Center for Excellence in Education

06/08/2026

In the News: Vishvak Gernapudi, a 10th-grade student in the law and public policy program at Towson High, will advance to CEE's USA Biolympiad National Finals held at Harvard University this summer.

TOWSON, MD—A Towson High School sophomore has been named one of only 20 national finalists in the 2026 USA Biolympiad, school officials announced this week. Vishvak Gernapudi, a 10th-grade student in the law and public policy program at Towson High, will advance to the national finals held at Harv...

06/05/2026

The Center for Excellence in Education takes a stroll down memory lane for this video flashback to its inaugural summer research institute featuring Admiral Rickover back in 1984. https://youtu.be/BTLs5Mjbs48

The new biography, Rickover: Underway, My Way, offers timely lessons for leaders that demonstrate how discipline, accountability, and courage drive lasting impact. It's now available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/42yzVhr

The Center for Excellence in Education takes a stroll down memory l...

06/04/2026

Here's a Throwback Thursday photo of Admiral Rickover with students at CEE's Research Science Institute in 1984.

The new biography, Rickover: Underway, My Way, offers timely lessons for leaders that demonstrate how discipline, accountability, and courage drive lasting impact. It's now available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/42yzVhr

06/03/2026

Read the latest CEE Teacher Enrichment Program & STEM Lyceums newsletter: https://www.cee.org/newsevents/newsletters/tep-stem-lyceums-newsletter

06/02/2026

Congratulations to Christopher Skinner, PhD, who was elected to the National Academy of Sciences! He attended CEE's Research Science Institute in 1988. More...
https://www.cee.org/newsevents/press-releases/cee-rsi-alumnus-elected-national-academy-sciences

06/02/2026

CEE recently offered a cost-free webinar for high school students and teachers. This session explored how a student idea can grow into an award-winning project. In this recording explore the journey from concept to competition, along with insights into the Junior Innovators Challenge and how students can get started in STEM research.

Distinguished speaker:

Pranshi Mehta is a student at Canyon Vista Middle School in Round Rock, Texas. She explores how biology and machine learning can come together to tackle real world health challenges. Her work focuses on using AI to support antibody design for complex diseases, and she has shared her research through global science forums and public conversations. Beyond research, Pranshi is engaged in mentorship and STEM advocacy, where she emphasizes that meaningful science starts with curiosity, persistence, and the courage to ask questions. She is excited to discuss how small first steps can lead to big discoveries.

She was the First-Place Science winner at the 2025 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, the nation’s premier STEM competition for middle school students organized by Society for Science. Her project used artificial intelligence to design antibody-based treatments for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer.

This insightful online seminar is offered jointly through CEE’s STEM Lyceums and Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP) programs. STEM Lyceums connects high school students with the Center’s ecosystem of top STEM professionals. Virtual meetings foster critical thinking skills, encourage excitement for science, and prepare students to enter college and STEM careers. Through its STEM Lyceums Mentorship program, CEE pairs underserved high school students with dedicated mentors who support academic growth, personal development, and exploration of STEM careers. CEE’s TEP program provides unique STEM opportunities for high school teachers and their students. It also includes a mentorship program that matches teachers with mentors in multiple industries. All TEP and STEM Lyceums resources and events are cost-free for participants. For more, visit https://www.cee.org/programs/programs-initiatives

05/29/2026

Here's a Flashback Friday photo of Admiral Rickover at CEE's Research Science Institute in 1984.

The new biography, Rickover: Underway, My Way, offers timely lessons for leaders that demonstrate how discipline, accountability, and courage drive lasting impact. It's now available on Amazon at https://amzn.to/42yzVhr

05/28/2026

The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) hosted “Advancements in Robotics,” a cost-free Zoom session for high school students and educators on Wednesday, May 20, 2026, from 5:00-6:15 p.m. ET. In this recording learn about how robotics is transforming industries through artificial intelligence, automation, and engineering innovation. Hear about real-world applications and gain insights into skills and career pathways.

Guest speakers:

Jenny Sharpe is Director of Workforce Development at Pittsburgh Robotics Network. Her entrepreneurial journey brought her to Pittsburgh via Venture for America, a fellowship program that places recent graduates at startups in cities across the U.S. that are building thriving business communities. She earned a BA in political science and environmental studies, as well as a certificate in entrepreneurship, from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

John Zappa is Sr. Director of Product Management at the Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing Institute. He has built and led marketing, operations, and product management teams in software-based companies across multiple industries. John began his career at IBM implementing robotics as a manufacturing engineer. He earned a BS in Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University and an MBA from Dartmouth.

This online seminar is offered through CEE’s STEM Lyceums, a virtual community that connects high school students with the Center's ecosystem of top STEM professionals. Cost-free webinars foster critical thinking skills, encourage excitement for science, and prepare students to enter college and STEM careers. Through its STEM Lyceums Mentorship program, CEE pairs underserved high school students with dedicated mentors who support academic growth, personal development, and exploration of STEM careers. For more information, visit https://www.cee.org/programs/stem-lyceums.

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About the Center for Excellence in Education

CEE, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization, was founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann P. DiGennaro, President of the Center. The Center’s mission is to nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and business, and to encourage collaboration between and among scientific and technological leaders in the global community. CEE sponsors the Research Science Institute (RSI), USA Biolympiad (USABO), Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP), and STEM Lyceums. CEE is a leading source for top STEM talent. For more information, visit https://www.cee.org

05/27/2026

The Kindle edition of the new book on Admiral Rickover is #1 in new releases on nuclear engineering on Amazon. https://amzn.to/42yzVhr

The new biography, Rickover: Underway, My Way, offers a rare and deeply personal portrait of Admiral Hyman G. Rickover, the architect of the U.S. Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, revealing not only his revolutionary leadership, but also the private character behind one of the most formidable figures in American military history.

Authored by Joann DiGennaro, who co-founded the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) with Rickover, the book provides an unprecedented look into the life, leadership philosophy, and enduring legacy of a man who reshaped both naval power and educational excellence in the United States.

Admiral H.G. Rickover transformed the U.S. Navy through his unwavering commitment to excellence and his mastery of nuclear engineering. Rising from the slums of Poland, he lead the way to the development of the first nuclear-powered submarine, the , and the first civilian nuclear power plant, ...

05/26/2026

The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) is offering a cost-free webinar for high school students and educators on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, from 5:00-6:00 p.m. ET on Zoom. Learn how a student idea can grow into an award-winning research project. This session will explore the journey from concept to competition, along with insights into the Junior Innovators Challenge and how students can get started in STEM research. Everyone welcome to tune in. More: https://www.cee.org/newsevents/press-releases/cee-offers-webinar-getting-started-stem-research