<p>I completely agree that most HS students don’t have “access to high-tech lab equipment”. I remember wanting to use an fMRI machine in my research on Slow-Rotation Spinning on Memory and Learning–my professor told me there’s no way UC Davis (or any other equipped facility) would let a high school student use any of their expensive equipment. Even if they did, the cost to use such equipment is highly prohibitive (it would cost nearly $1000 to pay for the supplies!).</p>
<p>…I had to resort to more basic and less expensive methods to pursue the research–lots more experimentation!</p>
<p>While we’re discussing high-tech equipment, does MIT’s Electrical Engineering dept/lab have its own fabrication system (integrated circuits, etc.)?</p>