Back to School: Research Presentations by High School Students
On January 24, I got the chance to reconnect with the
Mkhitar Sebastatsi Educational Complex and attend research presentations of
high schoolers. Needless to say, it was very exciting to be back this time as a
research specialist instead of a student. It was even more exciting to listen
to such motivated students who had done a great amount of work on their
projects.
The presenters were Arshil Khachatryan, who had
researched the Bermuda Triangle, Sona Balayan with her work “Press Is the
Mirror of the World: There are Different Mirrors,” and Elen Mkrtchyan, who had
examined “How Art can Improve Mental Health.” Each work was a unique and
interesting project with an engaging presentation. I was especially curious
about Arshil’s presentation, as I always wanted to learn about the Bermuda
triangle but never had the chance to do so. Of course, from a somewhat
experienced researcher’s point of view, there were several flaws in the
research reports and presentations. But in the spirit of fairness, it is
important to note that the results were great for young people conducting
research for the first time in their lives. Each of the students had put an
immense amount of effort and time into their projects, which I highly value and
appreciate.
Looking back, I would love to have had this
opportunity as a high school student. Research skills are crucial in the modern
world. And the sooner you acquire them, the more doors open for you. When
listening to the presentations, I realized that if I were one of these
students, there are some fundamental things that I would love someone to tell
me before getting to research. After all, having a guide can help when learning
something for the first time and can significantly accelerate the learning
process.
This gave me the idea of collaborating with my
favorite high school on such projects in the future. Through mentorship, I will
help interested students with their future research projects and guide them
throughout the whole process – from choosing a topic to presenting the final
research report. I am excited to contribute to this amazing new project and
help our aspiring researchers excel in the future projects they pursue.
