NEW JERSEY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

What NEW JERSEY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE does

The New Jersey Academy of Science (NJAS) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1954 and headquartered in Union City, New Jersey. It operates as a community-led platform connecting the New Jersey STEM ecosystem — professional scientists, researchers, educators, and students — through a portfolio of programs including the Annual Meeting (now in its 71st edition), the Grant-In-Aid research grant program for high school students, the Biotechnology Research Fellowship Program (BRFP, launched 2025 at Caldwell University), the Biotechnology Educator's Program (launched 2024), the peer-reviewed Bulletin journal, seasonal newsletters, and the LIFE Colloquium. The organization is affiliated with the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the National Association of Academies of Science, lending it 70+ years of institutional continuity and national network connectivity. Operations are volunteer-driven with a 1-10 person staff, funded 100% by membership dues, fundraisers, grants, and private donations (no institutional investors or commercial revenue). The technology stack is minimal and operational rather than differentiated: Wild Apricot membership management software for self-serve registration, event sign-up, and donations, and the Sciendo open-access publishing platform for the Bulletin journal. Partnership reach is the most expansive commercial signal, with Bristol Myers Squibb serving as a program champion across both the BRFP and Educator tracks, alongside collaborations with Caldwell University (program host), the New Jersey Department of Labor (workforce alignment), Memorial Sloan Kettering, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Novo Nordisk, and Croda Inc. for industry-immersed programming. Leadership is anchored by President Maria Agapito, PhD (also an Assistant Professor of Biology at Caldwell University), who helps bridge the organization's academic and operational mandates.

Name

NEW JERSEY ACADEMY OF SCIENCE

Legal name

New Jersey Academy of Science

Website

https://njas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

New Jersey Academy of Science is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1954 that runs STEM programs — including annual research competitions, student grants, a biotech fellowship, and educator training — for New Jersey scientists, students, and teachers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Scientific Society & STEM Education Programs

NAICS

Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

STEM Competitions & Olympiads (Science Bowls, STEM Challenges) (EDAMABAL), Health Science & Medical STEM Programs (Pre-Med, Public Health) (EDAMABAJ), Biology & Life Science Enrichment (Biotech, Genetics, Anatomy) (EDAMABAF)

Keywords

• Scientific society programs
• STEM education services
• Student research grants
• Scientific membership association
• Biotechnology educator training

Headquarters

HQ city

Union City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues and Private Donations: The organization is 100% funded by membership dues, fundraisers, grants, and private donations. Donors can deduct up to 60% of their adjusted gross income (AGI) from annual taxes due to the 501(c)(3) status.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The New Jersey Academy of Science runs a portfolio of STEM programs including an annual scientific meeting with research competitions for Senior and Junior Academy members, competitive research grants (Grant-In-Aid) for high school students, a two-week Biotechnology Research Fellowship Program at Caldwell University, a Biotechnology Educator's Program in partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb and the NJ Department of Labor, a peer-reviewed scientific journal (The Bulletin), and supporting seminars, awards, and an internship/job board.

Product overview

The New Jersey Academy of Science operates as a unified non-profit organization offering a portfolio of STEM-focused programs rather than a single product. The core offerings include the NJAS Annual Meeting (event-based platform hosting research competitions for Senior and Junior Academy members), the Grant-In-Aid Research Program (competitive funding for high school research), the Biotechnology Research Fellowship Program (hands-on summer research experience), and the Biotechnology Educator's Program (professional development for teachers). Supporting programs include The Bulletin (peer-reviewed journal), the Newsletter, LIFE Colloquium, Seminar Series, Ambassador Program, Advancement of Science Award, and an Internship/Job Board. The organization serves as a platform connecting students, educators, and professionals in the NJ STEM community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• NJAS Annual Meeting Annual scientific conference bringing together the NJ scientific community to highlight STEM contributions, featuring Senior Academy and Junior Academy research presentations, STEM showcase, and professional development sessions.
• Grant-In-Aid (GIA) Research Program Competitive grants awarded to NJ students in grades 9-12 for science or mathematics research projects, with awards up to $150 each for equipment and supplies.
• Biotechnology Research Fellowship Program (BRFP) Two-week immersive summer research program at Caldwell University for high school students focused on Cancer Biology, Neuroscience, and Developmental Biology, featuring hands-on lab work and industry immersion experiences.
• Biotechnology Educator's Program Train-the-teacher professional development program in partnership with BMS and NJ Department of Labor, providing educators with industry-aligned biotechnology training and classroom integration support.
• The Bulletin of the New Jersey Academy of Science Scholarly peer-reviewed scientific journal published open access on Sciendo, covering research from the NJ scientific community.
• Senior Academy Research Program Program for older students participating in NJAS scientific research competitions and meetings.
• Junior Academy Research Program Program for younger students participating in NJAS scientific research competitions and meetings.
• NJAS Seminar Series Educational seminars hosted with other organizations to disseminate STEM topics and provide mentoring sessions for career development.
• Internship and Job Board Platform connecting NJAS members with scientific internships and employment opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 18 students trained in Summer 2025 BRFP cohort from areas including Fair Lawn, West Orange, Livingston, Morristown, and other NJ communities
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Caldwell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Collaboration with Caldwell University School of Arts & Sciences to host the Biotechnology Research Fellowship Program (BRFP) at Caldwell's Raymond Hall campus. Program leaders include Dr. William Velhagen, Dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Caldwell University, and Dr. Maria Agapito, NJAS President and Assistant Professor of Biology at Caldwell.
• Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025BMS provides industry immersion experiences for BRFP students, including site visits to their Lawrenceville campus in Princeton, NJ. BMS scientist Cynthia Inzano serves as key liaison. Scientists including John Tokarski, Mary Ellen Cvijic, Trevor Sherwood, and Jennifer Price participate in educational sessions. BMS also provides ongoing support for the Biotechnology Educator Program as a program champion through Dr. Chetna Rao (Head of Global R&ED STEM Strategy) and Dr. Teri Foy (Executive STEM Sponsor).
• New Jersey Department of Labor (NJDOL)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Partnership through Industry Partnerships in Life Sciences initiative to support the Biotechnology Educator Program, providing workforce readiness support. Ms. Angelica Lindo serves as the NJDOL representative. The program connects classroom education with real-world biotechnology applications.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1954Long-standing affiliation with AAAS established at founding in 1954, providing national connectivity for NJ scientific community through joint Grant-In-Aid program and collaborative initiatives.
• National Association of Academies of SciencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember organization providing connectivity to other state academies of science and national scientific community coordination.
• BMS Externship ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry access and training component within the Biotechnology Educator Program, providing externship opportunities for educators to gain real-world biotech industry experience.
• Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Kiruthika Balasubramanian, NJAS Executive Board Member and Memorial Sloan Kettering scientist, serves as NJAS Representative and instructor in the Cancer Biology track of the BRFP program.
• Novo NordiskminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Anjali Agrawal, Executive Director of Drug Product Development at Novo Nordisk, participated as a panelist in the BRFP STEM Careers Event at Caldwell University, sharing career insights with program participants.
• Janssen Pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Carmela Maffuccin, Medical Director of Global Medical Affairs at Janssen Pharmaceuticals, participated as a panelist in the BRFP STEM Careers Event, providing industry perspective on biotech careers.
• Croda Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDr. Kritika Bajaj, Lead Research Scientist at Croda Inc., participated as a panelist in the BRFP STEM Careers Event, sharing career pathways in the life sciences industry.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Florida Academy of Sciences: State-level academy running parallel programs including annual scientific conferences, peer-reviewed publications (Florida Scientist), student research grants, and professional networking for the state STEM community. Same non-profit academy-of-science model as NJAS.
• Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering: State-level academy serving Connecticut with analogous programs including research grants, annual meetings, science policy engagement, and STEM community networking for professional scientists. Comparable in scale and structure to NJAS.
• Texas Academy of Science: State-level scientific academy operating with the same core model: annual meetings for research presentations, peer-reviewed journal (Texas Journal of Science), research grants, and STEM community building. Highly comparable direct peer despite geographic distance.
• Pennsylvania Academy of Science: State-level academy of science serving Pennsylvania with very similar mission, including annual scientific meetings, peer-reviewed journal (Journal of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science), and student research grant programs. Closest geographic and structural peer to NJAS.
• Ohio Academy of Science: State-level academy of science with parallel portfolio including annual scientific meetings, peer-reviewed Ohio Journal of Science, student research competitions, and grant programs for high school and undergraduate researchers. Closely comparable in model and scope to NJAS.

Broad incumbents

• New York Academy of Sciences: Much larger state-level academy of science serving the New York region with analogous programs including STEM research grants, scientific networking events, peer-reviewed publications, and industry-academic partnerships. Operates at significantly greater scale than NJAS and is therefore a broad incumbent rather than direct peer.
• American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS): National scientific organization and NJAS's long-standing parent affiliate since 1954, running the annual meeting, Science journal, and joint Grant-In-Aid program with state academies. Operates as a broad incumbent above NJAS in the national scientific society hierarchy.

Others

• Society for Science: National non-profit operating Regeneron Science Talent Search, Regeneron ISEF, and Broadcom MASTERS — high school STEM research competitions directly comparable to NJAS Annual Meeting research competitions and GIA program. Adjacent but operates at much larger national scale.
• Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society: National scientific research honor society that similarly funds student research grants (Grants-in-Aid of Research), hosts chapter-based networking, and publishes American Scientist. Functions as an adjacent scientific society with overlapping community-building mission to NJAS.
• National Association of Academies of Science: Umbrella membership organization coordinating state and regional academies of science across the United States, of which NJAS is a member. Functions as the enabling federation that NJAS and its state-academy peers belong to.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/NJAScience
• Facebookfacebook.com/NJAcadSci
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/new-jersey-academy-of-science

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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