Course Overview
The Somers Science Research course is designed to provide students with a chance to pursue scientific research at a college graduate level for 3 years. Motivation, enthusiasm, and dedication are essential pre-requisites for success in pursuing in depth research projects of the student’s choosing.
1. Students choose and explore a topic of interest related to:
-Animal Science (ie. Ecology, Pathology, Physiology, Populations Genetics, Development, etc.)
-Behavioral & Social Science (ie. Psychology, Sociology, Clinical & Developmental, etc.)
-Biochemistry (ie. General Biochemistry, Metabolism, Structural Biochemistry, etc.)
-Cellular & Molecular Biology (ie. Cellular Biology, Cellular and Molecular Genetics, Immunology, etc.)
-Chemistry (ie. Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical, etc.)
-Computer Science (ie. Algorithms, Databases, Networking, Computational Science, Programming, etc.)
-Earth & Planetary Science (ie. Climatology, Geochemistry, Paleontology, Tectonics, etc.)
-Engineering (ie. Electrical, Mechanical, Materials, Bioengineering, Civil, Robotics, Chemical, etc.)
-Energy (ie. Alternative Fuels, Renewable Energies, Aerodynamics, etc.)
-Environmental Science (ie. Air Pollution/Quality, Soil Contamination, Water Pollution/Quality, etc.)
-Mathematics (ie. Applied Mathematics, Algebra, Probability & Statistics, etc.)
-Medicine & Health (ie. Disease Diagnosis/Treatment, Epidemiology, Genetics, Physiology, etc.)
-Microbiology (ie. Bacteriology, Virology, Microbial Genetics, Antibiotics, etc.)
-Physics & Astronomy (ie. Nuclear & Particle Physics, Optics, Lasers, Theoretical Physics, etc.)
2. Plant Sciences (ie. Agriculture, Agronomy, Ecology, Genetics, Plant Physiology, etc.)
3. Students are taught the process of online bibliographic researching and are able to access many professional scientific databases. Initially, students use library and internet research tools to identify specific subjects currently being studied within their chosen area.
4. Students prepare a list of advanced questions regarding their chosen area, based on their bibliographic research, and then proceed to find the answers to those questions. This helps them to significantly advance their knowledge as well as motivates them to analyze their topic on a professional level.
5. Students find and study several scientific journal articles then present the information from some of their articles to the class. Their presentation to the class emphasizes how the research described in the articles was conducted as well as the significance of the findings. This highlights the scientific method, which is an essential part of the entire research course:
-Review of the literature
-Statement of the Hypothesis
-Methodology of the experiment
-Discussion of the Data
-Analysis of the results
-Conclusions and Significance of findings
6. Once a significant amount of background material is acquired and a strong sense of understanding is gained, the student makes contact with a research scientist within their field of interest. Often this is one of the authors of the articles they have read. At that time, the students ask the scientist to serve as a mentor, or to help in finding an appropriate scientist, in assisting them in carrying out a research project in their area of interest over the upcoming summers and school years.
7. Students then engage in an original piece of research that they design and conduct under the supervision of their mentor. Most often this occurs at the lab where the mentor does their research.
8. Due to the extensive amount of time many of the research projects demand, and the continuity required, the majority of the research takes place over the next two summers with some work being done to maintain the project during the Junior year of school. Students therefore must schedule their summers appropriately.
9. The classroom teacher meets with each individual student and the entire research class on a regular basis.
10. As a Junior and Senior the student will not only actively continue their research but they will write a final research paper and enter all possible science competitions to present their research:
-Westchester Science & Engineering Fair (WESEF)
-REGENERON Science Talent Search (STS)
-Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS)
-INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
-Siemens Science Competition
-Somers Science Fair (Sophomore Competition)
1. Students choose and explore a topic of interest related to:
-Animal Science (ie. Ecology, Pathology, Physiology, Populations Genetics, Development, etc.)
-Behavioral & Social Science (ie. Psychology, Sociology, Clinical & Developmental, etc.)
-Biochemistry (ie. General Biochemistry, Metabolism, Structural Biochemistry, etc.)
-Cellular & Molecular Biology (ie. Cellular Biology, Cellular and Molecular Genetics, Immunology, etc.)
-Chemistry (ie. Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical, etc.)
-Computer Science (ie. Algorithms, Databases, Networking, Computational Science, Programming, etc.)
-Earth & Planetary Science (ie. Climatology, Geochemistry, Paleontology, Tectonics, etc.)
-Engineering (ie. Electrical, Mechanical, Materials, Bioengineering, Civil, Robotics, Chemical, etc.)
-Energy (ie. Alternative Fuels, Renewable Energies, Aerodynamics, etc.)
-Environmental Science (ie. Air Pollution/Quality, Soil Contamination, Water Pollution/Quality, etc.)
-Mathematics (ie. Applied Mathematics, Algebra, Probability & Statistics, etc.)
-Medicine & Health (ie. Disease Diagnosis/Treatment, Epidemiology, Genetics, Physiology, etc.)
-Microbiology (ie. Bacteriology, Virology, Microbial Genetics, Antibiotics, etc.)
-Physics & Astronomy (ie. Nuclear & Particle Physics, Optics, Lasers, Theoretical Physics, etc.)
2. Plant Sciences (ie. Agriculture, Agronomy, Ecology, Genetics, Plant Physiology, etc.)
3. Students are taught the process of online bibliographic researching and are able to access many professional scientific databases. Initially, students use library and internet research tools to identify specific subjects currently being studied within their chosen area.
4. Students prepare a list of advanced questions regarding their chosen area, based on their bibliographic research, and then proceed to find the answers to those questions. This helps them to significantly advance their knowledge as well as motivates them to analyze their topic on a professional level.
5. Students find and study several scientific journal articles then present the information from some of their articles to the class. Their presentation to the class emphasizes how the research described in the articles was conducted as well as the significance of the findings. This highlights the scientific method, which is an essential part of the entire research course:
-Review of the literature
-Statement of the Hypothesis
-Methodology of the experiment
-Discussion of the Data
-Analysis of the results
-Conclusions and Significance of findings
6. Once a significant amount of background material is acquired and a strong sense of understanding is gained, the student makes contact with a research scientist within their field of interest. Often this is one of the authors of the articles they have read. At that time, the students ask the scientist to serve as a mentor, or to help in finding an appropriate scientist, in assisting them in carrying out a research project in their area of interest over the upcoming summers and school years.
7. Students then engage in an original piece of research that they design and conduct under the supervision of their mentor. Most often this occurs at the lab where the mentor does their research.
8. Due to the extensive amount of time many of the research projects demand, and the continuity required, the majority of the research takes place over the next two summers with some work being done to maintain the project during the Junior year of school. Students therefore must schedule their summers appropriately.
9. The classroom teacher meets with each individual student and the entire research class on a regular basis.
10. As a Junior and Senior the student will not only actively continue their research but they will write a final research paper and enter all possible science competitions to present their research:
-Westchester Science & Engineering Fair (WESEF)
-REGENERON Science Talent Search (STS)
-Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS)
-INTEL International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)
-Siemens Science Competition
-Somers Science Fair (Sophomore Competition)
