The Effectiveness of Informal and Formal Collaborations Between High School Science Research Students and the Scientific Community

Woodbridge Township School District's Science Research Program has allowed for a variety of collaborative efforts between the education and scientific communities as student participants engage in authentic scientific research at the high school level. These collaborations have been initiated by informal requests to science professionals by the participating students and through formal university internships and programs such as Partners In Science at Liberty Science Center. The success of collaborations as measured by the ability of students to complete authentic individual research projects is varied. In requesting informal assistance from science professionals, the initial contact request by students required specific parameters for assistance to achieve a positive response and subsequent collaboration. Generalized requests for assistance often did not receive responses from members of the scientific community. In approximately 20 cases of informal interaction with science professionals, the collaboration had positive effects on the outcome of student research though the level of effect was highly variable ranging from the answering of background information questions, provision of academic literature or suggestions for experimental design and methods of data analysis. Of 7 formal mentorship programs undertaken by students, 5 allowed for the completion of successful student research projects. The inability of a formal mentorship program to provide a students with viable research opportunities resulted from the cooperating scientist participating in research topics that did not allow for continued student participation upon leaving the institution at the end of the program.