GEOPREP: PROVIDING RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEW YORK STATE STUDENTS WITH INTEREST IN THE GEOSCIENCES

GeoPREP is a program that provides underrepresented minority high school students with an opportunity to further their knowledge in geosciences through intensive summer research. The primary audience of this program are the students in high needs school districts on Long Island, in response to the lack of follow up opportunities for students in New York State to continue to peruse and expand their interests in the geosciences.

Selected students engage in a summer research project while staying on the Stony Brook University campus. GeoPREP collaborates across campus and with Brookhaven National Laboratory to provide the students with the resources and opportunity to conduct independent research and dig deeper into their geoscience curiosity. The summer long research program culminates with a research paper, poster and presentation.

Throughout the summer I worked with two high school juniors on the fundamentals for conducting independent research, laboratory safety, sample preparation and data interpretation. They learned to analyze sediment grain size on a laser diffractometer.

Upon completion of their projects titled “Determining the Most Efficient Method for Soil pH” and “The Effects of Acid Rain on Soil pH and the Investigation of the Relationship Between Soil pH and Depth”, they can ask a meaningful research question, design the necessary procedures to answer it and think critically about their results. They also developed important life skills of punctuality, responsibility and time management.