fi.edu. 

GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. For further information, please visit www.us.gsk.com.