<p>I was wondering, what is the purpose of a mentor? Is it for those who are doing biology/chemistry research that requires a lab? Also, I thought this was supposed to be research that the entree conducted, not a professor or even with the help of a professor.</p>
<p>who else is doing it this year? the deadline is coming up…i still have to mail mine in…</p>
<p>^I am! Lol, it’s good to know I’m not the only one who still hasn’t sent in the research paper. I still have to FINISH it first, hopefully by this weekend.</p>
<p>Does the abstract have to be included in the research paper or just on the supplement?</p>
<p>^Abstract is on a separate piece of paper.</p>
<p>lulz u s41d “s13m3ns” haw haw haw</p>
<p>thanks tomjonesistheman! Actually, that was a stupid question that I’ve asked because I realized afterwards that the information was right there on the websites, but thanks anyway. I sent in mine research report Tuesday morning; hopefully it’ll get there on time.</p>
<p>Big Bump… </p>
<p>Hey, I have a question on the “independent” factor in these papers. All projects have mentors… and I am interested in knowing how much of the work was done by mentors and how much was original thought. Almost all of these projects are ultra-complex (cancer, bioengineering, mathematical theorems, physics), and I somehow doubt that they were done completely by the student independently. </p>
<p>Is it that many of the students rely on the mentor to help them? Or is that the focus of the competition that I’m missing - students learning science through the help of mentors? What’s the line between a good project and a project that has been done TOO much by the mentor? I am very confused on the “independent research” aspect of this project. Please PM me or respond if you have experience with this.</p>
<p>I have been working at my father’s laboratory, gaining experience with the various technology and reagents. I have done projects for science fair, which my dad helped me out on, though I did put in a lot of work. I am interested in submitting this project to Siemens but I am wondering if it has to be completely original (it has to do with diagnostic cancer research and experimentation - something that I don’t think any highschooler can independently do)</p>
<p>@Shark- I have recently completed research with a professor and we were able to successfully complete the research within an year (which according to him, is a miracle, since no one has ever attempted to do it yet). Anyway, I will be submitting my research to Siemens this year.</p>
<p>To answer some your questions:</p>
<p>Im not sure if this is the case for everyone, but for me the research was very complex at first and I was able to understand very little. But, as the year progressed, I was able to understand more and more of it. So, at the beginning of the year, I would say 80% of the work was done by my mentor. He showed what he was doing, what the purpose of the research was, why he was doing what he was doing and how to properly do it. After a couple of weeks, the research grew more and more independent to the point where we didn’t really talk anymore except to discuss the results and where we should head to next. So at the end of the year, it was largely independent. </p>
<p>As for your second question, I believe the focus of the competition is for the students to complete research that is mostly individual with the aid or guidance of a mentor. Students should be learning science through their mentors, but not as you would think of it (like in school). The science that should be learned is something that pertains to the research and not just general knowledge. I’m not sure where to draw the line per se, but I’ll tell you what I did. First, my research involved chemistry. So at the end of the year, I would walk into the laboratory and think about what I should do that day to further the research. I would then make a plan and start making the solutions (or whatever), I would then hop over to the chemical instrumentation and get data from it. The research I was doing was very sensitive to little changes, so it took forever to actually progress, I had to make sure that I was going one step at a time and not too quickly. Once I had collected the data, I would graph or plot the results and stare it for like 10 minutes. Then my mentor would walk over and tells me what he thinks it mean and what should be done next. The biggest part where he helps me is when something goes wrong and I am unable to find out what is causing the problem (sometimes even he does not know the answer). Hopefully, my experiences with research was able to answer your question. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what you mean by your last question, but the research we were doing was original (no one in the whole world had ever done it or published anything about it). </p>
<p>Excuse any typos or grammatical mistakes that are present in the post, I don’t feel like going back and proof reading it :p</p>
<p>@WonTong</p>
<p>Thanks. Now I have a better picture. </p>
<p>The work I was doing with my mentor is original as well. Like you, it took me a long time to fully understand the science (Biochemistry).</p>
<p>where do i find mentors? like any specific website?</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>You do not go to a specific website to find mentors, as we all live in different areas of the United States/world. Just go on the website of a university close to where you live and find some mentors whose research interests you. Send these mentors an e-mail with your resume and maybe a written statement on why you want to do research with them, and if you’re lucky, one of them will get back to you saying he/she is willing to take you in.</p>
<p>^^^^^^^^ that’s what I did.</p>
<p>I emailed 4-5 and only one responded. But the problem was that the universities have a crazy spam filter where if the network does not know you, it considers it as spam so the professor never even gets to opening your email. Luckily this one professor checks his spam every once in a while.</p>
<p>My S spent about two years reading info in his particular fields (math/CS) before ever contacting a prof. When he did find a mentor (and he emailed folks at the local flagship, no inside connections), they’d meet once a week to discuss the papers the prof’s PhD class was reading and to have S demonstrated he understood them (i.e., explaining them via proofs). Once S had enough background, the prof turned him loose. Did not give him a specific project or assignment – just “go see what’s out there.” S spent that summer sitting around the yard with the dog and on vacation thinking, and by the end of August had a paper. The prof was as surprised as his results as was S.</p>
<p>This works for folks who are into theory, not so much lab work. However, it goes to show there are many paths.</p>
<p>if i wanted to submit a project, can i have my research be based off or start from my mentor’s work? like hes doing experminets right now without conclusion. Would i be able to submit the conclusions once we reach them as my research? and i am rising-junior, so when would i try to enter siemens?</p>
<p>@NspiredOne - You could definitely have your project based off your mentor’s work. That’s the case for most high school students who do research, including myself. And for the Siemens competition, you need to be a rising senior in order to submit an individual project. Juniors can only submit projects with a teammate, so if you are not currently doing research with another student, you’ll probably have to wait.</p>
<p>thanks!!! now where is the line in between my mentors work and mine? Like right now, he is doing various experiments,(biology), that have not been able to reach a conclusion. If i were to say, do the last experiment, that would ultimately lead us to a conclusion, could i submit that as my own work to a whole experiment that was thought by the mentor?</p>
<p>^ if that made any sense at all… lol</p>
<p>@NSpired- This is my first year submitting a project to Siemens but I have completed a years worth of research, so I think I have a good idea of where “the line” is. Your plan seems perfectly fine, I think what they don’t want you to do is have the mentor do everything for you and you just put it on a board and submit it. As long as your understand what it is that you are doing and why you are doing it, I think you should be fine.</p>
<p>On a side note, I just emailed a prof at Wesleyan today asking about a research opportunity, and I got a positive response. Only took one email this time as opposed to 5 last year :)</p>
<p>nice congrats!!! i am considering this but i guess it depends on how well i ultimately do on SATs and how much time i have.</p>