By Shamil Issayev ‘28
Honors Scientific Research is a semester-long course that gives students the opportunity to design and complete an independent scientific investigation from start to finish. Open to grades 10–12, the class is built around preparing students for the North Museum of Science and Engineering Fair (NMSEF) held at Millersville University in March, which can lead to advancement to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) for top-performing projects. Students work individually and select a research category that matches their interests, with the inclusion of categories ranging from Physics and Engineering to Biological and Environmental Sciences in the senior division.
The course, which was added in the 2016-2017 school year to Conestoga Valley, is led by Mr. Hovan, who serves as a mentor and coordinator throughout the research process. Instead of maintaining a traditional notebook, this year, each student creates a detailed research website. This site holds every component of the project: background research, planning notes, experimental design, data, analysis, conclusions, and the final report. The website also ensures students meet all documentation and organizational requirements for NMSEF.
Because the expectations are rigorous and require strong academic independence, the course recently shifted from being open to grades 9–12 to grades 10–12. Last year showed that freshmen often struggled with the pace and complexity of long-term scientific research, so the grade range was adjusted to better match student readiness.
Throughout the semester, students learn how to build a testable research question, gather and evaluate scientific sources, run controlled experiments, analyze results, and present their findings clearly. These skills provide a foundation for students aiming to compete at NMSEF and potentially ISEF, while also giving them experience in real scientific inquiry.
A look at current projects shows the range and depth of work happening in the class. Harsh Bhatt (10) is one example. His research examines how white light behaves when passing through different optical materials, specifically colored gels and dichroic filters. Harsh has already completed his light-system setup and is now in the data collection and early analysis stage. His initial findings show that dichroic filters produce more consistent transmitted colors than standard gels, and that brightness drops with every added layer of material. Some gels, however, allow more brightness than he predicted, giving him unexpected results to investigate further.
“I wanted to understand how white light interacts with different materials, including absorption, reflection, and transmission,” Harsh explained. His project will include 30–50 trials per configuration to ensure statistically reliable results.
Another example is Madina Bashatova (11), who is researching the effectiveness of natural versus artificial antibacterials on E. coli species of bacteria. Her project is inspired by dental health—she initially aimed to develop substances that could prevent cavities and protect enamel. She has completed her first batch of 30 plates and is collecting data to measure how far each antibacterial prevents bacterial growth. So far, her results show that the artificial antibacterial, terpinen-4-ol, completely stops bacterial growth, while the natural antibacterial only works in the area where it is applied. These findings confirm her original hypothesis. She expects to test 30 more plates in the coming week.
The most challenging part has been waiting for bacterial growth, with limited weekdays for measurements. “If you are very passionate about a topic and want to conduct an experiment, it is a good endeavor,” Madina said, “but you have to be willing to put in the work for the research portion.”
Jeremiah Teklu (10) is designing and building small wind turbines to study how blade design and mechanical friction affect efficiency and energy output. His project connects concepts from physics and engineering to a practical, hands-on application. He is testing different blade shapes and angles to maximize lift and rotation while minimizing energy loss due to friction. The biggest challenges he faces are mechanical friction in moving parts and creating blades that produce sufficient rotation for optimal energy generation.
Jeremiah explained, “I chose this engineering project because I wanted to understand how things work, not just in theory but in the real world. Building something hands-on helps me connect the concepts we learn in class to something practical.” He added, “A science fair isn’t just a project—it’s proof that I can turn an idea in my head into something the world can’t ignore.”
Seeing these projects is gratifying for the teacher. “I enjoy being the teacher for Honors Scientific Research because it helps students to get experience working with science in real world situations,” said Mr. Hovan.
By the end of the semester, each student will have completed a fully documented scientific study and presented it formally at NMSEF. Whether or not they advance to higher levels, students leave the course with a strong understanding of how real research is conducted and how scientific results are communicated.