The cornerstone of the PGSS academic experience was the team research project. Over the course the program, teams of 3-8 students performed original research, under the guidance of a faculty advisor and a TA. Students spent roughly 10 hours per week on their team project, for the first four weeks of the program. The final week was dedicated entirely to team projects, with students typically putting in over 10 hours of work per day.

The team projects culminated in a formal scientific report, which was published in the Journal of the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences, and a presentation to the entire program community and guests at the annual PGSS Symposium, open to the public and held during the final weekend of the program.

Although the exact topics changed from year to year, recent PGSS students have researched

• High-Temperature Superconductors: Students modified known superconductors in order to create new superconductors and study the effect of different structures on the critical temperature. [Final Paper]
  
  
• Artificial Intelligence: Students designed AI algorithms for a variety of games, and tested them against human and computer opponents. [Final Paper]
  
  
• Cosmology and Dark Energy: Students studied the accuracy of cosmological models based on the Cosmological Constant and Dark Energy, using data from supernova and the cosmic microwave background. [Final Paper]
  
  
• Algorithmic Game Theory and the Mathematics of Voting: Students mathematically analyzed various voting methods to determine which approaches most-accurately reflect the will of the people. [Final Paper]
  
  
• Characterization of New Molecules: Students synthesized and characterized the bromination and fullernation reactions of Buckminsterfullerene (C₆₀) and other Fullerenes. [Final Paper]
  
  
• Circuit Design and Electronic Music: Students designed and built their own take on a Theremin, one of the first electronic instruments. [Final Paper]