Privacy Policy
Last updated: September 10, 2026
Effective date: August 27, 2026
Aspire Research (“Aspire,” “we,” “us”) operates aspireresearch.net and the Aspire student portal at portal.aspireresearch.net. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have.
Who we serve
Aspire provides research mentorship to high school students. Many of our users are under 18. We collect information from students only as needed to run the program, and we require a parent or guardian to be involved in enrollment. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.
Information we collect
Information you give us. Name, email address, phone number, school and grade, research interests, parent or guardian name and contact information, and the content you submit through the portal such as messages, project files, and assignments.
Information collected automatically. When you use our website or portal we collect standard technical information such as browser type, device, pages visited, and IP address, through cookies and similar tools.
Information from services you connect. If you connect a Google account to the portal for sign-in or calendar scheduling, we receive your Google account email and, if you enable it, permission to create and manage calendar events for your mentoring sessions. We do not access your Gmail or any other Google service. We read your calendar only to determine your availability for scheduling and to manage the mentorship session events we create.
How we use information
We use information to run the program: creating your account, pairing you with mentors, scheduling sessions, delivering feedback, sending program notifications, responding to questions, keeping parents informed, processing payments, and improving the program. We do not sell personal information.
Google User Data
Aspire Research operates the Aspire Portal at portal.aspireresearch.net, which offers an optional integration with Google Calendar. This section describes how we access, use, store, and share Google user data.
What we access
When you choose to connect your Google Calendar to the Aspire Portal, we request permission to view and manage events on your calendar. We access only the calendar data necessary to schedule mentorship sessions: event times, titles, descriptions, and attendee availability.
Why we access it
We use Google Calendar data for one purpose: scheduling and managing one-on-one mentorship sessions between students and their assigned mentors. Specifically, we read availability so that sessions can be booked without back-and-forth email, and we create, update, and cancel calendar events when a session is scheduled, rescheduled, or cancelled.
How we store it
We store the minimum data required to keep your calendar and the Aspire Portal in sync, including calendar event identifiers, session times, and an access token that allows the Portal to act on your behalf. This data is stored on encrypted servers and is protected by access controls that limit it to authorized Aspire Research staff who need it to operate the program.
Who we share it with
We do not sell your Google user data. We do not share it with third parties for advertising, marketing, or any purpose unrelated to delivering the service. We do not use it to develop, improve, or train generalized artificial intelligence or machine learning models. Google user data is not transferred to any party except as required by law or as necessary to provide the scheduling functionality described above.
Limited Use disclosure
Aspire Research’s use and transfer of information received from Google APIs to any other app will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements.
How to revoke access
You may disconnect your Google Calendar from the Aspire Portal at any time in your Portal account settings. You may also revoke access directly through your Google Account at myaccount.google.com/permissions. When access is revoked, we delete the stored access token and stop syncing calendar data.
Data retention and deletion
We retain Google user data only for as long as your calendar remains connected and your account is active. If you disconnect your calendar or close your account, associated Google user data is deleted within 30 days. To request deletion sooner, contact us at team@aspireresearch.net.
Contact
Questions about this policy or about how we handle Google user data can be sent to team@aspireresearch.net.
SMS Notifications
If you opt in to text messages from Aspire Research, we will send you notifications about your program activity, such as new portal messages and upcoming deadlines or sessions. Message frequency varies based on your activity. Message and data rates may apply. You can opt out at any time by replying STOP, or get help by replying HELP. Mobile phone numbers and SMS opt-in information will not be shared with or sold to third parties or affiliates for marketing purposes.
How we share information
We share information only as needed to operate the program:
Mentors. Your assigned mentors see your name, project work, and messages within the portal.
Parents and guardians. A linked parent or guardian can view a student’s progress in the portal.
Service providers. We use trusted vendors to host the portal, send email and text messages, store files, manage scheduling, process payments, and collect signatures. These providers may process information on our behalf and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.
Legal reasons. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the safety of our students, staff, or others.
Data retention
We keep program records for as long as a student is enrolled and for a reasonable period afterward to support alumni requests, references, and legal obligations. You may ask us to delete your information at any time, subject to records we are required to keep.
Your choices
You can update your profile information in the portal, withdraw SMS consent by replying STOP or changing your profile settings, unsubscribe from marketing emails using the link in any email, and request a copy or deletion of your information by contacting us. Parents and guardians may request access to or deletion of their child’s information.
Security
We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encrypted connections and access controls. No system is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. We will post the updated version here with a new effective date and, for significant changes, notify enrolled families by email.
Contact
Questions about this policy or your information: team@aspireresearch.net