High school computer science internship and research fellowship
This high school computer science internship lets students in Grades 9 to 12 build and test simple AI models on real environmental data, with a mentor who checks each step. You train a model to sort waste photos or spot pollution hotspots, measure how often it gets things right and write up what you find.
For school students who take IB, IGCSE or CBSE Computer Science and want to try AI on real environmental data before university. Online, with field work near home and a parent or guardian present at every self-guided activity. The fellowship is paid because every student receives time and attention from senior researchers and leaders.
Why computer science matters for sustainability
Environmental work creates more data than people can check by hand. Volunteers at a cleanup take photo after photo, and air quality monitors log fresh readings all day. Computer programs can sort these records and flag the odd ones, so people know where to look first. An AI model helps only when someone has tested it on real cases and can say where it goes wrong.
The Earth5R app records photographed, geo-tagged field data from waste audits, cleanups, tree plantations and household surveys in 150+ Indian cities. Because each photo is tied to a place, it can be used to train a model and then to test it. Earth5R’s TERRA Score work also compares what 1,200+ companies listed in India report with field data. As a fellow you work on data like this, and your mentor checks that your results hold up.
This work links to the UN Sustainable Development Goals: Goal 9, Industry, innovation and infrastructure and Goal 12, Responsible consumption and production.
Available projects in this high school computer science internship
Each project fits around school work and takes place near home. Your mentor shapes the final project with you.
Waste photo sorter
Train a simple image model with a beginner tool to sort waste audit photos into plastic, paper and glass, then test it on new photos and count its mistakes.
Pollution hotspot finder
Use geo-tagged cleanup records and public air quality data for your city to find places where litter or pollution keeps coming back, and compare your model’s guesses with the records.
Checking company claims with AI
Use a language model to pull environmental claims out of company sustainability reports for the TERRA Score work, with company names masked, and check every answer by hand.
Where does your model fail?
Photograph waste items at home in poor light and from odd angles, test your model on them and write a short report on where it fails and why that matters.
What you do in the field
- Learn how field photos are collected on the Earth5R app
- Label images and keep a log of every choice you make
- Train simple models with beginner tools or Python
- Keep some data aside to test your model fairly
- Write up your method, results and the limits of your model
- Explain your model in a research conversation and answer questions
Skills you build
On a high school computer science internship, you collect your own data near home with a parent or guardian, using the Earth5R app and data forms. Earth5R checks the data on its platform before it goes into your project report.
How a high school computer science internship fits your school programme
For IB, IGCSE, CBSE and ICSE students. Your school decides what counts towards its own requirements.
IB CAS
Building a tool that helps a community group sort its cleanup photos can support a CAS project with a service element. Your CAS coordinator decides what fits.
Extended Essay and IA
A clear question, such as how well a model sorts real waste photos, can fit a Computer Science Extended Essay or IA. Your supervisor and school approve the topic.
MYP, IGCSE and CBSE projects
A small AI tool tested on local data can fit the MYP Personal Project and project work in IGCSE and CBSE Computer Science or ICSE Computer Applications.
University applications
A model you built, a test report your mentor reviewed and a verified record give you something specific to discuss in a computer science application.
How the high school computer science internship works
Every student moves through four phases. Your mentor checks each phase before you move on, and sessions pause during board exams.
Observe and Map
Go into the field near home, with a parent or guardian, and collect primary data for your project in Computer Science and AI.
Frame and Design
Find the root cause in your data and frame a problem worth solving, with your mentor.
Model
Build a working model, analysis or design for your solution, and test it.
Build and Deploy
Put your solution to work, measure the result and publish a verified record on earth5r.org.
Along the way you take part in research conversations with professors at MIT, Oxford, Cambridge, LSE and other universities, and ask your own questions. See how FIELDWORK works.
Where this can take you
University courses this leads to
- BSc or BS in Computer Science
- BSc in Artificial Intelligence
- BEng in Computer Science and Engineering
- BSc in Mathematics and Computer Science
- BSc in Robotics or Cognitive Science
Careers in this field
- Machine learning engineer
- AI researcher
- Software engineer
- Computer vision engineer
- Data scientist at a climate technology company
Universities to aim for in Computer Science and AI
Computer science admissions tutors look for students who have built something, tested it and can explain what went wrong. A high school computer science internship with FIELDWORK gives you a working model on real data, a test report your mentor reviewed and a record admissions teams can check. Students use a high school computer science internship to build a record of real work for applications to universities like these.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
USA · Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)
Undergraduates in MIT’s Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science can major in Computer Science and Engineering (6-3) or Artificial Intelligence and Decision Making (6-4), among other options. The department’s research areas include artificial intelligence and machine learning, AI and society, and energy.
USA · Computer Science Department
Stanford’s Computer Science Department offers undergraduates a Bachelor of Science and a minor in computer science. Faculty research areas listed by the department include artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, robotics, and human-centered and creative AI.
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU)
USA · Kenneth C. Griffin School of Computer Science (SCS)
Carnegie Mellon’s School of Computer Science offers bachelor’s degrees in Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence, Human-Computer Interaction, Robotics and Computational Biology. Its seven departments include the Machine Learning Department, the Robotics Institute and the Language Technologies Institute.
University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
USA · Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences (EECS)
At Berkeley, students can study computer science through a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science or a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering & Computer Sciences. The department’s research centres include the Berkeley Artificial Intelligence Research Lab and CITRIS Sustainable Infrastructure, which works on resilience and climate change.
UK · Department of Computer Science
Oxford’s Department of Computer Science teaches three undergraduate degrees, in Computer Science, Maths and Computer Science, and Computer Science and Philosophy. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning is one of its research themes, along with Human Centred Computing, Security and Quantum.
UK · Department of Computer Science and Technology
Undergraduates at Cambridge study the Computer Science Tripos in the Department of Computer Science and Technology. Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence is one of its research themes. Its Energy and Environment Group applies computing to renewable energy, energy demand reduction and environmental impacts such as climate change and deforestation.
UK · School of Informatics
Edinburgh’s School of Informatics offers undergraduate degrees such as Artificial Intelligence (BSc), Computer Science (BSc) and Artificial Intelligence and Computer Science (BSc), plus a five-year MInf. Its research institutes include the Artificial Intelligence and its Applications Institute and the Institute for Machine Learning.
Switzerland · Department of Computer Science (D-INFK)
ETH’s Department of Computer Science runs a Bachelor’s programme that starts in German, with more courses taught in English from the second year. Students begin with programming, algorithms and mathematics. In the third year they pick two specialisation areas, such as information and data processing, and write a thesis.
Canada · Department of Computer Science
Toronto’s Department of Computer Science teaches undergraduate students as well as MSc and PhD students. Research areas listed by the department include artificial intelligence, robotics, data science, computational social science and sustainability informatics.
National University of Singapore (NUS)
Singapore · School of Computing (NUS Computing)
NUS Computing has a Department of Computer Science and a Department of Information Systems and Analytics. Undergraduate programmes include Artificial Intelligence, Computer Science, Information Security and Geospatial Intelligence. The school also runs the Centre for Computing for Social Good and Philanthropy.
This list is for guidance. These universities offer undergraduate study in Computer Science and AI. Earth5R has no admissions arrangement with them, and admission decisions rest with each university. Students get help researching universities, scholarships and applications, depending on the programme.
What your fellowship fee pays for
An internship fellowship at Earth5R is time and attention from senior researchers and leaders. Each part below takes staff time and resources that we set aside for every fellow.
Live mentoring with experts
One-to-one mentoring in most fellowships, with regular check-ins on your project.
Dialogues with global researchers
Academics from international universities and renowned scientists, who answer your questions and discuss your work.
Support in the field
Guidance while you collect data and work on your project in the field.
References for your next step
References when you apply for jobs, higher studies and research programmes.
Your work, hosted for life
Your work and data stay on Earth5R’s website and servers for life, where universities and employers can check them.
Time from senior people
Each fellow receives time and attention from senior researchers and leaders, set aside for them.
Fee details available on request.
Choose your fellowship
The Multi-Year Fellowship can run from Grade 9 to Grade 12, with more scope each year.
The fee pays for live mentoring, dialogues with global researchers, support in the field, references and lifelong hosting of your work. Fee details available on request.
High school computer science internship: common questions
Do I need to know how to code for this high school computer science internship?
No. Beginners start with simple no-code tools and learn basic Python step by step with their mentor. Students who already code train their own models in Python and work with larger sets of photos or text.
Does my child need a powerful laptop?
No. An ordinary laptop with a steady internet connection is enough. Beginner AI tools and Python notebooks run in a web browser, and the heavy processing happens on remote servers.
What kind of AI will I build?
Small, practical models, such as one that sorts waste photos or one that flags places where litter keeps coming back. The focus is on testing each model properly and explaining its results, so other people can trust and reuse your work.
Is the high school computer science internship paid?
Yes. FIELDWORK is a paid, mentored programme. The fee pays for live mentoring, dialogues with global researchers, support in the field, references and lifelong hosting of your work. Fee details are available on request.
Can my child do this high school computer science internship online?
Yes. Mentoring sessions run online, and field work takes place near where you live.
Is a parent or guardian present during field work?
Yes. A parent or guardian is present at every self-guided field activity. Online sessions are for students.
Does FIELDWORK pause during board exams?
Yes. Sessions pause during board exams, so the fellowship fits around school work.
What do students get at the end?
A certificate, a letter of recommendation, a project report and a verified profile on earth5r.org, where universities can check the work.
Related subjects for school students
Already at university? See the Computer Science and AI internship fellowship for university students.
Apply for a FIELDWORK fellowship in Computer Science and AI
This high school computer science internship is for students in Grades 9 to 12. Work on a live Earth5R project with a mentor, take part in research conversations with global researchers, and build a verified record of your work. Fee details available on request.
