Why is a mentor important?
Most students who win awards at science fairs or research-based scholarships had a mentor’s help. A mentor can help you specialize in a field you’re interested in and give you the resources to do well in it.
Mentors are especially helpful with idea formation, which is where most students struggle. A mentor can also bring funding to carry out your research, sometimes in a top-tier lab.
Finding the right mentor
Universities and labs are organized into lab groups, so it’s important to contact the person in charge of the group so they can bring you into the larger project. Graduate students and postdocs do a lot of the work, but they may not be the right mentor for a high schooler.
Decide whether you want to do your own project or assist a faculty member with theirs. Your own work is generally more challenging, but more rewarding at competitions.
Assisting faculty is valuable for getting experience in a niche field. It can lead somewhere, but it doesn’t carry the same weight at competitions unless you can clearly present your own contribution.
Reaching out to potential mentors
Email is the easiest way to reach someone. But many researchers are slow to respond to email, let alone one from a high schooler, so keep it concise while communicating your ideas and genuine interest. It helps to email several people (a handful at a time). The more specific you are, the more it shows the mentor you actually know the field.
Some things to include in your email:
- A brief greeting and introduction.
- Your interest in finding a mentor.
- What specifically interested you in their work (their papers, projects, talks).
- Your goals (science fair, publishing a paper, and so on).
- That you’d like to meet, virtually or in person, to discuss options.
- An offer to send your resume on request.
Emphasize what specifically drew you to their work, and name the areas you’d like to explore with them. Keeping it goal-oriented makes it easier for the mentor to take you on.
Resources
Now that you know how to find a mentor, set some specific targets. Research competitions like science fairs are valuable for college applications and beyond.
To prepare for specific competitions like ISEF, check out this course. The playlist below covers doing research at the high school level.
Research opportunities lead to valuable connections and carry real weight on your resume. Publishing and presenting your work teaches you important skills, and many successful researchers got their start in high school. So send those emails and get started.
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