The Case for Authentic STEM Research in High School

When today’s high school students graduate, they’ll step into a world facing challenges like climate change, global health crises and rapid advances in technology—problems that don’t fit neatly into a single subject. Yet too often, their science education still revolves around memorizing facts or following lab instructions with predetermined outcomes. What students need instead are opportunities to think and work like real scientists.

Solutions to complex global problems require the integration of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, engineering and computer science. Authentic research, where students tackle real-world problems, design their own experiments and communicate their findings, provides a powerful way to practice this kind of interdisciplinary thinking. By weaving together concepts and methods across all STEM fields, students develop flexible problem-solving skills, deepen their understanding of core ideas and gain firsthand insight into how professional scientists and engineers approach their work. This not only strengthens their content knowledge but also prepares them for the rapidly evolving, cross-disciplinary careers of the future, ensuring they can adapt, innovate and contribute meaningfully in today’s rapidly changing world.

The Problem: Limited Access and Pervasive Barriers

Despite a considerable body of literature documenting the positive impact of authentic research experiences, most high school students lack opportunities to engage in research that mirrors the practice of professional scientists and engineers. While many institutions offer summer research programs for high school students, these programs are limited in capacity, costly and highly competitive. In the classroom, most teachers rarely assign student-designed projects or facilitate the generation of truly novel results. Collaborative work occurs, but core elements of authentic research, such as genuine open-ended inquiry and mentorship by STEM professionals, are largely absent.

So what is standing in the way? A recent study of STEM teachers from one of the largest school districts in the country shed light on the barriers preventing authentic research experiences from becoming a standard part of the high school experience. The findings reveal several challenges:

• Limited Resources: Many schools lack the equipment, lab space and supplies needed for sustained research projects.

• Structural Obstacles: Large class sizes, rigid curricula and the relentless focus on standardized testing leave little to no room for the kind of deep, exploratory work that authentic research requires.

• Teacher Expertise: Even the most passionate educators report feeling underprepared to guide students in research methods, from crafting proposals to performing statistical analyses. Teachers with personal research experience are more confident, but many have never received this type of training.

• Student Constraints: Teachers express concern that students lack the knowledge base, skills or sustained interest required to pursue original research.

Perhaps most importantly, time emerged as one of the most significant barriers to implementing authentic research in high schools. Teachers lack sufficient time for planning and providing individualized feedback. Students struggle to balance the time-intensive nature of research with other academic and extracurricular commitments. Short class periods, content-heavy curricula and large class sizes further limit the time available for sustained research experiences.

This barrier is perhaps the most important to address; the most valuable research experiences take time, and lots of it. Developing a meaningful research question requires careful reading, reflection and refinement. Designing and testing methods often involves multiple trials and troubleshooting before an approach works as intended. Collecting and analyzing data is equally time-intensive, as reliable results demand sufficient evidence and thoughtful interpretation of findings, especially when outcomes are messy or unexpected. Finally, synthesizing results into papers, posters or presentations requires additional time to communicate effectively with others. For teachers, mentoring students through these open-ended processes demands extensive planning, feedback and individualized support.

Making Authentic Research a Reality

The good news is that despite these barriers, there are several examples of schools and teachers who successfully engage students in authentic research. But to continue expanding access to authentic STEM research experiences, we need systemic solutions that go beyond one-off initiatives. Findings from the study informed the following recommendations:

• Coordinated Approach to STEM Research: A centralized approach can establish clear expectations and provide the necessary resources (including intentional time built in for both students and teachers) to make research programs a reality for all students.

• University Partnerships: Collaborating with local universities provides a powerful way to offer teachers professional development and long-term mentorship from experienced scientists.

• Framework and Curriculum Support: Adopting and adapting proven guidelines, such as those from the International Science and Engineering Fair, can provide teachers with the structure they need to develop high-quality research courses.

• Ongoing Mentorship: Creating robust networks that connect teachers with scientists, experienced peers and administrators is crucial for sustainable support.

• Awareness and Celebration: Actively promoting and celebrating student research can build a culture of curiosity and highlight the tangible academic and career benefits for the entire school community.

Every teacher surveyed agreed on the value of research experiences—a powerful endorsement for change. With the right structures, training and support, authentic STEM research can become a meaningful part of every high school student’s learning journey. If you’re an educator, start small by giving students more ownership of their questions. If you’re an administrator, look for ways to carve out time, resources and professional development for teachers. If you’re a parent or community partner, advocate for partnerships that connect schools with scientists and universities. Together, we can ensure that every student has the chance to experience the thrill of authentic discovery.

Interested in more details and actionable steps? Reach out!