Student Independent Science Research
There is a long, rich history and tradition of ETHS students working on independent science research. Many of our students ultimately submit papers to a variety of national competitions, including the Intel Science Talent Search and the Siemens-Westinghouse Science and Technology Competition. These competitions are quite prestigious and offer $100,000 scholarships to the overall winners. There is an oral competition called the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (check out Loyola University's regional JSHS page), which offers scholarships and a potential trip to London for ten days! There is also an essay contest many students may want to participate in called the DuPont Challenge. But beyond the competitions and most importantly, students get to experience true science and learn an unbelievable amount of science in their selected field. It is an amazing experience!
For more information on the research some students may consider, check out the research booklet. This booklet is primarily for teachers and includes suggestions for how to start students on research, some past research topics, how to develop ideas for new research, and comments on what the process may be like. Also, check out some reasons why students would get involved in science research. Finally, if you are interested in pursuing research, do look at the framework that goes into a formal research proposal. This will give you an overview of all the various aspects of research to think about as you begin the process. You can also check out some possible research topics in physics, research ideas in chemistry, as well as a more general set of ideas in a variety of science areas. For ETHS students and teachers interested in the ETHS Science Symposium, click here.
Below are some options of other aspects of student research. It is highly recommended that you check out some of the work done by past students by reading their papers. Read here to get suggestions of how to use the links below to develop new research topics and questions.
Past Student Papers - Numerous student papers in a variety of fields of study.
Getting Research Ideas: Links to Local University Departments - A good way to get ideas is to look at what local professors and research teams are investigating. Many professors are happy to consult on ideas and help teachers and students, and some may even be willing to have students work in their labs. Browse through the faculty web pages for research descriptions and contact information, as well as publication lists for countless references.
Science Fair Sites - There are many sites online related to local science fairs around the country. Some of the better ones can be found here. There are many help links, ideas for projects, and bits of advice for students and teachers.
Research Workshops and Programs for Teachers and Students - Workshops and programs designed for both teachers and students, ranging from how to start a research program, how to do science fair projects, as well as actually working in research labs over the summer.
Research Journals and Databases - Go here to find links to science magazines and journals that are commonly accessed for research projects. Journal articles provide descriptions of past research, materials and methods for experiments and simulations, theory background, analysis techniques, and conclusions. In addition, reference lists are invaluable.
Science Supplies - Online catalogues for a variety of supply companies and stores where you can get materials and equipment for research.
More Resources - Links to Ask-a-scientist sites, museums around Chicago (which may be good resources for research, depending on your interests), online encyclopedias and dictionaries, and more.
Below is some information concerning computational research, which is one area where the gap between high schools and professional labs is essentially eliminated! If you have a good theoretical model, it is possible to create a nearly endless array of environments to see what would happen when specific phenomena were present. This type of research is becoming more and more important in all disciplines.
Computer Simulations Page: Use some simulations of various physical systems and also learn how computer simulations are written and run (source code, approximations techniques, etc.).
More Simulations - Sumanas, Inc.: Has animations for life sciences and chemistry.
Software for simulation work:
- FlexPDE http://www.pdesolutions.com/
- Matlab http://www.mathworks.com/index.shtml
- Mathematica http://www.wolfram.com/products/mathematica/index.html
- Mathcad http://www.mathcad.com/
- Octave http://www.gnu.org/software/octave/
- Information about Python http://www.python.org/
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Interactive Physics http://www.arborsci.com/Products_Pages/Software/IP2000Buy1.htm
- Then there are the standard C++, Java and other languages’ compilers that would allow students to write their own code. Many of these can be purchased at local software stores or online.
Any questions, comments, or suggestions for this site, please contact Doc V.