Wolverines View, presented by Dream Spa Medical: How You Can Do Research In High School

Believe it or not, I think the people who propel our modern society forward are not politicians, economists, or businessmen, but rather academic researchers.
 
You’ll probably disagree with me, but that’s not my point. What I’m getting at is that the world of scholarly research crucially serves society, yet generates a mere fraction of the attention of other fields. Perhaps that’s why I never see a classmate dreaming about becoming a researcher instead of a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or executive. Of course, academia is not the most financially appealing profession either—not to mention the additional years of school required of doctoral students.
 
For high schoolers, working with a graduate student on real-world scientific issues for hours on end probably does not sound like the most exhilarating use of time. Regardless of its appeal, research is necessary for the technological and scientific development of our society—I don’t have to explain why. More importantly, having conducted research myself, it is an absolute blast.
 
Then why haven’t more students, especially in Westwood, participated in research opportunities? It certainly is an impressive resume builder. Yet, I find myself almost alone among student researchers despite the vastly talented pool of students at Westwood High School. I think this is primarily an issue of dissemination.
 
So let’s tackle it.
 

To be fair, it is probably hard for most parents to imagine their kids conducting research in high school. Sports, clubs, and other extracurricular activities take up significant time in the daily lives of students. Why would a parent bother searching for an activity as intensive as research? The issue is that every kid has different interests. Some might want nothing to do with science, but others are captivated by how our natural world works. That kind of kid could use an enlightening opportunity such as research. So when a parent, understandably, is unaware of the opportunities available for their child to work in a laboratory, the child misses out.
 
Take my example – As a freshman and sophomore I was fascinated by chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed AP Chemistry and wanted to learn more through advanced chemistry. My parents supported my interest, but none of us knew anything about research. It was not until well into my junior year that, through sheer luck, I stumbled upon a few summer research programs for rising seniors at universities across the country.
 
I was lucky enough to be accepted into one of these programs (if you are interested, it was at the University of Florida) and spent seven weeks at a university campus researching polymer chemistry. It was a life-changing experience. I went to Florida unsure of what my future would look like and I came out of the experience determined to become a student researcher. For a high schooler, it was so rewarding.

Now that I am back in Westwood, I am not only determined to continue researching during the school year but also to spread the word about research opportunities. I think of a WHS student out there like me who is fascinated by science but is in the dark about how to pursue it. That’s why I will speak to WHS juniors about summer research programs. That’s why I will raise awareness among underclassmen about research as a career option. And that’s why I’m writing this article.
 
But now to the most important part – How?
 
A professor once told me he usually ignores emails from high school students because minors are a liability in laboratories. Other professors ignore high schoolers because of a lack of research experience, creating a chicken-and-egg dilemma. To make matters worse, many students who do get coveted university internships have personal connections with professors. That paints a very daunting and inaccessible picture. The solution to this is starting early as a student. Maybe in your freshman year, you discover a subject you’re passionate about. Write about it in a newspaper article. Read a textbook. Consider enrolling in a college course by your sophomore year. Teach yourself about the process of research. Ask your science teacher about getting into a science fair. Create some content—maybe a mini-paper. By doing these little steps you will have gained experience that will allow you to email a professor without being ignored and successfully apply for summer programs.
 
If you are a parent or anyone else, think about your child or a friend’s child who has shown an interest in science. Let them know about research and guide them. If you are a student reading this, you can do it. Find your passion and pursue it.