An exciting new program has been created at Hackley for students who want to take their science classes to another level: the Independent Research Program, or the IRP.

The Independent Research Program allows Hackley students during their sophomore, junior, and senior years to be creators of an experiment of their own design, analyze their results, and present their findings.

The three year program teaches students the foundation of laboratory research “such as performing literature searches, reading peer reviewed journals, designing experiments, methods of data analysis, and presentation skills,” said Dr. Ying, the leader of the Independent Research Program. During the summer, students take part in internships where they can further their experiments they performed at Hackley with state-of-the art equipment available at universities.

The IRP is designed for students who love science, technology, or math, or people who are considering having a career in engineering in the future.

“With this program, we are just providing an opportunity for students to pursue something they are passionate about in high school, instead of waiting until they are well into college” said Dr. Ying.

The in-depth focus on research and experimentation and the connections students form via internships and mentors are highly beneficial to those who take part in the program in college and beyond.

The major drawback of the program is the time commitment. The students taking part in the program add another major to their schedule for their sophomore, junior, and senior years. As a result, they might have to limit other classes they would like to take, as well as extra-curricular activities and minors such as sports, music, and arts.

Despite the amount of time during the day, the IRP won’t add to a student’s daily homework because it doesn’t have homework, tests, quizzes, or an exam.

The time commitment is not a huge worry for the students who applied for the program. “I am willing to spend the time, as science is something I enjoy,” said Connor Larson, one such applicant.

The IRP is a highly selective program with a limited number of applicants and an even smaller number of students who will be accepted.

The creation of the Independent Research Program enlarges and enriches the science department, and gives opportunities to students passionate about science.