Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE)

The Lincoln Laboratory Radar Introduction for Student Engineers (LLRISE) is a free two-week summer radar workshop at MIT Lincoln Laboratory for rising high school seniors. Students learn how to build small radar systems in a hands-on, project-based setting. Over the two weeks, each participant works toward building a Doppler and range radar while solving problems creatively. Students work alongside scientists and engineers from Lincoln Laboratory. The workshop takes place in Massachusetts, split between the MIT campus in Cambridge and Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington. Participants live in MIT dormitories during the program. The 2026 workshop ran July 12 to July 25, and the program is usually held at the end of July. There is no charge to attend. Students cover only their own travel to and from MIT, and the program provides transportation to Lincoln Laboratory.

Applicants must be in their junior year of high school and must be U.S. citizens; permanent residents who hold foreign citizenship cannot apply. Applicants should be passionate about science, math, and engineering. Applications are submitted online, and recommendations are also part of the process. For the 2026 cycle, applications were due March 11, 2026, recommendations were due March 18, 2026, and admission decisions went out by email in mid-May.