Applications Open! Enroll for Summer 2027 at 2026 Tuition Pricing Until Sept 30
Build an engineering research proposal with Polygence during 2 weeks at UC Berkeley for high school students, then continue through 10 mentor sessions.
Instructors were rated 4.4 out of 5 by students surveyed across the broader program in 2026.
Course Description
Good engineering research begins before anything is built. It starts with a question that is specific enough to investigate and important enough to pursue. Students learn how researchers move from a broad interest to a defensible question, a workable method, and a clear plan for gathering evidence.
Through literature analysis, research-design exercises, case studies, and proposal workshops, students compare qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods. They practice evaluating source quality, considering ethics, defining variables, and selecting methods that fit an engineering problem. Feedback from peers and the instructor helps students narrow the scope of their ideas and strengthen the logic behind each decision.
This hybrid academy combines an on-campus experience with Polygence’s Core Research Program. During the campus program, each student develops an engineering research proposal, abstract, and professional scientific poster, then presents the work in a symposium-style setting. Afterward, students join a virtual cohort and are matched 1:1 with a Polygence research mentor in their field of interest. Across 10 virtual sessions, the mentor helps each student continue the project at an individual pace toward a research paper, symposium presentation, podcast, or another appropriate final format.
This two-week full-day academy is part of Summer Discovery at UC Berkeley, held on the university’s campus. Students spend the full program focused on one intensive academy. The academy is available to residential and commuter students. Beyond class, students connect focused academic work with campus life, growing independence, and clearer direction about what students may want to study or pursue next.
What Will You Do?
• Narrow a broad engineering interest into a focused research question
• Evaluate scientific literature and distinguish stronger from weaker sources
• Compare quantitative, qualitative, and mixed research methods
• Design a study with appropriate variables, evidence, and ethical safeguards
• Draft and revise an abstract, research proposal, and scientific poster
• Present the project in a symposium-style session with peer questions
• Continue the project through Polygence’s Core Research Program and 10 one-to-one virtual mentor sessions
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, students will be able to:
• Formulate a focused engineering research question grounded in existing evidence
• Select and justify research methods appropriate to a proposed investigation
• Communicate a research plan through an abstract, proposal, poster, and oral presentation
Students will leave the campus program with an engineering research proposal and scientific poster, a plan for continuing the project through Polygence mentorship, stronger research and presentation skills, and clearer direction for further study.
Why Engineering Research Skills Matter?
Engineering research skills help students turn curiosity into a question that can be tested. A strong proposal requires more than an interesting idea. Students must examine what is already known, identify a gap, choose methods that can produce useful evidence, and anticipate limitations.
That process strengthens analytical reading, project planning, ethical reasoning, and communication. Revising a question after feedback teaches students to treat iteration as part of serious inquiry rather than as a setback. Creating a poster also pushes them to organize complex information for an audience. These skills support future work in engineering, science, design, and other fields where decisions depend on evidence and clearly stated assumptions.
Who Should Attend?
This academy is for high school students who have completed 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th grade and are curious about how engineers investigate unanswered questions. It suits students considering engineering, applied science, technology, or design and those who want to test whether research is a good fit before committing to a longer project.
No finished research idea is required at the start. Students should be willing to read technical material, refine a question, explain their reasoning, and revise work after feedback. The course is especially useful for students who enjoy asking why a system works, how it could be improved, and what evidence would be needed to support a solution.
Students should also be ready to continue after the campus program through 10 one-to-one virtual sessions with a Polygence mentor matched to their field of interest.
Recommended Program
Based on students surveyed in Summer Discovery’s 2026 UC Berkeley program.
Why UC Berkeley?
UC Berkeley gives high-school students the opportunity to pursue serious academic exploration in a campus environment shaped by scientific inquiry, new ideas, and an active connection to the wider Bay Area. The Berkeley Hills, distinctive architecture, and green spaces make the experience feel different from an ordinary school routine.
Students learn alongside peers, become more independent, and experience the pace and possibility of university life. The Bay Area context adds exposure to a region influenced by research, technology, entrepreneurship, culture, and public debate. For families, the value is not campus prestige alone. It is the combination of academic depth, community, and a student gaining clearer insight into the subjects, environments, and possible directions that genuinely motivate them.
After successfully finishing this course, you will be awarded a certification completion for your accomplishment.
*This is a preview, not what you will receive