Questions about my topic & how to start

[kyhekm]

Hi

I have 2 questions here.

1) I want to do research about zebrafish's ability to regenerate heart and one professor in Duke university started since 2002.
I tried to contact him but he replied all e-mails what i sent...haha
I'm thinking about using ability of regeneration into mammals and generalize it.
so I just to want some comment about my topic. Do you guys think it will be good topic for my science fair?


2) To start the project, I really need a professor because my topic can't be done in high school. So I asked my science teacher to introduce me a professor around college
but he takes too long... it's been 2 weeks and he said to me to wait more...
so, i was wondering to ask a professor who i know but his major is molecular biology associated with plants....
Do you think it is better idea to contact latter professor though his major is not related to me?

I'm afraid that I don't have much time to finish my topic

[deleted-71417]

Hi,

This sounds like an exciting project. I did a quick search on the topic and found this paper, along with a long list of related papers:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/a ... /5601/2188

So I don’t think you need to limit your search for a mentor to one professor. Quite a number of people have the expertise you need.

http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info ... 5E78020526

I recommend studying this How to find a mentor page:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... tors.shtml

The last post in this thread might help:

https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science- ... =29&t=4879

I hope these help you be successful in finding a workable solution! Please persist in your efforts, and I think eventually you will succeed.

Best regards,

Barrett Tomlinson

[kyhekm]

Hi!!!

thanks for your help. It really helped.
Fortunately, professor whom I know introduced me a professor who is researching zebrafish so I am going to contact her really soon.
I hope everything goes fine!!

Anyway, thanks for your help again!


P.S. I have a simple question here. I was always thinking about applying for RSI and SIMR but I'm really worried about this because I'm not that good comparing to genius students.....haha Do you have any idea about getting into that kinds of program? Personally, I wanna get into SIMR but seems so hard lol

Best,
Kyung Heui Kim

[deleted-71417]

Hi,

I am not familiar with RSI. Is it the Research Science Institute at MIT? If so check out their website for into on applying:

http://cee.org/programs/rsi

Is SIMR Stanford Institues of Medicine Summer Research Program? If so check ou this for application information for 2010:

http://simr.stanford.edu/

Network with your university professor contacts and anyone you can connect with who has participated in prior years for better insights on how to get in.

My only observation is that if you are interested, aplly! The worst that can happen is that you won’t be accepted My experience with working in science jobs says work ethic and persistence are far more important than being a genius, and women are often at an advantage in being recruited into science professions. Hard work and enthusiasm for science count far more than natival talent in determining success.

Go for it!!!!

Best regards,

Barrett Tomlinson

[kyhekm]

Hey Barrett,

I think I got a problem here haha.
I asked a professor that I want to do research on heart regeneration but unfortunately, her field is studying about retinal regeneration.
So she proposed me that her undergraduate student will willing to help me if I research on retinal regeneration because that's what they are doing.

Do you think I need to change my topic to retinal regeneration or just stay? But the problem is if I just stay at heart regeneration, i think i will not get help from them.

And I have one more question. If I join the work of students' work(i think this is what she is proposing to me), then I can't attend the science fair with their work, right?


tough.... :S haha

Kyung Heui Kim

[deleted-71417]

Hi,

This is a decision I cannot help you with. The professor seems to be offering access to her lab and expertise, which is very difficult for a high school student to get. Her student may know more about actually doing these experiments than the professor does. Have you met the student? Would you be able to work well with him/her? Would the student view you just as an extra pair of hands to do their experiments under close supervision, or would they support you doing your own experiments and investigation? While you would need to acknowlege the collaboration on your project, if you plan and execute experiments of your own design I see no problem entering the science fair with them. I have seen impressive science fair exhibits that mostly described the work of a university lab involving more than the science fair students work. Just be very careful to only claim work as yours that you actually did - if you ever violate this rule you risk making a lifelong enemy that can’t be reconciled, as well as personal professional disgrace that is almost impossible to live down.

Think carefully about r where your real interests lie. There may be a lot of commonality between tissue regeneration in the eye and heart. Are the molecular mechanisms and celluar pathways similar? Will what you learn from one give insigth to the other? Are there reasons why studying the eye will be experimentally easier than studying the heart? Will the experimental skills you can learn working on one apply to the other? Will a good reference letter from this lab help you get into the college you want to attend?

This is an extremely important decision for you, and only you can balance the pros and cons about it. Think very carefully before you decide. If you decide to decline, be extremely courteous to the professor and student. They have made you a very generous offer, which very few high school students ever get, and they deserve every courtesy and gratitude for doing so. ( May I strongly suggest you break yourself of the “haha” habit - it is not helping your image at all!)

Good luck.

Barrett Tomlinson

[kyhekm]

Hi Barrett

Thanks for your advice.
I think I need to ask her that whether his students are willing to help my own experiment.
If this is not possible well.... I guess I need to try to write a research paper or something like that.
Because I don't get this kind of opportunity well and she(professor) is quite good according to her publications and other stuff.

I will think about it again!!
I really appreciate your help till now


Kyung Heui Kim