The Oak Crest Institute of science is an innovative nonprofit reserach and education center where today's scientists immerse a diversity of students of all academic levels in high-impact research, cultivating tomorrow's scientists one individual at a time.

While modeled after successful academic research institutions, Oak Crest fulfills a unique role in the academic research and education community within Southern California. The Institute was established specifically to teach and conduct cutting-edge science research. Scientists at all levels – including faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate and undergraduate students, high school students and high school science teachers – work together to solve compelling problems in environmental and medical science.

The range of educational backgrounds in the research group combined with the diversity of the students’ life experiences lead to a unique culture and interaction that provide a stimulating and engaging research environment. Rather than being a degree-granting institution, Oak Crest provides educational value by being experience-giving, specifically in science research.

Oak Crest’s individualized approach to hands-on, in-lab education fills a unique niche aimed at fostering an interest and participation in science research by the local community, starting at the high school and community college level. Oak Crest has been participating in Caltech’s highly successful Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program for several years. Students from Pasadena City College are conducting research at Oak Crest, usually over a 6- to 12-month period under an analogous model to the SURF program.  Oak Crest offers a unique National Science Foundation-sponsored Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program dedicated solely to local community college students. Oak Crest also has involved teams of high school students in research projects lasting the entire school year as part of an Advanced Placement science program.