Start preparing for research projects!
The following are the major mentorship opportunities offered or co-sponsored by VJAS:
Virginia Academy of Science (VAS) Mentorship Program
The Virginia Academy of Science is excited to once again offer its mentorship program for K-12 classrooms across Virginia to pair scientists with K-12 classes to perform long-term science projects. Once again, we are looking to recruit both mentors (grad students, postdocs, instructors, scientists, etc.) and high school teachers who would like their students to participate in a virtually-driven long-term research project. We have partnered with the Virginia Junior Academy of Science (www.vjas.org) in this endeavor in the hopes that this project will encourage participation in their 2024 Annual Research Symposium and give students the juried research experience necessary to earn the Virginia Department of Education’s new Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment on their diploma. Mentorships may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid, and we would like to offer middle and high school instructors the opportunity to either do a project of local interest or to participate in a “Citizen Science” type initiative in which their class will work with others across the Commonwealth and (sometimes) the nation in the collection and analysis of data. I am excited for this model since it should allow a greater level of participation with geography and distance not being limiting factors.
Even if you signed up last year, to avoid unwanted emails to those who do not wish to participate this year I am asking you to sign up using the appropriate link below.
If you are interested in serving as a mentor in this project, please fill out the form found at:
https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=117158
If you are a high school teacher with an interest in having a mentor work with your class, please fill out the form found at:
https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=116443
Please do not hesitate to contact me (mwolyniak@hsc.edu) with any questions you may have, and please pass this announcement along to any other contacts you think may wish to participate.
Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity!
Michael J. Wolyniak
McGavacks Associate Professor of Biology
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
Hampden-Sydney College
Box 183
Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943
The Virginia Academy of Science is excited to once again offer its mentorship program for K-12 classrooms across Virginia to pair scientists with K-12 classes to perform long-term science projects. Once again, we are looking to recruit both mentors (grad students, postdocs, instructors, scientists, etc.) and high school teachers who would like their students to participate in a virtually-driven long-term research project. We have partnered with the Virginia Junior Academy of Science (www.vjas.org) in this endeavor in the hopes that this project will encourage participation in their 2024 Annual Research Symposium and give students the juried research experience necessary to earn the Virginia Department of Education’s new Seal for Excellence in Science and the Environment on their diploma. Mentorships may be in-person, virtual, or hybrid, and we would like to offer middle and high school instructors the opportunity to either do a project of local interest or to participate in a “Citizen Science” type initiative in which their class will work with others across the Commonwealth and (sometimes) the nation in the collection and analysis of data. I am excited for this model since it should allow a greater level of participation with geography and distance not being limiting factors.
Even if you signed up last year, to avoid unwanted emails to those who do not wish to participate this year I am asking you to sign up using the appropriate link below.
If you are interested in serving as a mentor in this project, please fill out the form found at:
https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=117158
If you are a high school teacher with an interest in having a mentor work with your class, please fill out the form found at:
https://secure4.hsc.edu/forms/view.php?id=116443
Please do not hesitate to contact me (mwolyniak@hsc.edu) with any questions you may have, and please pass this announcement along to any other contacts you think may wish to participate.
Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity!
Michael J. Wolyniak
McGavacks Associate Professor of Biology
Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
Hampden-Sydney College
Box 183
Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943
VJAS Student-to-Student Mentorship Program – From Science to Service
VJAS is proud to launch its first student-to-student mentorship program! We aim to connect experienced high school seniors with middle school students just beginning their journey in scientific research. At VJAS we recognize the daunting task of executing a science project from conception to completion and writing up your first research paper. This is even more complicated as we enter a virtual school year for many. By offering this program we hope to encourage participation in VJAS and provide students the opportunity to develop positive relationships with peer mentors and mentees. Based on their interest, we will match interested middle school scientists with high school seniors who have experience participating in VJAS. Students will mostly communicate via email and, if necessary, may use a virtual meeting platform. Sponsors of both the mentors and mentees will be expected to supervise any interaction that occurs between the students. Here is how it works:
STEP 1: Sponsors sign-up, using a link on VJAS website. Receive a link for student(s) sign-up.
STEP 2: Middle School students and High School seniors sign up, using a link that sponsors will provide (from step 1).
STEP 3: VJAS student committee will process all registrations and try to assign matches based on interest and, when possible, in the same school district.
STEP 4: VJAS will notify each group of two students and two sponsors.
Sponsor Form [docs.google.com]
VJAS is proud to launch its first student-to-student mentorship program! We aim to connect experienced high school seniors with middle school students just beginning their journey in scientific research. At VJAS we recognize the daunting task of executing a science project from conception to completion and writing up your first research paper. This is even more complicated as we enter a virtual school year for many. By offering this program we hope to encourage participation in VJAS and provide students the opportunity to develop positive relationships with peer mentors and mentees. Based on their interest, we will match interested middle school scientists with high school seniors who have experience participating in VJAS. Students will mostly communicate via email and, if necessary, may use a virtual meeting platform. Sponsors of both the mentors and mentees will be expected to supervise any interaction that occurs between the students. Here is how it works:
STEP 1: Sponsors sign-up, using a link on VJAS website. Receive a link for student(s) sign-up.
STEP 2: Middle School students and High School seniors sign up, using a link that sponsors will provide (from step 1).
STEP 3: VJAS student committee will process all registrations and try to assign matches based on interest and, when possible, in the same school district.
STEP 4: VJAS will notify each group of two students and two sponsors.
Sponsor Form [docs.google.com]
Citizen Science Related Resources
Citizen Science for Teaching, Learning, and Research - Program Summary (PDF)
A Collection of Citizen Science Projects with Links (PDF)
A Collection of Citizen Science Projects with Links (PDF)
Research Resources
James Madison University graciously provided a resource guide to help Junior Academy students.
As you prepare your scientific research project, do you need some professional resources? Check it out here: https://guides.lib.jmu.edu/VASJR
As you prepare your scientific research project, do you need some professional resources? Check it out here: https://guides.lib.jmu.edu/VASJR