CURB's Young Researchers Program

At a Glance​

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2017 Program Dates: January 28, 2017 – April 22, 2017

Safety Course & Meet and Greet: January 28

Young Researchers Symposium: April 29

Location: Cornell University

Application Process Opens: November 6

Application Deadline Extended: January 13

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Overview

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CURB’s Young Researchers Program provides high school students with the unique opportunity to conduct research at one of the world’s leading research universities. Students will be paired with a Cornell University undergraduate or graduate mentor, attend science communications classes, and participate in dinner discussions with professors. During this program, high school students will learn fundamental research techniques, practice scientific writing, and become immersed in scientific culture. Upon completion of the program, students will prepare and present a scientific poster at a symposium, where parents, professors, mentors, and the Ithaca community can attend to see the work of the students.

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Program Components

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1) Dive into Research at Cornell

 

Students will be individually matched with an undergraduate or graduate student-mentor. The student will either observe, assist with experimental procedures, assist in data collection, or assist in data analysis. The student will work in the lab at least once per week. The specific date and time will be unique to each student-mentor pair. Upon completion of the program, the students will create a scientific poster and present their work at our symposium.

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2) Take a Science Communications Class

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The goal of this class is to expose the high school students to multiple modes of science communication and to allow them to practice scientific writing. We will provide the fundamentals of statistics and guide the students through the scientific method as they collect data in the laboratory and prepare their own scientific poster.

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3) Partake in Professor Dinner Discussions

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The students will participate in dinner discussions where professors and scientists at Cornell discuss and share their work with the students over dinner at one of the Cornell dining halls. The students will be challenged to think critically, push the boundaries of scientific concepts, and ask new questions. The students will also be exposed to multiple scientific fields.