MAKING THE JUMP TO UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH FOR TOP-LEVEL HIGHSCHOOL STUDENT RESEARCHERS: THE PROBLEM

Across the US, > 5000 highschool student researchers (HSSRs) do lab work annually. Most HSSRs present their research ≥ 1 science fair, while > 2000 seniors submit to the Regeneron Science Talent Search (formerly Intel), and > 1000 present at the International Science and Engineering Fair annually, but few ever publish their research in the scientific literature. Sadly, many HSSRs' last research experience occurs in highschool: Several factors prevent most HSSRs from ever becoming undergraduate science researchers (UGSRs) or graduate students. Certainly, many HSSRs (or their parents) know that doing science research will improve their chances of getting into a top-flight undergraduate (UG) school, and may increase their scholarships. Some HSSRs using science research to gain an UG school acceptance may not feel a need to do more research, or really disliked the research experience, and thus, do not attempt to continue their research career. Some never planned to become scientists, engineers, or medical researchers, and thus, do not continue in research. For a significant number, however, finding a suitable UG research placement is difficult to impossible. Although more labs accept UGSRs than take HS researchers, few labs will accept > 1-2 UGSRs, especially freshmen, and many eschew all HSSRs. A suitable placement often ignores the HSSRs' lab experience, possibly because the new lab director fails to understand or value HSSRs' research experience. Some HSSRs may lack necessary skills in making curriculum vitae or doing successful interviews to be accepted into high-level labs, but some HSSRs lack the knowledge or confidence to try for an UG research lab placement. HSSRs' inability to find an UG research lab placement can cause feelings of inadequacy, reduces confidence, or induce depression in those once active and rewarded HSSRs. Moreover, the scientific community loses their skills and potential research contributions by not furthering their research career.