SPINWIP

The Stanford Program for Inspiring the Next Generation of Women in Physics (SPINWIP) is a virtual summer outreach program hosted by KIPAC and the Stanford Physics Department, designed to get high-school girls excited about physics. This 3-week program is free to participants and is held through online video meetings.  First-generation students and students from underrepresented backgrounds in physics are particularly encouraged to apply. No prior knowledge of physics or coding is needed.

Students will learn about cutting-edge research in physics in fields such as quantum physics, quantum computing, astrophysics, and cosmology. They will also learn to code in Python and apply their coding skills to physics-based projects. Students will attend lectures by Stanford professors and researchers, will work in small groups led by Stanford undergraduates, and will attend college planning and career development workshops. Students will have the opportunity to form mentorship relationships with Stanford students and professors. A program syllabus is here.

2026 Program Dates: July 6 to July 24, 2026; Monday through Friday. 

Time: 9am - 1pm PDT (PDT is UTC −07:00). The exact schedule will vary day-to-day.

Eligibility: High school students in 9th through 11th grade at the time of application. Students from countries outside the U.S. are welcome to apply. We especially encourage applications from rising juniors and rising seniors, as well as students from under-resourced backgrounds (e.g. low-income, first-generation, limited course availability, research opportunities, or mentoring). Students of any gender are welcome to apply.

Application: Applications for the 2026 program are now open. Please apply by May 1, 11:59pm Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7) to be considered. The portal for submitting a letter of recommendation (see details in the participant application form) is also open and has same deadline. If you’re interested in applying for SPINWIP 2027, please sign up for our mailing list, and we’ll reach out when the application opens for next year’s program.

Contact us: spinwip_info@stanford.edu for program-related inquiries.

Want to become a SPINWIP counselor? See the SPINWIP counselor page for more details.

Want to support the SPINWIP program? Please go to our online giving site: https://giving.stanford.edu/. Click the “Make a Gift” button in the upper right-hand corner. From the first drop down menu, select “Centers, Institutes, and More”, then from the second drop down menu select “Other Stanford Designation”. Write “SPINWIP/KIPAC” in the third line and follow the directions from there.