PURPOSE OF LETTER
Through this letter, we advocate that higher-education faculty and scientists should create and support new research and science learning experiences tailored for high school students. This will ultimately build a more research-oriented and diverse pipeline of trainees and professionals in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM; Talley, 2024; Wilbur et al., 2020). Such opportunities may include internships, tiered mentorship with trainees, outreach efforts, summer programs, field trips, expert panels, and other enriching opportunities (see Table 1). We highlight how these opportunities can be mutually beneficial for high school students, local school districts, academic institutes, faculty, and current trainees, starting at the undergraduate level. Drawing from our experiences and material from other successful programs, we will (1) provide concrete recommendations to help researchers identify ways to recruit and meaningfully engage high school students in science and (2) outline strategies for designing and implementing successful programs that include high school students in research and other science learning opportunities focused on alcohol use and mental health, more broadly.
TABLE 1.
Menu of possible research and science learning opportunities to offer high school students and schools.
| Research or science learning opportunity | Description |
|---|---|
| Research assistantship or internship | Student would assist with specific, developmentally appropriate tasks in the laboratory and attend lab meetings |
| One-on-one mentorship with current trainee | Under faculty supervision, an undergraduate or more advanced trainee would work closely with student to provide mentorship, advice, and delegate appropriate tasks |
| Afterschool program | Researchers offer to provide lessons, lectures, or mentorship to group of students after school hours |
| Summer training program | Researchers and trainees host more intensive research or science learning experiences during the summer months to small group of students |
| Lecture on expert content area | Present interactive lecture to classroom or school on topic of expertise and of interest to students |
| Shadowing experience | Offer opportunities for students to shadow research activities. This would likely not involve direct research study participant observation to protect privacy |
| Field trips to university or medical research centers | As transportation allows, invite students to visit research spaces, such as physiology, basic science, neuroimaging, and medical training spaces or simply a college classroom or laboratory |
| Host or organize expert panel | Invite professionals from various backgrounds to serve as panelists. With guidance, students can ask personally-relevant questions. Suggest keeping groups small and panel focused on a given topic area |
| Youth advisory role | Students can serve as advisors on mutually relevant topics. For instance, adolescent researchers can learn from youth about latest trends, marketing strategies, lived experiences, and topics that matter most |
| University preparation course and science enrichment | Many students need assistance with preparing for university admissions tests, completing applications, and deciding on a major/area of focus. Researchers may support these efforts and provide lectures or enrichment on the biomedical or health sciences |
| Virtual offering | Most opportunities listed above can be implemented in virtual formats to reach rural or non-local areas and when transportation/logistical challenges exist |
WHY SHOULD RESEARCHERS INVEST IN HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS?
Most training programs funded by the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation are geared toward the undergraduate level and higher. There is more recognizable appeal in enlisting undergraduate students in research, rather than high school students, but unfortunately this approach leaves many young people out of early research opportunities. For instance, undergraduates applying to research programs or joining research laboratories represent an already select group of young people who have been accepted into university and possibly declared a health science-related major. By engaging students earlier in their education, such as during high school, faculty can promote students’ interest in science before future career plans are established (Margherio et al., 2024). As such, we hope that promoting earlier research opportunities will widen the net of future scientists and result in more-prepared trainees.
As researchers specializing in substance use, with many of us focused on youth substance use, we recognize adolescence as a critical neurodevelopmental period. Adolescence is a time filled with new experiences, where youth seek out new opportunities, learn their academic strengths and curiosities, and more seriously consider their future careers. This time period includes neural development of regions implicated in self-concept (i.e., knowledge and beliefs about oneself), which is shaped in part by cognitive advancements and social environment (van der Cruijsen et al., 2023). Research suggests that experiences that promote positive self-concept development and clarity may have beneficial effects on social relations, general well-being, identity, and life choices (Crone et al., 2022). Thus, by including high school students in research and science learning with mentors, we may make considerable, earlier gains in students’ self-efficacy and self-concept as a future college student, scientist, or physician. Health professionals and educators trained in effective communication, problem-solving, and active listening may be especially adept at fostering development of professional skills. Many adolescents are engaging in the workforce for the first time, such as through school-based work experience, internships, or part-time positions. Learning professional development skills through a research internship or program will serve students well in future work and academic opportunities, regardless of whether they continue on to a science-related field.
WHO STANDS TO BENEFIT?
In this section, we provide further rationale for creating and sustaining research opportunities for high school students and explain how these experiences can be mutually beneficial.
Benefits for high school students and local schools
As expected, many high school students know little about the complexities of the research process and nuances of careers in medicine, social sciences, and STEM, which can be a rate-limiting step when considering a future career. Interacting with professionals who work in these spaces can create a clearer picture of the “Nature of Science” (Burgin & Sadler, 2016; Tsybulsky et al., 2018), the positions we hold, and the work we do, resulting in the “demystification” of research careers and their pursuit. While often the best supporters during adolescence, parents/guardians and teachers may not have the personal experience to advise on certain topics of interest. Making connections outside of the traditional school framework, such as through a summer research internship that facilitates on-going mentorship or expert panel that provides a space for students to ask personally-relevant questions, are invaluable. Further, high school students who have already completed a research internship or attended science programming can serve as near-peer mentors and learn valuable skills (e.g., communication, teaching, managing expectations), while enhancing next-generation mentee learning outcomes (Destin et al., 2018; Qua et al., 2020; Tenenbaum et al., 2014). In return, schools may benefit from this external programming through better grades in science classes and increased confidence and self-efficacy among students. Schools will gain stronger connections with local faculty, universities, and medical centers, which can enrich school resources and educational opportunities in numerous ways.
Benefits for faculty, researchers, and academic institutes
Working with young people can be a highly fulfilling and vitalizing experience. Moreover, it affords researchers a chance to improve their science. Adolescents ask insightful questions that often differ from the types of questions considered by researchers with advanced knowledge. This may help researchers approach their work in a novel way. High school students are often quite tech-savvy, knowledgeable about current trends, and may offer valuable insights into advertising strategies to help widen the reach of recruitment for studies. Importantly, community outreach and service efforts are increasingly required and valued in faculty hiring and the tenure-track and promotion process. Faculty whose research is focused on adolescence and development may benefit from inviting high school students to serve on a youth advisory board, which seeks to incorporate youth voices in positive manner. These boards typically comprise a group of young people working together to improve communities, schools, or programs. In this role, students can share their lived experience, provide guidance, and speak about what matters most to them. Moreover, academic institutions may benefit from researchers working with adolescents. Reputable science education and training opportunities for high school students can reflect positively on the institution at large and increase its reputation in the community, possibly building trust. By distilling research and science topics into digestible information that can be effectively taught to the general public and youth, researchers are challenged to better communicate their science.
Benefits for current staff and trainees
Staff and trainees, including research assistants/coordinators, undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, may be interested in developing high school science learning opportunities themselves or may be asked to participate in their advisors’ or departments’ efforts. Many benefits described for faculty above overlap with those for trainees. Additionally, trainees may more readily recognize the impact of their own research, while growing in science self-efficacy and teaching skills. They may appreciate the chance to gain teaching and mentorship experiences, such as by providing lessons/lectures to a non-academic audience, helping run a science summer camp (Rivers et al., 2020), or working closely with a high school student with shared interests. These activities may be advantageous CV builders for undergraduate students who might not otherwise have the chance to acquire them. Undergraduates and recent graduates may be the most proficient mentors on navigating the college application process, along with providing resources/tips about scholarships or managing science coursework (Kadavakollu et al., 2020). Overall, these types of tangible and meaningful activities may stand out in the face of sometimes endless tasks involving reading, writing, analyzing, and evaluation.
Broader implications for the field
All of the research and science learning opportunities covered in this letter can be especially impactful for students who are underrepresented in science fields, who attend under-resourced schools, and who would not otherwise have considered pursuing higher education or a career in science. This falls in line with a recent call for expansive efforts to promote diversity in alcohol research (see ACER commentary by Talley, 2024). Several researchers have written about the need for community-based participatory research (Dick, 2017; May et al., 2021). By consistently contributing and listening to the community, such as through school outreach, education efforts, and community advisory boards, faculty can help build trust in science and research. In return, this can have positive downstream outcomes on the diversity of professionals in the field and research participant samples, while improving science and health outcomes. Here, we emphasize involving high school students in research, yet other remarkable programs recruiting scientists are geared toward teaching children as early as elementary years about science and humanizing STEM professionals (e.g., Letters to a Pre-Scientist, prescientist.org).
HOW CAN RESEARCHERS INVOLVE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS?
Types of research opportunities
Research and science learning opportunities will have varying degrees of involvement and commitment. In Table 1, we provide a non-comprehensive list of potential means to engage high school students in research, along with a brief description. We suggest picking one(s) that best fit your laboratory and skillset. For example, entry into this process might look like offering a few internship positions to high school students and asking your established trainees to work closely with them. Alternatives might be offering to provide a science presentation to a local classroom or inviting a panel of experts from health fields to talk about their careers. Literature supports the acceptance and advantages of virtual offerings with high school students (Wozniak et al., 2023).
Effective recruitment and community engagement strategies
Once you have selected the research opportunities you will offer to high school students, next consider how you will recruit and select students to work with your program. Researchers may start by recruiting from local schools with which their institutions have already established a connection. We recommend connecting with multiple contacts at a given school (e.g., guidance counselors, science/health teachers, department/area heads, principals, or administrators)—thus, if any one person is unavailable or leaves the school, there will already be other established contacts. Researchers can consider asking school contacts to advertise their training opportunity within the school or identify students. Furthermore, you might have success recruiting more directly by speaking about opportunities with students.
We strongly encourage researchers to carefully consider which students may benefit the most from a research or science opportunity. As noted above, first-generation college students, students from backgrounds underrepresented in science, and students attending schools with limited resources or opportunities may gain more from a research opportunity than students from highly-resourced schools or who have parents/guardians working in STEM or medicine. For example, although some students may email directly to ask about a volunteer position in your laboratory, there are many more students who will not know these opportunities exist. Actively seeking out students who may benefit most will not only introduce more youth to research but allow them opportunities to learn critical professional development skills that will serve them across their lifetime.
Most researchers will not have the capacity to work with every high school student who is interested in an internship or science learning opportunity. With this in mind, researchers should consider if they will have a formal application and interview process. If so, we encourage researchers to (1) consider a range of metrics (e.g., interest in research, access to opportunities or mentorship, leadership potential) outside of standard GPA or prior experience when reviewing applications and (2) create a standard list of interview questions for evaluation of applicants. Our team’s Teen Science Ambassador Program (Margherio et al., 2024) recruits individuals underrepresented in science and uses a two-step interview process wherein each applicant is asked behavioral performance-based questions across two interviews. Prior to the interview, the team shares interview preparation materials with the candidate. The first meeting serves as a mock interview wherein the applicant receives feedback and guidance on their performance, and the second interview serves as the basis of candidate selection, according to an established rating scale. This model is valuable as it ensures that every applicant receives interview experience and feedback.
Finally, for opportunities taking place outside of school hours, we strongly encourage researchers to compensate high school students for their work, time, and effort (Ayoob et al., 2022). Many high school students, particularly those who have been underrepresented in science and healthcare careers, are in need of paid afterschool employment as a financial necessity for themselves and their family. Thus, cash payments or direct deposits are preferable to gift card payments, whenever possible, and regular payments (vs. lump sum at the end of a program) may better support students’ financial needs. Not all researchers have access to funds to pay students but seeking funds from institutions, foundations/philanthropy, departments, or universities are avenues to support paid opportunities.
How to make the most of research opportunities
In this section, we provide brief recommendations on how to facilitate meaningful learning experiences when involving high school students in research. In Table 2, we provide a set of barriers, possible ways to overcome them, and embed relevant resources, including methods to help combat feelings of unpreparedness in working with youth. Several factors can strengthen desirable program outcomes, such as having students work on projects of personal interest, allowing self-selection into laboratories, and fostering a collaborative and communicative research environment (Burgin et al., 2012). When working with all trainees, particularly high school students, it is recommended to collaboratively set clear and realistic expectations and goals early in the process. To start a laboratory-based research experience, provide students with a detailed orientation manual, hold an early conversation outlining clear expectations, and follow this up with an individualized learning plan. In Table 3, we include a researcher checklist for implementing learning opportunities that bring high school students into laboratory settings. Providing developmentally appropriate mentorship and assigning specific, measurable tasks can allow students to gain ownership, while feeling supported. Examples of developmentally appropriate tasks for students are assisting with advertising materials for study recruitment, creating a resource sheet for participants, completing data entry, attending meetings, presenting at local schools and community groups, disseminating science through social media posts, and shadowing research staff.
TABLE 2.
Set of possible barriers to successfully engaging high school students in research and ways to overcome.
| Possible barriers | Ways to overcome |
|---|---|
| Level of preparedness among research team is unclear | Conduct a self-assessment on attitudes toward youth, readiness, and youth level of participation. Facilitate staff training Resource: Roger Hart’s Ladder of Children’s Participation (Hart, 1992) |
| Lack of training in mentorship | Seek out formal training in mentorship, attend relevant talks/workshops on mentorship, seek advice from colleagues, and read up on having difficult conversations and building psychological safety with trainees Mentoring youth resource: Youth.gov: youth.gov/youth-topics/mentoring |
| Working with students who are under 18 | Obtain parental consent. Seek advice from colleagues with experience. Ask school and teachers about their policies and best practices Youth-focused resource: Youth Engaged 4 Change, engage.youth.gov |
| Misaligned goals and expectations | Collaborate on a mentorship compact/agreement. Set clear and realistic expectations. Provide very specific tasks with frequent guidance as needed Mentor resource: CIMER Project: cimerproject.org |
| Student not meeting expectations | Consider whether expectations were clearly outlined and whether student is being provided with regular guidance and support. Create a laboratory manual with detailed guidelines and expectations Mentor resource: NIH Raising a Resilient Scientist series, training.nih.gov/raising-a-resilient-scientist/ |
| Students are hesitant to engage in science activities | Assess fit with research topic, tasks, and mentor. Involve student in topic selection, which can increase interest and autonomy. Work on building trust and creating a safe space for openness. Identify a near-peer mentor Resource on youth engagement: UNICEF report (UNICEF Innocenti, 2024) |
| Lack of funding | It is encouraged to compensate students for their time if attending activities outside of school/school hours. Other expenses may include salary costs for team, food, transportation, or technology/equipment. Financial support may come from grants, university funding, and philanthropy/foundations Resource: NIH Science Education Partnership Awards, nihsepa.org/ |
| Lengthy onboarding processes for short duration internships | Mandatory hospital or university orientation and trainings will likely cut into experiential research time. Yet, consider that these are training experiences in their own right, rather than distractions delaying “real” learning. Exposure to how a university system functions can be a valuable career skill Program implementation resource: Hillman Academy, hundred.org/en/innovations/hillman-academy (Ayoob et al., 2022) |
| Limited time and space to offer research opportunities and necessary training | Collaborate with a team of researchers to share responsibilities and resources. Provide low burden opportunities, such as a panel or lecture. Host virtual opportunities. Innovative ideas from other groups include designing program around a college course or internship (e.g., focused on development, teaching, science communication) or presenting material to high school class that helps teachers meet educational standards/requirements Outreach Resource: UCLA Brain Research Institute, bri.ucla.edu/k-12-education-and-outreach-programs/ |
TABLE 3.
Researcher checklist for learning opportunities that bring high school students into laboratory settings.
| Checklist Items for Bringing High School Students into the Laboratory |
|---|
|
Determine if students will be volunteers or paid employees If paid (highly encouraged), establish pay schedule and method. Consider how students will be compensated if they do not have a bank account |
|
Ask university human resources/administration to provide set of onboarding requirements These requirements many include personal documentation, health records, screenings, etc. Find out the university’s minimum age for employment/payment |
|
For students under 18 years, determine parental/guardian requirements This will include parental/guardian consent and other paperwork. Parents may express preferences in regard to communication with students and ask questions about ensuring student safety and learning |
|
Create recruitment and interview materials Once you have partnered with/contacted local high schools, start creating recruitment materials. Consider the application process, if necessary, and how you will conduct standard interviews |
|
Consider transportation Determine how students will get to the laboratory and where they will park (if applicable). This may require researchers to pay for parking or taxi/rideshare |
|
Draft a list of laboratory contacts and support persons Consider creating a contact chart to list (1) who student should contact for support and questions (in order), and (2) the student’s supervisor |
|
Create an orientation manual that clearly outlines laboratory expectations
Encourage you to have a tailored manual for high school students |
|
Find a workspace for student Find a space for student to work and obtain necessary equipment for completing tasks (e.g., computer, phone, access to databases, university library). Sharing a workspace with a junior team member trained in near-peer mentorship may help student feel more oriented and comfortable in new environment |
|
Develop program/research opportunity curriculum and structure Consider length of research opportunity, projected timeline for training/onboarding, and potential set of developmentally appropriate tasks and learning objectives |
|
Gather mentorship and youth resources Seek out materials on best practices in mentorship and conduct a self-assessment on preparedness and attitudes. Think about gathering set of resources relevant to high school students (e.g., career paths in STEM, mental health, research, college application process) |
|
Establish set of trainings and schedule initial meetings Establish trainings that may be required for research tasks and think about who might facilitate trainings. Set up initial meeting with student to discuss clear expectations, ask about interests, answer questions, familiarize to laboratory, and review orientation manual |
Engaging students in laboratory-based activities or those representing authentic research experiences may result in greater feelings of competence and flow (i.e., absorption in activity) than class-based activities (Kirchhoff et al., 2023). However, activities taking place at school still achieve similar levels of intrinsic motivation and feelings of autonomy. Science outreach programs that do not actively engage students in research projects but teach the scientific process can have positive influences on learning and attitudes (Tsybulsky et al., 2018). Regardless of the type of research opportunity, the most essential feature of your research experience should be fostering student safety and an environment of inclusivity and trust. Young people are the experts of their own experience, and the adults who work with them should be accountable and trustworthy. We recommend that faculty engage in critical self-reflection of their mentorship style and consider new opportunities to grow their skills.
In sum, we encourage faculty to support new research and science learning experiences geared toward high school students. These efforts, if sustained, stand to benefit researchers and high school students as well as academic institutes, current trainees, and local school districts. Community-focused collaborations can foster trust, improve science, and help build a more research-oriented and diverse pipeline of trainees and professionals.
FUNDING INFORMATION
National Institute of General Medical Sciences, Grant/Award Number: R25 GM142048 (Squeglia); National Institute on Drug Abuse, Grant/Award Number: T32 DA007288 (Meredith, Browning); and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Grant/Award Number: K24AA031052 (Squeglia), K23AA027307 (Jarnecke), & K01AA031745 (Kirkland).
Footnotes
CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT
The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
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