Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

I am looking for a mentor for my wind turbine project.
How can I find a mentor? I am in 8th grade.

Hi aaron786,

The folks here at Ask An Expert can be a great resource for helping troubleshoot problems you might run into or answering other questions you might have. But, we can't be there in person. If you are looking for someone to be an "in person" mentor, the best way to find a mentor is to ask people if they would be willing to help you.

I suggest making a list of some people you think might be good mentors. Maybe they know something about engineering or are good at fixing things - you can probably think of other criteria. Then, write down what your question and hypothesis are, write down a draft experimental plan, and make a few notes about what kind of help you would like from your mentor. You want to make it clear that you have a plan. If you ask someone to help you, but you haven't already done some work on your own to prepare, you'll probably get a lot of negative responses (at least in my experience). But, if you ask someone to help you, explain what you are trying to do, and describe what kind of help you would like from your mentor, you are much more likely to get a positive result.

Let us know if we can help you with anything else!