Research Skills Courses
We offer a collection of focused short courses that equip you with tools and approaches professional scientists use every day.
Short courses teaching practical scientific skills and tools for high school, middle school, and homeschool students. Skills and knowledge transferable to SoTS Labs, university summer schools, and university labs in the future. Perfect preparation for future research, or to get your current project to the next level.
While SoTS Research Labs focus on semester-long research projects, Research Skills Courses offers short courses to build specific skills typically not found in a curriculum of middle or high schools.
For Your Research Journey
Science Fair Success
Move beyond basic projects. Stand out with work that looks and feels like real science - not a typical school assignment.
Summer Research Program
Get the most out of your summer research program. Show yourself in the best light. Get a better recommendation. Arrive prepared instead of spending weeks catching up.
Take Your Project Deeper
Already researching something? Learn to analyze your data properly, run simulations, or add quantitative methods to your investigation.
Open New Possibilities
Sometimes the best ideas come after you learn new tools and skills. You don't need a project in mind to start. Open up new horizons and see what becomes possible.
Courses
Available: Princeton In-Person | Online
Modern Statistics for Research
Your project has data. Now what? Learn to analyze it properly with R and GenAI coding tools - the same approach used in professional research. Walk away with publication-ready charts and statistical analysis that judges actually respect.
Basic statistics concepts (mean, median, standard deviation, distributions). Basic coding experience in any language.
Computationally Enabled Research with Wolfram Mathematica
Run advanced simulations, build models, and solve problems symbolically with Wolfram Mathematica without spending a year learning to code advanced computational algorithms. Lowest entry barrier of any serious tool to start getting serious results, yet as powerful as it gets. Used in universities and research labs worldwide.
Basic experience with coding in any language
Modern Age Machine Learning
Find patterns in data, predict outcomes, automatically sort and cluster observations, process images for object detection and automatic analysis - count cells, measure samples, classify environmental images. Learn with Python and GenAI coding tools.
Basic coding in Python
Practical Microscopy
Most school students never get to cover microscopy techniques in depth. Master fundamentals and advanced techniques including contrast methods, resolution limits, and proper illumination. Learn on laboratory-grade microscope with professional optics where you can see the effects of different contrast methods and resolve fine cellular structures. The same class of equipment you'll encounter in university summer programs and research labs.
Basic familiarity with biology or physical science hands-on experimentation
Practical Spectroscopy
Learn how scientists identify what materials are made of. Hands-on with three core techniques: absorption, reflection, and fluorescence spectroscopy. Master material identification, concentration measurements, and data interpretation. Essential foundation for chemistry, physics, biology, and environmental science projects. Learn on the same type of equipment used in university research labs.
Basic optics concepts (light, wavelength, electromagnetic spectrum) typically covered in high school physics
Format
- 4-week courses
- We meet once a week for 1.5 hours on weekday evenings after school
- Up to 5 students per group
- Prerequisites: Meeting the prerequisite is sufficient to join. The more you know/can do in the relevant area, the more you will take away from the course.
- When: During the academic year. Rolling admission - enroll at any time and provide your available time slots (25% deposit at enrollment, balance due when cohort forms). We'll notify you when we've matched students for a common time slot to start a new cohort.
- Where: In-person (central Princeton) or online via Zoom (SoTS membership required for online enrollment)
Cost and Refund Policy
- 25% deposit at enrollment, balance due when cohort forms
- Cohort doesn't form within a month: deposit refunded
- Cohort forms but you don't pay in full: deposit not refundable
- Voluntary disenrollment: no refund
- Disenrolled for lack of commitment or conduct issues: no refund
Info and Enrollment
Book a call to learn more, or email team@teenscientists.org to enroll in upcoming cohort.