Experience

“How can I take initiative and start to experience scientific research now, as a high school student?”

Here’s how:

High School Research Programs

Many universities and organizations offer summer (and year-long) programs for current high schoolers to experience hands-on research. Most of these programs require a simple application to understand your grades and provide a space for you to write about why you may be interested in their program. Some programs will also ask for a STEM teacher recommendation letter to have a sense of how you collaborate with peers. Attending these research programs will allow you to experience basic scientific research techniques with faculty mentors and professors. (These may also provide a boost in your resume/portfolio and future college applications.) Two of the most selective programs for high school programs are below:

• MIT Research Summer Institute (RSI)

  • Student Eligibility: High School Juniors

  • Number of Accepted Participants: ~100

  • Program Duration: 6 weeks

• Stanford Institutes of Medicine Summer Research Program (SIMR)

  • Student Eligibility: High School Juniors or Seniors

  • Number of Accepted Participants: ~50

  • Program Duration: 8 weeks

In addition to these programs, many colleges offer current high school students a Pre-Collegiate summer curriculum program, either in person or virtual. These courses extend beyond standard high school offerings and are a great way to learn about a specialized topic from university professors at the intro/college level.

STEM Competitions

There are a number of national and global STEM competitions for current high school students to demonstrate their understanding in a subject or present their independent research. These competitions range from regional/national olympiads (e.g., Science Olympiad, Math Olympiad, Science Bowl) to robotics competitions such as the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics competition. One of the most highly renowned science fairs is the Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS) and International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). Overall, such competitions and fairs are a great way to gain exposure to high level science and interact with peers with a shared passion for STEM.

Internships

Lastly, perhaps the most effective way to experience research is through internships. High school students can intern at local university labs and/or tech start-up companies for first-hand research experience. Yet, it is often challenging to acquire an internship as a high schooler. Maybe you have an aunt or uncle who knows a university professor? If so, inquiring about a potential shadowing experience can show help initiative and potentially secure a summer internship position. Yet more often than not, students who may not have access or connections to a lab have to go through a process called “cold emailing.” In this process, you would need to visit a university webpage and find the email of a professor whose work you may be interested in learning more about. Then, you would need to email this professor introducing yourself, expressing your interest, and detailing any prior science knowledge/experience (e.g., STEM courses/grades, AP or honors recognition, CV/resume, etc.). And you would repeat this process with 10, 20, 50, or more different professors. Through this process, chances are that at least one professor will reply to your email and offer you a position as a student intern. I like to say that student interns have the power to ask anyone, anything, during their internship, with the phrase, “I am a student and I am curious about…” Ultimately, an internship offers an invaluable experience with cutting edge research, a chance to engage with professional workspace environments/etiquette, and allows you, as a high school student, to meet and learn from those who may be 5, 10, or 20 or more years ahead of you in this career path who can give career-specific advice.

Scientific Writing

In addition to the aforementioned research opportunities, another way to become involved with real-world science as a high schooler is through scientific writing. This can include independent review or research articles, blog posts about a topic you feel passionate about, or opinions (OpEd) pieces that you can try publishing in your local newspaper or favorite news platform. For example, check out the two linked articles below that I wrote as a junior in high school about global health and medical equity!