Emily Yee, a senior at Ridgefield High School, has been a part of the Science Research program since sophomore year. Read a Q&A below to find out about the program, her research, and recent success at the CT Science and Engineering Fair.
What is special about Science Research?
The Science Research course allows you to conduct professional, original, research on any topic under the sun. I am a vegetarian of eight years and entered the program knowing I wanted to research a trait important to mental health.
What is your research?
I chose to research The Efficacy of Plant Based Protein vs. Animal Based Protein on Sleep Quantity. Choosing this topic and understanding the science behind it took my first year and a half in the program.
I have heard that Science Research students choose mentors outside of RHS. Who is your mentor and how did she support you?
With the help of my mentor, Dr. Marie St. Onge (Director of Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University) I wrote my methodology and gained approval from the IRB in spring of junior year. I used flies as my model organism to measure sleep, and handmade each of my independent variables with agar, either soy or beef protein isolate, and water. I recorded flies in a lab for a 24 hour period for three trials for my data. I conducted my experiment and analyzed the data over the course of the summer and fall of senior year.
With completed research and results, I am able to take part in more competitive fairs. Typically, it involves sending my abstract, forms, and other necessary materials along with a presentation (ranging from 3-6 minutes) in front of a panel of judges.
How are the fairs going?
Recently, I won 4th place in my division for CT STEM, and was selected to be a finalist at CSEF (Connecticut Science and Engineering Fair) after initial virtual judging. Science Research at RHS has provided me with the amazing opportunity to learn how to do real, scientific research, communicate and form relationships with scientists across the country, and present my research I am passionate about!
*Information courtesy RPS weekly newsletter. Read it here