2,893 Inspirational Passion Project Ideas
Turn inspirations into your passion project.
This collection of project ideas, shared by Polygence mentors, is meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.
- AI/ML
- Animation
- Arts
- Biology
- Biotech
- Business
- Cancer
- Chemistry
- Cognitive
- Computer Science
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Dentistry
- Economics
- Engineering
- Entomology
- Environmental Science
- Ethics
- Fashion
- Finance
- Game Design
- Healthcare
- History
- Illustration
- Languages
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Math
- Medicine
- Music
- Neuroscience
- Nutrition
- Organizational Leadership
- Philanthropy
- Philosophy
- Photography
- Physics
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Quantitative
- Social
- Social Science
- Sports Analytics
- Statistics
- Surgery
Understanding the Future of Real Estate
The real estate industry is constantly changing. Real estate will always have a positive impact in the world with evolving high-tech software and increasing demand in jobs. Since this industry is wide-spread, there is much to offer while learning about a unique field of work. The knowledge and skills you will learn from this project is invaluable while crating an essay, research paper, presentation, and more.
Biology, Nutrition, Business, Finance
What is on the menu?
Eating right can be fun if you are able to get creative with your meals. Using the dietary guidelines, you will create a menu that satisfies all of the daily requirements, and also sounds delicious!
Biology, Nutrition, Public Health
COVID 19 Vaccine
In this project, you will work to create a presentation, infographic, pamphlet, or whatever you see best to explain the COVID vaccine. Many people are afraid of the vaccine, and you are tasked with helping public health officials communicate why it is important to get the vaccine.
Biology, Nutrition, Public Health
Formulate a Canine or Feline Diet for a Special Condition
In this project, the student would first learn about generalized feline or canine nutrition and which pet nutrition resources are science-backed and trustworthy. Next, the student would consider how a specific disease or allergy can be managed through diet, and formulate an example diet that accommodates the condition based on AAFCO guidelines using Excel. At the end of the project, the student should have increased knowledge about nutrition in the species of their choice and the how the special condition they selected can be managed through dietary changes, as well as an example diet that they formulated themself.
Nutrition
Novel model of load bearing-induced muscle hypertrophy
Muscle rapidly responds to mechanical stimulus by increasing in size at the cellular and tissue level. Efforts to investigate the regulation of this process at the molecular level are hindered by a lack of translationally relevant rodent models of load bearing induced hypertrophy. The current standard model of muscle hypertrophy in lab rodents utilizes synergistic ablation, a highly invasive and non-translational model that is quite dissimilar to the common conception of load bearing. In this model, one of two muscles that cooperate to facilitate limb movement is surgically removed from an animal, forcing the other muscle to take on additional mechanical load. There are many limitations to this model. For example, this experimental design does not allow the experimenter to periodically remove the excess weight to allow muscle recovery in the absence of mechanical load. It would be extremely useful for the field of muscle biology if someone developed a non-invasive, translationally relevant method to stimulate mechanical load bearing in live lab mice.
Nutrition
I Think, Therefore I am
3. Advanced Research Level African American health disparities is a notable issue in the United States. African Americans are two times more likely than non-Hispanic whites to die from the number one killer in the US, heart disease. This ethnic group is also 50% more likely to experience high blood pressure than their white counterparts. Chronic stress is known to be associated with the two aforementioned conditions. What is less known are some of the molecular underpinnings by how stress may influence heart disease and high blood pressure. It has been illustrated in animal models that exposing them to chronic stress conditions can change the epigenetic landscape in neurons and other cells. These changes have been associated with behavioral, biochemical, and physiological alterations. It has also been shown in a limited number of studies that these epigenetic alterations have the potential to be passed down to the next generation. Could it be that years of racial discrimination against African Americans have played a role in altering the epigenetic landscape of neurons and that this alteration is associated with increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure? The purpose of this project is to: 1) Explore the existing literature regarding the proposed connection between African American racial discrimination, stress, health disparities, and epigenetic alterations. 2) Building off of the existing literature, propose a project aimed at investigating if there is causality with the aforementioned factors. To put it another way, you are proposing a project based off of the following hypothesis, "Chronic Stress induced by African American discrimination has caused epigenetic alterations in neurons that induces biochemical and physiological changes that lead to increased risk of heart disease and high blood pressure."
Nutrition
Food and food systems
Exploring the process of how your food gets to your table and the different political and social factors that contribute to food insecurity.
Arts, Social Science, Nutrition, Public Health, Organizational Leadership
The powerhouse of the cell and much much more!
The mitochondria are infamously known as the "powerhouse of the cell" for their ATP generating capabilities from the food that we eat. Although very important, mitochondria are also involved in a much wider range of activities in the cell and the body altogether. Furthermore, when mitochondria do not work properly (i.e. mitochondrial dysfunctional), this can lead the development of various pathologies where mitochondria are becoming favorable targets for drug development. Project Goal: Understand the additional roles of the mitochondria beyond ATP generation (reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, calcium homeostasis, programmed cell death) and how they may be involved in a physiologic or pathologic context for a review paper you would publish! Prerequisites: High school level background in both chemistry and biology.
Nutrition
How can we help farmers adapt to climate change?
A project focused on the policy, structural, and technological changes that could help farmers prepare for climate change. This could involve a nutrition, gender, or racial justice focus, and could focus on a specific area or type of producer. Based on your interest this project could look at fisherman, smallholder farmers, urban farms, large food producers, or sustainable aquaculture/kelp producers.
History, Languages, Environmental Science, Social Science, Nutrition
Social Media and Mental Health Disorders
Social media is not going anywhere. We often discuss the mental health implications of the pervasiveness of social media, particularly for adolescents, but there is no definitive research as to the effects of time spent on specific social media outlets on specific symptoms. Surveying a moderate-sized group of young individuals as to their social media usage, and overlaying this data with a relevant, evidence-based questionnaire could help us understand specific adverse (or beneficial) effects that are associated with social media engagement.
Psychiatry, Music, Nutrition, Public Health
Parent Evaluation of the UCLA TIES Infant Mental Health (IMH) program.
Develop an online parent survey as well as conduct qualitative interviews with referred foster/adoptive parents. The objective would be to obtain input from foster and adoptive parents participating in IMH to analyze the effectiveness of this program, perceptions of relationships with TIES, and if perceptions of relationships differed between families and UCLA TIES clinicians. The survey should include demographic and family history data that can be used to identify children that have been placed in care with higher risk factors (e.g., prior abusive history, number of placements, age of placement) who are statistically likely to experience emotional, social, and academic dysregulation in life. This evacuation is intended to be used to improve the quality of services received by adoptive/foster parents so that children placed in resource care are wholly supported.
Psychiatry, Music, Neuroscience, Social, Psychology, Social Science, Nutrition, Cognitive, Public Health, Organizational Leadership
The effect of plant-based diets on athletic performance
Plant-based diets ("vegetarian" or "vegan") are growing in popularity and have been adopted by an increasing number of elite athletes. Plant-based diets often contain more fiber and carbohydrates, but potentially less protein than traditional omnivorous diets. How does this impact athletic performance (i.e. strength or endurance), and how does this compare to diets containing animal meat or other dietary patterns?
Biology, Nutrition, Public Health, Medicine
Nutrition curriculum for elementary school students
Create 2 to 3 short, interactive lessons for elementary school students about food and exercise in a way that does not focus on weight or “good/bad” foods and present at local elementary school
Psychiatry, Nutrition
Nutrition in the United States
Despite being a resource rich country, many communities in the United States suffer from malnourishment. The way we approach food in the US has changed, continues to change, and differs among other countries. This project can go in multiple directions (how we educate people, produce, access, process, cook, etc. food) and can be presented in a variety of forms (research paper, video, podcast format, or an experiment where we collect our own data).
Biology, Nutrition, Medicine
Decreasing stigma around mental health in high school students
Perform a literature review on successful ways to increase dialogue in mental health in high school students. Use this to create either a website or a student group to implement these efforts.
Psychiatry, Nutrition
So You Wanna Start a Podcast?
Learn how to translate your passions into podcast. Explore how to develop a novel concept, communicate to a broad audience, execute, and publish!
Nutrition
The Effect of Lifestyle (eg, Nutrition, Exercise) On Human Health or Disease
In this project, a student can dive deep into the evidence on the effect of a healthy lifestyle (eg, plant-based diet, exercise, etc.) on a specific medical condition (eg, hypertension, acne, arthritis, mental health). The project is highly customizable to the interest of the mentee and can result in an evidence-based blog post, review paper, or infographic.
Nutrition, Public Health, Medicine
Food Product Development!
Got an interesting idea for a new food product, snack or beverage? Learn all the fundamentals of what you need to know, from formulation and food safety to branding and marketing.
Nutrition
Yeast Feast: The Science of Baking and Fermentation
In the "Yeast Feast" project, students will dive into the delicious world of baking science, getting a firsthand understanding of the vital role that tiny organisms, such as yeast, play in our everyday lives. This project will provide a unique blend of culinary art and microbiology, offering a fun and engaging way to learn about scientific concepts. To kick things off, students will get creative in the kitchen, crafting two distinct versions of a baking recipe - one with yeast and one without. This hands-on approach will allow students to observe the differences in preparation, cooking process, and most importantly, the final result. Following this, students will delve into a comparative analysis of the two recipes. They will describe the differences they observed and experienced, from the texture and volume of the dough to the taste and structure of the final product. But the project won't stop at observations. Students will also explore the 'why' behind these differences, honing in on the role of yeast in baking. They will learn about this fascinating microorganism and its metabolic activities, specifically its role in fermentation that results in the production of carbon dioxide and alcohol, which are key to making dough rise. Through the "Yeast Feast" project, students will gain a deeper understanding of the biological processes at play in something as commonplace as baking bread. They will experience how science isn't just confined to a lab but is deeply integrated into our daily activities - even in the kitchen!
Nutrition, Public Health
Awareness of people regarding zero waste kitchen
This study will assess the awareness of people about zero waste kitchen and then plan an educational tool to spread awareness.
Nutrition
