Solidifying my Project Idea
My research project idea stemmed from a simple “a-ha!” moment. I had been interested in space and space exploration for a while, but thought it was too out of my reach as a high school student to do anything with.
After learning about Mars and the Martian atmosphere through articles and YouTube videos, I began to wonder the following: if Mars’ atmosphere is mostly carbon dioxide, why not use photosynthesis to make oxygen for future Martian astronauts?
This mental connection of two seemingly distinct ideas developed purely from an online research rabbit-hole, and developed into a 4-year-long, published research project, which earned 2x Grand Awards at Regeneron ISEF, and helped me get into UC Berkeley, intern at NASA, and work as an engineer in the aerospace industry.
My research took 4-primary steps:
Validation - was my “a-ha!” moment actually on to something?
Specification - what species of algae would best work for this?
Parameters - what environmental parameters are required?
Engineering - what would a working prototype look like?
4-Year Continuation Project
The first two years of my research were considered a “research project” while the last two years were considered an “engineering project”.
Continuing my project for over 4 years helped me develop new ideas and go deeper into the topic at hand- which built my credibility with the project. I was able to explore more “what-ifs” and try new things, which ultimately led to more thorough deliverables.
Publishing My Research
One of the routes I decided to take with my research during my senior year of high school was to apply to industry conferences. Most formal conferences or journals, they require you to submit only an abstract and basic details about yourself and your research.
As a high schooler, I didn’t know if I could get accepted as a solo author. But I did! I published my 4-year-long research project, wrote a cumulative research paper for all my four years, and traveled to present at a leading industry conference.
Some students I’ve coached have also decided to publish, regardless of the amount of years spent on their research project, and have gotten accepted into leading scientific journals.
I highly recommend doing this as a high schooler if you have a developed research project, as the application is simple, and publishing helps you stand out on college applications! It doesn’t hurt to try.
For those developing their final transcript, I would recommend getting feedback from mentors or teachers who have worked with academic writing before or look into peer-reviewed options for your particular journal. Us Crimson Science Fair coaches can help out, too!
Building Communication Skills
Competing in Regeneron ISEF, including local and state fairs, was monumental for my long-term learning. College internship and job interviews are very similar to the mock judging sessions at ISEF, and having developed those communication skills early, helped me to succeed in college.
Early on in high school, I was terrified of public speaking. I was naturally introverted, so talking to judges, presenting, and advocating for myself and my project was very difficult at the beginning. But I pushed myself through regional and state science fair, I grew confidence with my speaking skills.
Developing those skills early heped me get ahead of the learning curve of interviewing, which helped me land internships at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and space station startup Vast during college.
These experiences have been pivotal to springboarding my career, which all comes back to my interest in aerospace from competing in ISEF! I recommend to compete in regional, state, online, or any other fair experiences you can get your hands on.
Would You Like My Support With ISEF?
I am a ScienceFair mentor, and work with students to refine their research project, improve their communication, and create their science fair strategies.
If you'd like to work with me, the first step is to schedule a consultation call with a ScienceFair academic advisor.
