Program Format:

1. Project MARS is a virtual program

2. Students will be able to engage in the program from their own home.

   There are 3 tracks offered in Project MARS:

• Science Fair:

• High School Journal Research

• Intro To Research

  • In each track, students will be tasked with creating a research project related to science, public health or medicine  

    • Each student can create an individual or group project and submit 3 key components

      • Abstract

      • Research Paper

      • Virtual Symposium Presentation

• Mentorship Opportunity

  • Accepted students will also be paired with an experienced high school student who will guide them one-on-one or in a group through the research process

  • Students and groups will be able to meet with their mentors whenever they choose to schedule a session using the Calendly Link above throughout the span of the program and to talk about their research projects, career goals, academics, and extracurricular activities

• Professional Networking

  • During the span of the program, MARS will also be hosting live professional guest speakers and sharing recordings on socials within the fields of science and medicine each month

  • All accepted students will have the opportunity to hear from and potentially have an open-discussion with renowned professionals in various health fields

  • Before each session, a form will be going out where students can send in their questions in the event of a session being only for mentors and the speaker

Project MARS specializes in guiding students through submitting and researching for local and state science fairs and walking students through computational and lab-based processes.

Estimated 6-8 week class for full mentorship experience or take lessons at your own pace based on what you need!

Week 1: brainstorming and deciding on a project idea to research

Week 2: start background information and introduction rough draft. Discuss science fair forms and make sure all appropriate forms have been filled out before experimentation.

Week 3: Begin designing an experiment and methodology section and start collecting data. You can also request to learn about specific types of experimentation if you are interested in employing such feasible data collection methods for your research.

Week 4: collect data and regroup to talk about further experimentation, testing, and troubleshooting. Talk about different types of graphs to present data from research.

Week 5: writing the rest of the paper and writing the results and discussion portion of your paper

Week 6: editing and feedback. Finalize abstract, and all parts of paper.

Week 7/8: (optional) guidance on display, practice runs and judging

This part of our program also focuses on giving practice run throughs and presentational tips to competitors who have already completed their project. We specialize in providing extra feedback for state fairs and international fairs if and when a competitor advances to the next stage.

While pursuing research projects as a personal passion is a helpful skill, young scientists need to share their scientific findings with the world. Our corporation helps students and first-time publishers navigate publishing to top high school journals through a mentorship program where mentors guide student researchers through the step by step process of research.

Manuscript preparation: Offering feedback on drafts and ensuring adherence to journal guidelines.

Submission and peer review: Supporting students through the submission process and responding to reviewer comments.

While publishing is the core goal, the program should also focus on developing well-rounded scientific communication skills. This includes:

Writing: Crafting clear and concise research papers, abstracts, and presentations. We will also discuss the use of AI in research paper writing.

Presenting: Confidently delivering research findings to an audience so that findings make sense to larger groups of people.

Networking: Connecting with other researchers and building professional relationships. We will provide development workshops and have relevant figures in the field of biotech to give talks about their work.

Ethical Considerations: Understanding plagiarism, data integrity, and responsible research practices.

6-8 Week Program Schedule:

This schedule is designed to be flexible and can be adapted based on the specific needs of the participants.

Week 1: Introduction to Scientific Communication

Overview of the peer-review process, talk about the structure of a research paper (abstract, introduction, methods, results, discussion). We will analyze successful publications in top high school journals.

Week 2: Developing Research Ideas and Designing Experiments. Brainstorming research topics. Identifying knowledge gaps and formulating research questions. Talk about variables, controls, data collection methods. Develop a research proposal and outlining the research paper.

Week 3: Conducting Research and Analyzing Data. Data Collection and Management, basic statistical methods, creating effective figures and tables to present data. Talk about partnering with labs nearby to observe real-world scientific work and potentially conduct research there.

Week 4: Writing the Manuscript. Introduction, methodology, results, and discussion.

Week 5: Edits and Peer Review Workshop. Mentors provide final feedback on revised manuscripts.

Week 6: Submitting and Navigating the Peer Review Process with a Q&A Session addressing student questions and concerns about the publication process.

Week 7 (Optional): Presenting Research and Networking

This introductory course is designed for anyone who's new to research and wants to develop essential skills. You'll learn the entire research process, from formulating questions to presenting your findings. We'll also focus on practical strategies for reading and understanding complex scientific articles, and guide you through the process of creating a comprehensive literature review. By the end of the course, you'll have the confidence and tools to embark on your own research journey.

Whether you're considering a career in research or simply want to become a more informed consumer of information, this course will equip you with valuable skills.

We'll break down the research process step-by-step, covering everything from identifying research questions and designing studies to analyzing data and drawing conclusions. We'll explore different research methodologies and ethical considerations, giving you a well-rounded foundation in research principles.