Hello!
I am a student who wants to make a degree in physics in the future. I am a current junior and I am looking for some opportunities this summer.
I currently have an internship in the field of molecular biology. But I want to pursue physics, I really love it and I just love to challenge myself. Although I love physics so much, my whole life was for some reason connected to biology. I like it too, just until recently I wasn’t sure what do I really want to study, but now I feel that physics is a winner in this case.
My concern is the following: I will be applying for physics major and in my personal statement I will write about my passion in physics. But my internship is in a biology lab, I was winning the area (aka state in Ukraine) biology olympiad and similar things. I feel like when I will be building my application it may look like “a girl doesn’t know what she likes, she probably likes physics but her parents ran to their relatives and asked for an internship just to make her look good”. I found this professor through cold emailing, and I worked hard to achieve the position I currently hold in the lab, but I just feel that way which I would think about such a student if I was admissions representative.
So this summer and the next year I am really looking into what programs or opportunities can I do to show my passion for physics. I know that I will enjoy all of them, I love science. I found some opportunities and I want to ask you a couple questions.
So, the opportunities I see is to find an internship in a more physics lab somewhere in MA. I will maybe try cold emailing professors again.
I also found out that there are some opportunities, IYPT and AAPT. I also want to participate in IPhO and I have a big idea for a really big project that is really worth of it if it works. I planned to work on it over the summer and next year I will have a period in school every day when I will be able to work on it as independent project. I would potentially present it at ISEF, but again only if this works. Also this year I did a research, which I will be finishing over the summer and possibly will be publishing it and I am thinking it would be great to enter STS with it.
But that is really a lot. I would really want to do all of that but I understand that as a senior next year I will have a lot of everything. What would you recommend me to take? So I would like to fit the most possible, and I know that it is totally not a problem for me working long hours, I really find pleasure and barely get tired when I am interested (I am interested in every single one of the presented opportunities). What will be a wise mix of these activities?
Can someone please help me find where to register for IYPT? I tried searching their official website and didn’t find any real links for MA students. Do we have to enter as school teams or can we pair up with different schools? My school is really small and doesn’t offer much.
How do I participate in IPhO?
I was also wondering what is LemelsonMIT. What are the ways for entering?
The project I want to do sounds like a great one but it may require some not very small expenses. Do you know any grant programs for high school students who have the ideas?
Sorry for so much text. Felt the need to express emotions. I will REALLY (just realized it is my “favorite” word throughout this post) appreciate every single piece of advice!
Thank you!