High School Researchers Report

Tierra, Amanda and Jason are NYC high school students at NYU-Poly as researchers for the summer in our ARISE program.  Along with 16 other students, these young people are working with graduate and faculty mentors in ten different labs investigating robotics, civil, chemical and electrical engineering, materials science, computer science and more. These young people write about their experience over the first few weeks on campus.

Tierra Throughout my time here at the Polytechnic Institute of NYU I have gained a surplus of knowledge that I could not have received anywhere else this summer. I have gained friendships and professional relationships with the other students and faculty in my ARISE program. The first labs were amazing; constructing and programming robot cars, pulleys, and pendulums with lego mindstorms was what I woke up every morning motivated to do, and lectures are helping me to become a great scientific writer and presenter.

Working with graduate students in my Composite Materials Mechanics Lab has make my experience more enjoyable because they are people just like me. Through this program I have achieved the experience I wanted in order make me continue to pursue my goal in becoming a mechanical engineer. I am truly grateful to be apart of the ARISE program at NYU-Poly. “There are two types of jobs, ones where people tell the machines what to do, and one where the machines tell the people what to do.” – Fred Wilson. Through my experience here I will get the job where the people tell the machines what to do.

Jason It can be difficult for me to find exposure to higher-level math and science. This is especially true at my high school, where the curriculum is largely based around liberal arts.  ARISE has proven to be an excellent way for me to experience applied math and science in a professional atmosphere. Even before applying to the program, when reading the descriptions of the labs I could work in, I immediately realized that it would be perfect.

From day one of working in my lab, the Dynamical Systems Lab (DSL), I’ve been engaged in a unique research project that represents that of a graduate or PhD student. I have completed my first week of research, and I am thrilled to begin my next one. Over the course of the week, I have learned how to use an advanced 3D modeling software (I had only used Google SketchUp before), designed and printed – using a 3D printer, another piece of technology I am grateful to have access to – a model turbine for experimentation, built a mounting system for this model, and tested its performance in a wind tunnel. I truly feel like I am conducting real research… Because I am!

This program allows 20 determined future engineers to utilize their math and science knowledge in a way that is impossible in high school. This project has furthered my interest in the energy field of mechanical engineering, and I know I will look back on ARISE as a gateway into my career as an engineer.

Amanda When I first started the ARISE Program, I didn’t know what to expect until the first week in my Optical Sensing Lab where I got a better understanding of what my task was for the summer. Working with Soha Gholitabar in the Optical Sensing Lab has been an amazing experience so far.

During the first week in my lab, I had the opportunity to collect data using a PM monitor and a Black Carbon Monitor, which was then used to create an Excel chart that was presented to Professor Ghandehari. Besides this assignment, this summer I am hoping to carry out a well planned experiment that I will be proud to present at the end of the program.