Science Buddies: "Ask an Expert"

Hello,

I've been thinking a lot about looking for a mentor who could help me develop a couple of ideas I've been researching for reversible fuel cells. However, I am concerned that if I shared my ideas with a mentor, I would no longer have ownership/control over my ideas. Have students ever come across this problem before? What would you suggest?

Thank you!

Any time you collaborate with someone you have to acknowledge their help. When you research a paper you have to cite your sources. In this case, you have some ideas on how to improve a technology. It may turn out that your ideas as you hav them in your head need a tweak or two. A mentor who uses their years of experience may offer you suggestions that turn your idea a few degrees one way or another, or you may end up turning 180 degrees and going a completely different direction.

What you might no longer have is exclusive ownership of your final design (depending on how much the mentor contributed) but if it works, isn't that better than building something that might not? You could certainly still have control over the result. A mentor won't be interested in taking anything away from you. They want to help you build something that you might not have had otherwise.

We are interested in conducting an experiment involving the different pH levels found in soils, and how those varying pH levels can affect the diversity and amount of beneficial organisms discovered in those soil samples. We are looking for a mentor to help us as we progress through our project. We have a devoted class period for this project and funding available to help us with equipment and needed travel. Any advice or assistance would be greatly appreciated.

[Administrator note: personal contact information removed.]