Indigo ResearchReviews of indigoresearch.org

My wonderful professor and teaching assistant were so helpful and attentive throughout the entire process. They never failed to address any doubts and always supported each one, giving specific and thoughtful feedback that only helped us all grow as future researchers.

I participated in Indigo’s IRIS Summer 2024 after being awarded the NextGen Scholarship. IRIS is about much more than simply completing a research project! Its impact on my academic path and everyday skills has been huge. For the structure of the program itself, IRIS’s curriculum does an awesome job at teaching students the very basics of research. As someone who had, before the cohort, zero experience in research (not even proper ways to cite papers), I found myself grasping the methods easily and doing really well in applying them. The process is broken down in really small and clear steps and it’s structured in a way that helps students clearly focus on one task at a time. On a different note, students get a lot of personalized attention. I got to meet with both my mentor and my TA personally and get feedback on my work. Office hours are also really helpful: each student who joins gets some time to ask their questions and get advice. At the end of the cohort, each student gets their own feedback form with details on what is great about the paper, as well as things to improve! The mentors are extremely supportive and always happy to help! I worked with Dr. Hannah Tarder-Stoll and Monika Rybak. They were both really sweet, replied to emails and questions fast, and gave me really specific and actionable feedback on every step of the way. Joani’s help in office hours was also extremely valuable. The team is always doing their best to make sure the students make the most out of the cohort: before classes started, there weren’t any scheduled office hours that worked for my time zone and that were on dates where I did not have a class. The team made itself available and added more weekly office hours for us to benefit as well! They are always there to help and support and really care about how much we’re getting out of it. The skills I gained aren’t only limited to research! I learned how to manage my time when I have big projects, while still making time to celebrate my wins and take care of myself. My way and structure of approaching any project has also become more systematic and productive: This has really been useful in high school projects; it has helped me stand out which also impacted the way I connect with my teachers, which is also really important for letters of recommendation for college apps. IRIS’s impact also was on the very small things like writing emails. Writing emails used to be my biggest fear, but IRIS requires a lot of communication and I was so exposed to emails and talking face-to-face with people that I learned to communicate way better in professional settings. I’ve gained a ton of connections from IRIS too, whether it is with peers in high school from all around the planet, or with professionals and professors already established in their fields. A great detail to mention too for non-native English speakers is that my ability to communicate face-to-face with native English speakers has become way better!! I was fluent before the cohort, but I would get nervous knowing I could only speak in English (It’s my 3rd language). IRIS allows for a lot of speaking with peers and mentors, presenting, meeting new people, and this exposure made me way more confident. I would definitely recommend participating in IRIS. It’s not just any research program, it’s a lifetime investment. Angelina Souaidan

Participating in the Indigo Research Program was a transformative academic experience. From the beginning, the program stood out for its commitment to academic excellence, mentorship, and real-world research opportunities for high school students. One of the highlights was being paired with a mentor (Dr. Shaye and Dr. Tetz) who not only guided me through the research process but also inspired me to think critically and creatively about my topic in genetics. The structure of the program was clear and supportive, with regular check-ins, feedback sessions, and access to resources that made conducting university-level research manageable and exciting. I was able to dive deep into a topic I was genuinely passionate about, refine my research skills, and produce a final paper I felt proud of. Beyond academics, Indigo helped me gain confidence in presenting my ideas, thinking independently, and collaborating in a professional environment. I truly appreciated the diversity of fields offered, from STEM to humanities, and the way the program encouraged interdisciplinary thinking. Whether you're passionate about science, social issues, or something in between, the Indigo Research Program is an incredible platform to grow intellectually and personally. I highly recommend it to any student looking to challenge themselves and take their academic interests to the next level.

Research Experience and working with college Ph.D professors and mentors.

The program was well organized and I felt that all material provided was helpful, especially to those new to academic research and paper construction. My mentor specifically was helpful in all aspects of the program and was always available for questions. The entire experience was catered to those new to research, and made the learning experience fun and enjoyable!

Being selected as one of the NextGen scholarship recipients has been an incredibly transformative experience for me. Given my family's current financial difficulties, I would not have been able to afford this opportunity on my own. However, receiving this scholarship has allowed me to pursue my passion for making a meaningful impact. Through this program, I have had the chance to conduct research, engage in insightful discussions, and connect with individuals from all over the world. I am truly grateful for this opportunity and for the support that has empowered me to grow, learn, and contribute despite financial challenges. Thank you for believing in young changemakers and for making this experience possible!

The experience and knowledge of actually conducting research at a higher level than the high school level. I learned a lot about the process and how to do different types of research in the future. I also learned how to handle references more precisely.

During my gap year, I completed the IRIS course in psychology. Although I hadn’t studied psychology in high school, I was eager to explore my interests in the human mind and consider as potential course for further study. I’m now in my second year of a psychology bachelor’s program, and the IRIS course played a significant role in this journey. Through their program, I became familiar with the roots of psychology, learned how to write psychology papers, and, most importantly, developed essential research skills.