core-program

pods

pathfinders

programs

about-us

program

team

careers

projects

mentors

project-ideas

blog

mentor-faq

scholars

reviews

symposium

research-archive

research-opportunities-for-high-school-students

Our next winter deadline is December 15, 2023 11:59pm PT. Apply today to lock in your spot!

10-session deep dive into a research topic of your choice

6-week research project with an expert and peers who share your passion

A career discovery experience with 3 expert mentors in your chosen fields

research-ideas-for-high-school-students

research-opportunity-guides

showcasing-opportunities

student-faq

for-mentors

for-educators

for-parents

resources

about

outcomes

Created a tutoring service that addresses the gaps in current education systems. I conducted extensive research on current education gaps and the effectiveness of traditional tutoring services. I also reached out to teachers, parents, and students to understand their perspectives on the matter. Through this process, I found that the one-sized-fits-all approach to education was failing many students, as everyone learns differently and at their own pace. With this understanding, I developed a personalized learning service that tailors to the unique learning styles of each student. With Soni Scholars, I take a holistic approach to tutoring, ensuring that I not only addressed the academic needs of our students but also their personal interests and goals. To ensure that I provide the best possible service, I continuously conducted market research and sought feedback from our clients. I understood that education is an ever-evolving field, and decided to strive to keep up with the latest developments and trends to provide the best possible service to our students. With Soni Scholars I was able to create a personalized learning experience that addresses the gaps in traditional education and provides a service that is tailored to the unique needs of each student. I believe that this approach to tutoring will help students reach their full potential and foster a love of learning that will stay with them for life.

Mental Health, User Interface, User Experience, Public Health, Business, Entrepreneurship

Soni Scholars

Goal: Create a concept album with original music and artwork. Focus on writing two (2) songs for the concept album. Depending on the pace of writing, we may expand to more songs, at most 3. Create artwork to go along with the concept album

Music Theory, Music Composition, Sound Design/Introduction to DAWs

Concept Album

Learning a second language, especially after childhood, can be a frustrating experience for students and teachers alike. In fact, people have argued that children undergo a ‘critical period’ for language acquisition, implying that the later acquisition of a second language can only proceed slowly and imperfectly. However, we argue that adults can learn from the way that children immerse themselves and acquire first- and second languages. Exploring the differences and similarities between children’s and adult’s learning can not only inform how we understand language learning but also generate recommendations for how to improve it. We survey the literature on language acquisition in children and adults, and develop specific recommendations for how to maximize the efficiency of language learning based on neuroscientific and psychological evidence and theories about how adults acquire second languages.

Cognitive Science, Developmental Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Data Science

Adult language learning: Lessons and Departures from Children's Language Learning

My recently completed research paper chronicles the challenges victims of rape and sexual assault face throughout the legal process. The main three sections will be: (1) barriers to entering court; (2) discrimination in the court room; and (3) post-trial harm. It takes an intersectional lens when discussing these topics, including racial overtones and other possible prejudices. Some topics include prosecutorial discretion, reporting and police, the media, and much more. It is organized in the same way that a victim would take his/her/their path to justice in the court system. It ends with possible avenues of action and remedy that the nation can take to help ensure justice for victims across every court system America has established. 

Government, Politics, Law, Legal Theory, U.S. Legal History, Social Sciences

A Rape Victim’s Journey to Justice Through the Courts: Barriers, Struggles, and Effects

The focus of Teesha's project is to create a series of workshops about the 6 dimensions of health. Currently, the students in Teesha's high school do not have a curriculum that incorporates health/wellness education. Teesha is designing an 8-week curriculum for a one hour/week course to be utilized by teachers or other health-focused programs or student groups. The curriculum Teesha is creating will be completed as a "manual" which will include information and materials that can be utilized by anyone wanting to utilize this course. Ultimately, Teesha will present the final product to people or groups who may benefit from it. 

Neuroscience, Kinesiology, Healthcare, Public Health, Physical Rehabilitation

Integrating the 6 dimensions of health into a high school curriculum

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a central plant hormone with essential roles in responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. ABA has also been found to function in critical mammalian cellular processes including metabolic responses to glucose availability and innate immune signaling. The aim of this project is to define the mechanisms by which plant-derived ABA, from either dietary or environmental sources, regulates the cellular processes in humans. Findings from this project will highlight new hypotheses for the role(s) of plant hormones in human biology and as potential therapeutic compounds. Studying the molecular interplay between plants and humans will also reveal clues about the ancient role of ABA in regulating diverse cellular processes.

Virology, Microbiology, Plant Biology

The effects of plant-derived abscisic acid on human cell signaling pathways.

Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is important for meeting California’s climate goals. California governor Gavin Newsom wants to phase out gasoline cars by 2035. However, only a small fraction of the population drive EVs today. This literature review uses previous research and data to succinctly identify key barriers to individual EV adoption and  policies the government can adopt to overcome these barriers in California.

Science policy, electrochemistry, combustion, energy, environment

Policies to Catalyze EV Adoption in California

CDKN1C (p57/KIP2), a tumor suppressor gene from the CIP/KIP protein family, regulates cell proliferation by inhibiting the Cyclin D1/CDK4 complex during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The *CDKN1C*   gene is part of a chromosomal region which is characteristically hypermethylated in various cancers, but the exact changes in methylation and their effects on breast cancer are unknown. This study utilizes computational tools to analyze the patterns of *CDKN1C*methylation in different stages of breast cancer. 



Cancer biology, cell signaling, systems biology, cancer cell heterogeneity, biomedical engineering

CDKN1C Hypermethylation Patterns in Human Breast Cancer

How do they work, why aren't they more prevalent, and what does their future hold?

Cancer vaccines stand at the forefront of the latest medical innovations vying to eradicate the terrible aforementioned disease. In simple terms, they work by training the immune system to recognize antigens present on only/mostly tumour cells, using the body's own defense system to specifically attack its cancer. If successful, these vaccines could provide a simpler cancer treatment void of all the sickening side effects associated with broader treatments like chemotherapy. This burgeoning field of research has yielded a wide variety of vaccines that use different vectors to prime the immune system's T-cells, from DNA, RNA, and SLP to neoantigen and shared-antigen vaccines. An even newer subfield aims at reawakening endogenous retroviruses within the DNA of cancer patients to induce a viral mimicry response from the immune system. Despite the appeal of tumor vaccines, these modern innovations have run into many obstacles that significantly reduce their effectiveness. Their personalized nature also makes production an expensive and difficult process. While the field continues to advance, many have widened their views, experimenting with combining the vaccines with treatments that either have a broader scope or enhance the effect of the vaccine, like immune checkpoint inhibitors. Despite these difficulties, tumor vaccines are still a promising corner in the field of cancer research, and they are only bound to get better.

Cancer biology, immunology, biotechnology, venture capital, entrepreneurship, startups

A Comprehensive Look at Tumour Vaccines

*Drosophila melanogaster* optogenetic tools are used to map neural systems of vision, instinct, and reactive behavior. Bilateral pair Moonwalker Descending Neurons (MDNs) are just one type of neuron that has been identified as part of the instinctual backwards walking circuit, which leads to questions about the pathways of such behaviors. While backwards walking and other similar behaviors are still neurologically mysterious, tools like CsChrimson and ChR2 can help us classify neuroanatomical connections. In this study, we aim to identify the similarities between transgenic UAS-CsChrimson VT050660-GAL4 ‘moonwalker’ and UAS-Channelrhodopsin2 (ChR2) ‘seizure’ strains, through optogenetic stimulation. We used red and blue light activated channels to drive either backwards walking(moonwalked) or pain-less seizure(seizure) behavior, and recorded patterns in behavior both during and after assays.Previous experimentation has identified stalling after “moonwalker” red light activation, hypothetically due to a sudden drop in neurotransmitter release. However, the corroboration of activated behavior in both strains, could reveal key neuroanatomical pathways, furthering the classification of *Drosophila melanogaster* structure.

Drosophila melanogaster, Genetics, Neuroscience, Meiosis, circadian clocks, Proteomic Networks, -Omic databases

Examining optogenetically stimulated locomotive behavior in Channelrhodopsin and CsChrimson Drosophila Melanogaster strains to classify post-synaptic “moonwalker” stalling

Cybervictimization has risen in adolescents with the age of technology and the rapid progress in the field of computer science. As such, the rise in mental health conditions such as social anxiety — the condition in which social interactions cause irrational anxiety —- has seen an abnormal increase in a positive correlation with cybervictimization. In particular, relational victimization is associated with increased social anxiety in adolescents. Yet, with its rise we have yet to find a common ground for victims to seek help and effective solutions backed by research. As such, the most important aspect of this study is identifying factors such as the frequency of victimization, what online platforms victimization takes place on, and the reasoning behind relational victimization that could affect the level of social anxiety experienced by an individual. To do this, this study will conduct a review of other research papers and deploy a survey. We aim to survey about 75 high school students between the ages of 14-17 regarding specifically targeted questions that would identify the factors that affect their social anxiety. The factors analyzed will be adapted from the LSAS (Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale) and will be used to identify which cluster of factors are mainly found in each type of victim.

human-computer interaction, social media, tech ethics, AI ethics, privacy, UX design, computer science, social psychology, cognitive psychology

What is the difference in social anxiety between adolescent victims of IPV, social exclusion, and hate comments?

There are a bunch of apps and tools that help you do a variety of tasks, but sometimes it's not possible to find a public tool that can help you accomplish a certain task. I learn Indian classical vocal music, also known as Carnatic Music. In this style of music, there are around 80 ragas (a pattern of notes having characteristic intervals, rhythms, and embellishments, used as a basis for improvisation). It is often times hard to figure out which raga an artist is singing so I want to create a tool that will help identify which raga is being sung. To have a model be able to identify all 80 ragas would be a big task and would be impossible to complete in one summer, even for a skilled programmer. My goal, since I am a beginner in coding in python, is to have the model identify one raga properly. For my end product, I hope to write a blog on the process of trying to work on this project.

Computer Science, AI, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing

Carnatic Raga Recognition

This project explores the trend in stock prices of Netflix, COVID case data, and vaccination data from 2019 to 2022. I used Python in order to plot the trends in each of the categories described above and compare them to each other to discover if there is any correlation between them. After discovering that there were, I decided to code a linear regression model to predict Netflix's stock prices given COVID cases and vaccination data. In a linear regression model, there are two variables: an input (x) and an output (y). When evaluating each individually, Netflix's stock price rose as vaccination data and COVID cases increased. After discovering this trend, I decided to combine both factors in a multiple linear regression model. This model is similar to linear regression, except it uses two input values, COVID cases and the vaccination data, to predict an output of Netflix's stock price. To make sure the model works, I split my data into testing and training data. Using the training data for the input values, the model predicted a value that I could compare to that in the testing data. For example, the model predicted a value of $602.4 compared to $546.7, which gives a 10 percent error. The model is decent given that I only used two factors, COVID data and vaccination data, to predict Netflix's stock price. Exploring these trends also explained many misconceptions that people have of COVID. Lockdown restrictions being lifted didn't correlate with the spike in COVID cases in 2022, prompting some of the trends I saw on the graphs to be a bit surprising.

Python, R, C++, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Systems Biology, Machine Learning, Computer Vision, Data Science, Fellowship applications, College applications

The Downfall of Netflix: Using COVID-19 Cases and Vaccination Data to Predict Netflix’s Stock Price

Project 1: "One idea I’ve had for a research project is identifying the correlation between Google search trends (symptoms of E. Coli that are being searched up everyday and where) and E. coli levels in the main water source. Thus far, I have gathered and found data on the E. coli concentration in my local water source being the Chattahoochee River and I would love to be able to go into further analysis of that data by comparing E. coli data to search trends of E. coli symptoms to see if there is a strong correlation between E. coli count to unofficial symptoms in areas that the water source is prevalent. The final goal of this project would essentially be to create a way to predict E. coli cases in Georgia, USA by following the correlation of searched symptoms and E. coli concentration in the river." 
- also other diseases

biology (cellular and molecular, especially microbiology), podcasting

Google search trends and pathogens

Exploring antimicrobial resistance, specifically the cross-border policy changes that have happened to unregulated and over-the-counter medication in the context of the National Action Plans(NAPs) of various countries. Post-COVID, there have been a lot of changes in global health policies, and I’d like to examine the influence and effect of antimicrobial resistance on them, if any. The goal is to examine the role of the WHO policy package to combat antimicrobial resistance in countries that have majorly privatized healthcare systems and countries that have loose policies on regulation and consumption of red classified drugs while examining how the prescription and consumption of wide-spectrum antimicrobial drugs have been affected or whether they have been affected at all. Countries that we will examine based on NAPs, healthcare systems, etc. are the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Indonesia and India. We plan to look at each country’s proposed policies individually and then do a comparative analysis based on their implementation. We expect to find issues in staffing arrangements, healthcare structures, education & training practices, and existing policies & regulatory mechanisms in context of their NAPs.

Infectious Diseases, Data Science, Data Visualization

How practical are the implementations of the NAPs in the United Kingdom, United States of America, Australia, Indonesia and India?

Moore’s Law emerged in the 1970s due to the technological and economic conditions in the microprocessor industry at the time - however, in today’s environment, Moore’s Law has started to subside due to different technological and economic conditions. This is because Moore’s Law has had a large impact in driving the microprocessor industry to solely focus on reducing transistor size and increasing transistor count - which has led to other aspects of microprocessor design, such as the development of new ISAs, or different computing techniques, stagnating. I would like to examine the specific conditions and changes in the microprocessor industry that have directly caused both the rise and the fall of Moore’s Law - and from them, how they may lead the microprocessor industry into a future without Moore’s Law.

Machine Learning, Evolutionary Computing, Genetic Algorithms, Agent-based Modeling, Mechanism Design, NLP Data Science

What has been the impact of the different aspects of Moore’s Law on the development and evolution of memory technologies and logic architectures, and where may the semiconductor industry go in the future as the impact of Moore’s Law diminishes?

COVID mandated national and state-wide shutdowns have change disease spread. This project will examine how COVID has affected liver disease and pneumonia numbers.

Neurosurgery, Neuro-Oncology, Neurology, Medical Imaging

Trends in Chronic Liver Disease during the COVID Pandemic

Identifying trends and connections on lung cancer mortality rates. Analyze the impact of smoking public health initiatives in countries with high smoking rates and annual cigarette consumption per person.

Trends and Connections on lung cancer mortality rates in selected countries

States in Asia, Africa and South America have long been subject to exploitation and manipulation by states in the northern part of the Brandt line. Contrary to what one might think this suggests, this is a practice continued even post independence for those countries who were colonies. This is what ‘neocolonialism’ refers to and encompasses the external influencing of a state’s foreign, economic and political policy & exploits its resources in a manner that only benefits what can be called the influencer state.This research paper would dig deep into three ways in which the phenomenon manifests: shifting power dynamics and socioeconomic vulnerabilities, geopolitical rivalry and trade ties.

Social Sciences + Humanities; Sociocultural Anthropology (specialization in ethnography/qualitative research/interviews, particularly on the connection between arts, cultural revitalization, politics, colonialisms, sovereignty, neoliberalism, social movements, rural culture), Latin American and Southeast Asian Studies, International Relations / Global South, Women and Gender Studies, Race and Ethnic studies, Indigenous studies

Neocolonialism in South Asia: Shifting Power Dynamics, Geopolitical Rivalry & Trade Ties

The China-Europe Railway Express (CRE), a network of railroads connecting European and Asian cities, is a critical part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative’s plan to increase both China’s diplomatic and economic influence abroad. This article examines the current status of the CRE in the midst of the geopolitical and diplomatic tensions facing the countries involved with the project. Due to rail travel’s high efficiency, low costs, and low carbon emissions, the CRE is desirable to China as its prominence will bolster intercontinental trade as well as China’s presence in Eurasia. Though the CRE has faced opposition from some European entities as the project will likely heighten China’s position as a competitor and challenger to traditional Western dominance, the furtherment of the CRE, and China-Europe relations as a whole will produce a myriad of cultural, economic, and political benefits to Eurasia. The development of the CRE and, by extension, many Sino-European ties have been derailed by the war in Ukraine as many of the current rail routes travel through Russia to reach Europe. Sanctions imposed on Russian railroads and the risk of seized cargo have limited European customers' trust in rail-based transportation. Through this, the war in Ukraine has illustrated many of the vulnerabilities in the CRE’s network. The future success of the CRE will likely continue to be threatened by rising geopolitical tensions as the network spans dozens of countries. The article concludes that the development of alternative routes to the CRE will be crucial in maintaining the project.

energy, renewable energy, infrastructure, energy policy, sustainability, GIS, Life cycle assessment ( carbon counting), machine learning, sustainable buildings, 3D printing for construction, risk assessment

Meet Polygence Scholars and explore their projects