A lot of students who end up loving research never thought it was something they could do. Maybe it sounded intimidating, or something only "science kids" pursued. In reality, science is open to everyone! Below, you can find practical guidance on what research actually looks like for a high schooler.

When most people hear the word "research," the first things that come to mind are probably a white lab coat and a microscope. High school research, though, is a lot more approachable than that. At its core, research is the pursuit of finding answers to an unanswered question through evidence, experimentation, or analysis. While microscopes and lab coats are usually involved in this process, there's so much more that goes on behind the scenes.

Research can happen anywhere. The only requirements to getting involved are curiosity, persistence, and a willingness to adapt and learn. If you've ever wondered why something functions the way it does, that's an instinct that researchers have!

Interested in dismantling misconceptions about scientists? Read this blog post!

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) is much broader than you might think. 

Research isn't just biology and chemistry, nor is it all about dissecting mice and working with microscopes. Here are just a few topics you can pursue — and they're just some out of many, many more. Even more, research in these fields looks completely different from each other! Some are more computational and are in a dry lab environment, whereas others are more hands-on and are in a wet lab setting. 

Interested in learning about the difference between a dry lab and a wet lab? Read this blog post!

One of the biggest myths about research is that you need to "know someone" to get started. You don't. Most professors and researchers are genuinely open to hearing from motivated high school students, and would actually love to work with students who are passionate about pursuing scientific research. 

Here's a general guide for how to find a lab or mentor:

1. Identify university departments or research institutes near you. Look up their websites, and navigate to departments that match your interests. More often than not, there will also be a 'Research Groups' or 'Laboratories' tab that shows you all of the different labs in that specific department. There, you can also browse faculty profiles, where most professors or PIs (Principal Investigators) have their contact information, current research projects, and laboratory (if applicable) listed publicly.

2. Read one or two of their papers or project descriptions. Don't worry if you don't understand all of the scientific jargon — just focus on if you're interested by their research topics. If you're genuinely curious about their projects, you'll eventually mention that curiosity in your email.

3. Send a cold email using the email provided on their profile. Keep it short and genuine! Researchers are incredibly busy, so an effective email is one that gets your point across quickly.

4. If you haven't received a response after two weeks, it's totally okay to follow up. If there's still no response, move on. 

Below is a cold email template. Feel free to tailor it to your liking — whatever works best for you! Keep in mind that the information in the brackets should be filled in with personal details.

Subject: High School Student Interested in Research

Dear Dr. [Last name],

I hope this email finds you well. My name is [Your Name], and I am a [grade] student at [School Name] with a strong interest in [specific topic/field]. One of my main goals is to experience what it's like to conduct research in a real lab. 

I recently came across your work on [specific project/paper]. I was particularly fascinated by your lab’s research on how [one specific thing that interested you]. I would love to learn more about your research and explore whether there might be any opportunities for a high school student to contribute to your lab in any capacity that might be helpful to your team.

My resume is attached and please feel free to contact me or [a teacher who can vouch for your scientific rigor], at [their email]. Thank you so much for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]
[School Name]