high school science research project

30 Best Science Experiments & Projects for High School

Welcome to our round-up of top science fair projects and science experiments tailored specifically for curious high school students.

Science fair is not just about the glitz and glamour of a first-place trophy; it’s about the passion, the inquiry, and the insatiable curiosity that drive every scientist, young and old. Hopefully, our curated list of the best hands-on science fair projects for high school students will ignite that curiosity in you.

Each project on this list offers a unique opportunity to dive deep into scientific inquiry and present findings with both clarity and flair.

Let’s dive in and make learning an unforgettable adventure!

1. Burn Calories

Don’t miss this opportunity to unravel the mysteries of energy transformation and uncover the scientific secrets hidden in the simplest of substances!

Learn more: Science Buddies

2. Extracting DNA from Strawberry

By following a series of simple yet insightful steps, students will witness the magical moment of DNA extraction, fostering a deeper appreciation for the fundamental building blocks of life.

Learn more: Extracting DNA from Strawberry

3. Build a Simple DIY Newton’s Cradle

As students assemble the materials and witness the rhythmic dance of swinging spheres, they will witness the scientific principles they’ve learned in the classroom come to life before their eyes.

4. Make a Monster Dry Ice Bubbles

Unleash your inner mad scientist and learn how to make Monster Dry Ice Bubbles with this high school science experiment!

Get ready to be captivated as you create giant, spooky bubbles that dance and swirl with the mysterious power of dry ice.

Learn more: Wonder How To

5. Soil Erosion Experiment

As stewards of our environment, it’s crucial to comprehend the impact of natural processes like soil erosion.

Through this experiment, students will gain a deeper appreciation for the significance of soil conservation and sustainable land management practices.

Learn more: Life is a Garden

6. Candle Carousel

This experiment combines the wonders of physics with the art of crafting, making it an enriching experience that ignites curiosity and fosters a deeper appreciation for the elegant dance of energy in our world.

7. Find Out if Water Conducts Electricity

In this captivating activity, students will explore the conductive properties of water and unlock the secrets of how electrical currents flow through different substances.

Learn more: Rookie Parenting

8. Roller Coaster Stem Experiment

By experimenting with various designs and track configurations, students will refine their problem-solving skills and gain valuable insights into the practical applications of physics and engineering.

Learn more: STEM Project

9. Lemon Battery

Engaging in this experiment not only teaches the basics of electrical circuits but also sparks curiosity about the natural world and the science behind it.

Learn more: Coffee Cups and Crayons

10. Watering Plants Using Different Liquids

Discover the wonders of plant hydration with the intriguing high school science experiment – “Watering Plants Using Different Liquids.” In this captivating project, students explore how various liquids impact plant growth and health.

Learn more: Lemon Lime Adventures

11. Measure Electrolytes Found in Sports Drinks

By conducting a series of tests and analyses, students will quantify the electrolyte content present in various sports drinks.

12. Relight the Flame Without Directly Touching It

This captivating project challenges students to learn about the intriguing properties of heat transfer and combustion.

By exploring different methods to reignite a candle flame without physical contact, students will uncover the secrets of heat conduction, convection, and radiation.

Learn more: Stevespangler

13. Conduct Fingerprint Analysis

This captivating project immerses students in the intriguing world of crime scene investigations, where they will uncover the uniqueness of fingerprints and their role in forensic science.

14. Separate Water Into Hydrogen And Oxygen Using Electrolysis

This electrifying project allows students to explore electrolysis and the decomposition of water into its elemental components.

Learn more: Navigating by Joy

15. Simple Color Detection Circuit 

This experiment not only introduces fundamental concepts in electronics and circuitry but also opens up endless possibilities for real-life applications, from automated sorting systems to color-sensitive devices.

16. Carbon Sugar Snake

This enchanting project allows students to witness a dazzling display of science as they combine common household ingredients to create a dark, coiling “snake” made of carbon.

Learn more: Kiwi Co

17. Build a Hydraulic Elevator

This captivating project invites students to learn about engineering and fluid mechanics. By constructing a working model of a hydraulic elevator, students will explore the principles of Pascal’s law and the fascinating concept of fluid pressure.

Learn more: Teach Beside Me

18. Brew up Some Root Beer

This enticing project invites students to explore the fascinating world of chemistry and fermentation while creating their own delicious and bubbly concoction.

Learn more: Home School Creations

19. Extracting Bismuth From Pepto-Bismol Tablets

This hands-on experiment not only sheds light on the principles of chemistry and lab techniques but also highlights the real-world applications of bismuth in medicine and various industries.

Learn more: Popscie

20. Solar-Powered Water Desalination

By designing and building a solar-powered water desalination system, students will learn how to harness the sun’s energy to purify saltwater and make it safe for consumption.

21. Applying Hooke’s Law: Make Your Own Spring Scale

By designing and constructing their very own spring scale, students will uncover the principles of Hooke’s Law and the relationship between force and displacement in a spring system.

22. Homemade Hand Warmer

By creating their own hand warmers using safe and easily accessible materials, students will witness the magic of heat generation through chemical processes.

Learn more: Steve Spangler

23. Explore the Concept of Symbiosis Involving Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria.

By investigating how certain plants form a mutually beneficial bond with these bacteria, students will gain insights into the essential role of nitrogen fixation in the ecosystem.

Learn more: Education.com

24. Center of Gravity Experiment

This fascinating project invites students to explore the concept of the center of gravity and its role in determining stability.

25. Power up Homemade Batteries

This captivating project invites students to learn about electrochemistry and energy generation.

Learn more: 123 Homeschool

26. Film Canister Explosions

Prepare for a blast of excitement and chemistry with the high school science experiment – “Film Canister Explosions!” This project teaches students about chemical reactions and pressure build-up.

27. Investigating Osmosis with Potato Slices

This hands-on experiment not only provides a practical understanding of osmosis but also highlights its relevance in everyday life, from understanding plant hydration to food preservation techniques.

28. Make Homemade Fly Trap

This captivating “Make Homemade Fly Trap!” project invites students to explore the principles of pest control and observe the behavior of flies.

29. Hydroponics: Gardening Without Soil

This exciting project invites students to explore innovative agricultural practices that harness water and nutrient solutions to grow plants.

By setting up their hydroponic system and nurturing plants through this method, students will witness the fascinating dynamics of root development and nutrient absorption.

30. Clothespin Airplane

As they test and modify their creations, students will learn about the principles of lift, thrust, and drag, gaining a deeper understanding of how these forces come together to keep airplanes soaring through the skies.

Learn more: Steamsational

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High School Science Fair Projects

Fun and informative projects that use the scientific method

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• Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
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Coming up with high school science fair project ideas can be challenging. There's fierce competition for the coolest project, so students need a topic that impresses. But, they also should pick one appropriate for their educational level.

Below, you'll find high school science fair project ideas arranged by topic.

But first, take a look at some ideas listed according to education level. We also provided ideas for a summer science program and for elementary and middle school kids who want to get a jump start on preparing for high school-level science classes.

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High School Projects

While you might have been able to get by making posters and models for science fairs in elementary and middle school, the bar is higher for high school science fair projects . The basis for your scientific exploration in high school should be the scientific method : forming a hypothesis and then testing it with an experiment.

When choosing a topic for your high school science fair, you'll want to pick an idea that makes judges take notice. Consider the topics that are being discussed in the scientific field but leave questions unanswered. How could you research, test, and present on these issues? Look for problems in the world around you and try to explain or solve them.

The following categories should help you come up with some great project ideas.

Household Items

Here are some science fair project ideas you can work on using common items you may have around your house:

• How safe is your microwave oven? Compare the growth of plants or germination of seeds placed near a microwave with those grown under the same light and temperature conditions placed farther from the appliance.
• Will bottled water turn green (grow algae) if you leave unopened bottles in the sun? Does it matter which brand you use?
• Do all dishwashing detergents produce the same amount of bubbles? Do they clean the same number of dishes?
• Do consumers prefer bleached paper products or natural-color paper products? Why?
• Is laundry detergent as effective if you use less than the recommended amount? More?
• How permanent are permanent markers? What solvents (e.g., water, alcohol, vinegar, detergent solution) will remove permanent marker ink? Do different brands and types of markers produce the same results?
• Can you make a musical instrument that can play a complete scale? (Examples might include a rubber band harp or a flute made from clay, wood, or plastic.)

Personal Hygiene and Grooming

Here are project ideas affecting health and appearance:

• Do all hairsprays hold equally well? Equally long? Does the type of hair affect the results?
• How sterile is contact lens solution and how long does it stay sterile? See how long it takes for mold, fungi, and bacteria to culture saline. How sterile is the inside of a person's contact lens case?
• How long do home hair-coloring products hold their color? Does brand matter? Does the type of hair the coloring is used on affect colorfastness? How does previous treatment (perming, previous coloring, straightening) affect initial color intensity and colorfastness?

Botany/Biology

These science fair projects involve the natural world:

• Are night insects attracted to lamps because of heat or light?
• How effective are natural mosquito repellents ?
• Does magnetism affect the growth of plants?
• How are plants affected by the distance between them? Look into the concept of allelopathy . Sweet potatoes release chemicals (allelochemicals) that can inhibit the growth of plants near them. How close can another plant grow to a sweet potato? What effects does an allelochemical have on a plant?
• Is a seed's growth potential affected by its size? Do different-sized seeds have different germination rates or percentages? Does seed size affect the growth rate or final size of a plant?
• How does cold storage affect the germination of seeds? Factors you can control include the type of seeds, the length of storage, the temperature of storage, and other variables , such as light and humidity.
• How close does a plant have to be to a pesticide for it to work? What factors influence the effectiveness of a pesticide (rain/light/wind)? How much can you dilute a pesticide while retaining its effectiveness? How effective are natural pest deterrents?
• What is the effect of a chemical on a plant? Factors that you can measure include rate of plant growth, leaf size, life/death of the plant, color, and ability to flower/bear fruit
• How do different fertilizers affect the way plants grow? There are lots of different types of fertilizers containing varying amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in addition to other ingredients. You can test different fertilizers to see how they affect the height of a plant, the number or size of its leaves, the number of flowers, time until blooming, branching of stems, root development, or other factors.
• Does using colored mulch affect a plant? You can look at its height, fruitfulness, the number of flowers, overall plant size, the rate of growth, or other factors as compared to plants mulched with non-colored mulch or not mulched at all.
• How do different factors affect seed germination? Factors that you could test include the intensity, duration, or type of light, the temperature, the amount of water, the presence/absence of certain chemicals, or the presence/absence of soil. You can look at the percentage of seeds that germinate or the rate at which seeds germinate.
• Do plant-based insect repellents work as well as synthesized chemical repellents?
• Does the presence of cigarette smoke affect the growth rate of plants?

These are projects revolving around what we eat:

• What type of plastic wrap best prevents evaporation?
• What plastic wrap best prevents oxidation?
• Do different brands of orange juice contain different levels of vitamin C ?
• Does the level of vitamin C in orange juice change over time?
• Do oranges gain or lose vitamin C after being picked?
• How does sugar concentration vary in different brands of apple juice?
• Does storage temperature affect the pH of juice?
• How does the pH of juice change with time? How does temperature affect the rate of chemical changes?
• Does eating breakfast affect school performance? Does it matter what you eat?
• Do the same types of mold grow on all types of bread?
• Does light affect the rate at which foods spoil?
• Do foods containing preservatives stay fresh longer than foods without them? Under what conditions?
• How does the time or season of harvest affect the chemistry and nutritional content of food?
• Is the nutritional content of different brands of a vegetable (e.g., canned peas) the same?
• What conditions affect the ripening of fruit ? Look at ethylene and enclosing a fruit in a sealed bag, or at temperature, light, or nearness to other pieces of fruit.
• Is bottled water purer than tap water ?

Miscellaneous

Finally, these projects are more generally focused:

• How much is the interior of a car cooled if a light-blocking windshield cover is used?
• Can you use a black light to detect invisible stains?
• What type of car antifreeze is safest for the environment?
• How does the rate of evaporation of the crystal-growing medium affect the final size of the crystals?
• You usually heat water or another liquid to dissolve a solid to grow crystals. Does the rate at which this liquid is cooled affect the way the crystals grow? What effect do additives have on the crystals?
• How are different soils affected by erosion? You can make your own wind and use water to evaluate the effects on soil. If you have access to a very cold freezer, you can look at the effects of freeze-and-thaw cycles.
• How does the pH of soil relate to the pH of the water around the soil? You can make your own pH paper , test the pH of the soil, add water, and then test the pH of the water. Are the two values the same? If not, is there a relationship between them?
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Curriculum Resources > High School Science Fair Projects  

High School Science Fair Projects

Below you’ll find a list of high school science fair projects. Choose a topic that interests you, then begin your preliminary research.

High school science fair projects require a high level of original thought and development. Consider these ideas as springboards to help develop your own original project. To participate in an upper-level competition, your project should be relevant to current science and technology. The project should also present a benefit to society.

High School Science Fair Project Resources

For tips on performing your experiment and presenting your project, see our free science fair guide.

To start brainstorming, explore our Science Fair category for more project ideas and helpful kits.

Ideas for High School Science Fair Projects

Life science.

• Compare the effect of antibiotics on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. (Grow your own cultures with agar & petri dishes . For a sample procedure and more project ideas, see our bacteria science project guide .)

• Run a bioassay to test for toxicity in water or soil .
• Test the effect of ultraviolet radiation on bacteria growth.
• Do different types of bread grow different types of mold? Does temperature or light affect mold growth?
• Experiment with plant genetics (plant hybrids, cross-breeding).
• Test factors like smoke or pollution that might affect transpiration rates for plants.
• Investigate the effects of increased oxygen or carbon dioxide concentration on plant germination.
• Find out the differences in properties and effects of organic vs. chemical fertilizers.
• Explore methods of erosion prevention, test effects of different soil composition on erosion (e.g. how does more clay compare to more sand?).
• Experiment with methods of flood management and containment.
• Investigate the effects of sunspots on weather patterns.
• Work with methods for forecasting weather .
• Test the concentration and effect of minerals and pH in soil and water samples. (Use water test strips and a soil analyzer .)
• Determine chemical makeup of rain in your area; test possible hazardous effects.

Physical Science

• Study acoustic models and methods of noise control. (A sound measurement kit/ might be helpful.)
• Experiment with the effect of storage temperatures on batteries.
• Develop improvements in battery chargers; try methods of using solar cells to recharge batteries.
• Compare the bending strength and durability of different building materials.
• Build a potato-powered battery .
• Experiment with building materials that are fire-preventative.
• Design industrial uses of magnets ; test the effects of magnetic and electromagnetic fields on living organisms such as brine shrimp .
• Design a project in advanced robotic programming .
• Build a sensor-moving advanced Bristlebot robot .
• Test the effects of the pH level of a solution on the corrosion of iron and copper ; explore different methods of corrosion prevention.
• Experiment with types, effectiveness, and the impact on the nutritional value of preservatives in food.

• Compare the properties and effects of artificial sweetener vs. sugar or other natural sweeteners. (For this and the following tests, you might consider the Chemistry of Food kit .)
• Test the chemical properties and physiological impact of saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats.
• Use indophenol to test the effect of different cooking methods on the depletion of vitamin C in food.
• Investigate the role of enzymes and yeast in the fermentation or cheese-making process.
• Experiment with different methods of water filtration/purification (such as solar distillation ).
• Analyze the by-products of gasoline; compare the efficiency of various octane levels.
• Conduct an orange juice titration demonstration

Environmental Science

• Compare or develop methods of hydrogen production and storage for use in fuel cells .
• Investigate methods of improving home insulation.
• Experiment with expanded uses of solar energy .
• Test methods for cleaning up and neutralizing the effect of oil in salt water with this oil spill cleanup kit .
• Work with methods of processing/recycling non-biodegradable items; experiment with decomposition aids.
• Experiment with design and function of wind turbines or water wheels .
• Test for harmful effects of pesticides; test or develop natural/organic alternatives; test the effectiveness of common pesticides such as DEET.
• Which type and color of roofing material provides the most energy efficiency?

For more in-depth high school science fair project ideas, we recommend the Science Buddies website.

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Biology Research Projects for High School Students: 20 Ideas To Try This Summer

By János Perczel

Co-founder of Polygence, PhD from MIT

16 minute read

Biology and biomedical research are two of the most popular academic disciplines among high schoolers. If you’re someone who’s interested in those fields and you’re looking for research opportunities this summer, you’ve come to the right place! With the study of biology, not only can you gain a better understanding of the natural world, but your research can have practical applications in fields like medicine, agriculture, and environmental science. Whether you’re just starting out in your exploration of biology, have taken a biology class in school, or you’re looking to do some advanced research to submit to your state’s science fair , we have level-appropriate ideas for you!

With a variety of topics like cancer treatment, genetics, neurodegenerative diseases, and marine life, we’ve got you covered. Here is a curated list of 20 different research project ideas to get those creative juices flowing. If you’re hungry for more, head over to our comprehensive Project Ideas database here and browse over 2800 more ideas!  

Research YOUR fave areas of Biology and Medicine

Polygence pairs you with an expert mentor in to create a passion project around biology and medicine. Together, you work to create a high quality research project that is uniquely your own. We also offer options to explore multiple topics, or to showcase your final product!

Human Body Project Ideas

Rate of cognitive decline in different elevations.

Oxygen partial pressure decreases with altitude, challenging blood oxygenation which may affect brain function. If you’ve ever felt some altitude sickness, then this is exactly what’s happening. This is because the atmospheric pressure decreases at higher elevations, leading to a decrease in the partial pressures of the gasses in the air, including oxygen. And of course, oxygen is needed for us to function. What is the effect on brain health/ cognition in sudden increased elevation: say, climbing Mount Everest? Does chronic exposure to high elevations increase the likelihood of dementia? In this project, a meta-analysis of published works examining the effects of altitude on cognition would be conducted.

Idea by mentor Alyssa

Building a Blood Vessel

Use online graphics to illustrate how a blood vessel forms. Blood vessels are structures that carry blood and are responsible for transporting nutrients and oxygen throughout the body. There are three main types of blood vessels: arteries, veins, and capillaries. For this project, complete a literature search to understand what is known about blood vessel growth. Then, utilize this information to generate a graphic with no words to demonstrate how the vasculature (network of blood vessels) forms. The goal of this project is to explain science without using text and therefore make it more available to a larger community.

Idea by mentor Natalie

Examining the bacterial profile of various households

As of late, bacterial microbiomes have been a huge and interesting topic in the field of bacteriology as they play an important role in human health. Bacterial microbiomes are communities of bacteria that live on or outside organisms. They’re found in various parts of the human body, and help us to digest food and regulate our immune system. In this project, you will seek to understand how skin microbiomes can differ between different  individuals of different households. This project will require making different bacterial media that can be made at home selecting for various microorganisms. If you’re new to preparing bacterial media, check out this resource here!

Idea by mentor Hamilton

Regulation of Circadian Clocks

Sleep is known to be governed by two distinct processes: a circadian clock that aligns sleep and wakefulness to the solar day and the sleep homeostat that encodes for sleep debt as a compensatory mechanism against sleep loss. You’ve most likely heard about circadian rhythm and our body’s internal clock, and circadian regulation of sleep is a fundamental process that allows animals to anticipate sleepiness or wakefulness consistently every day. These mechanisms can be regulated in multiple ways: at the gene, protein, gene, and clock neuronal level. In this project, we will focus on 1) how to efficiently digest primary and review articles to compile and condense information, 2) investigate how circadian clocks are regulated at these different genetic levels, and 3) try to effectively summarize the information we've gathered. We can present this information in a variety of ways, and what the final product looks like is up to you.

Idea by mentor Oscar

The Biology of Aging

Aging is the number one risk factor for a variety of diseases including cancer, neurodegenerative disease, and loss of hearing/sight. We are only now beginning to truly understand the process of aging and have even started to uncover ways that we could stop, or potentially reverse, the effects of aging. What are the hallmarks/signs of aging? How do researchers study 'aging'? How does human lifespan and aging compare to the rest of the animal kingdom? Is it possible to stop or reverse the effects of aging? What advancements are being made related to this? We could explore these questions or brainstorm others you might have about the biology of aging.

Idea by mentor Emily

Animals, Plants, and Nature Project Ideas

How genetically engineered mosquitoes are reducing rates of vector-borne diseases such as zika.

Many countries are already releasing millions of genetically engineered mosquitoes into the wild every week. These mosquitoes have been modified to reduce their ability to transmit disease-causing pathogens like dengue fever, Zika, and malaria, and are sent into the wild to mate with disease-carrying mosquitoes. However, this is still controversial as some people are concerned about the unintended consequences on the environment. What could be the potential pros and cons for this? The project will mainly focus on doing meta analysis of articles and watching informative videos to understand how/why genetically engineered mosquitoes can be used to reduce rates of different diseases. Students will have the chance to use critical thinking and do in-depth research on genetic engineering techniques, how scientists determine breeding rates and number of insects released, and epidemiology of different bloodborne diseases.

Idea by mentor Vanessa

Efficacy of Marine Protected Areas

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are areas of ocean or coastal waters that are set aside for the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources. These areas are established by governments, NGOs, or other organizations, and they can take different forms, from fully protected "no-take" zones to areas with regulated fishing or other activities. Marine protected areas have the potential to guide sustainable resource management and protect biodiversity, but have a host of reasons for why they are not currently effective. Explore reasons for why MPAs may not be effective. Then develop a framework for mapping, modeling, and implementing an effective Marine Protected Area.

Bioinspiration: Do animals hold the answers?

Can the toxins produced by frogs help us fight antibiotic resistant bacteria strains? How can understanding how lizards and newts regrow their limbs help us improve wound treatment? Why do tilapia skins help with burns? Discover the role of animals in the development of modern medicine as well as its potential. Are there any ethical concerns with these developments and findings? If so, what are they and do they matter? Share your findings in a research proposal, article, or presentation.

Idea by mentor Cheyenne

How Climate Change Can Affect Future Distributions of Rare Species

Climate change, such as global warming and longer drought, can threaten the existence of some of the rarest plants on earth. It is important to understand how future suitable habitats will change for these rare species so that we can target our conservation efforts in specific areas. In this project, you will identify a rare species that you like (it can be animals, plants, or fungi!), and gather the data online on its current occurrences. Then you will learn how to perform species distribution modeling to map its current and future suitable habitat areas. To get you started on learning species distribution modeling, check out this Youtube resource here. The changes in the amount or location of future suitable habitats can significantly affect the destiny of a rare species. By doing this project, you will not only learn skills in data analyses but also become the best ambassador for this rare species that you love. 

Idea by mentor Yingtong

A Reef’s Best Frenemies

Coral reefs are in global decline. A primary cause of this is "coral bleaching" which results in the white reefs we often see in the news. Coral bleaching is actually the breakdown in the partnership between the coral animal and tiny, symbiotic algae that live within its cells. Corals and algae have a variety of thermal tolerances which are likely decided by genetic and environmental factors. However, despite how important this relationship is, it's currently very poorly understood. This project would review existing literature on the symbiotic partnernship and try to identify factors that predict bleaching and thermal resilience.

Idea by mentor Carly

Dive in to BioMed NOW!

Register to get paired with one of our expert mentors and to get started on exploring your passions today! You have agency in setting up your schedule for this research. Dive in now!

Diseases and Treatments Project Ideas

The understanding of a new and upcoming treatment: immunotherapy.

Immunotherapies have been growing in the past few years as alternative treatments for many types of cancer. These treatments work by boosting the patient's immune system to fight the disease, however it is not always effective. There are many types of immunotherapies with various nuances, but they all work to attack specific cells that are causing the disease. For this project, pick one of a few types of immunotherapy and deeply understand the mechanism of action and what is the current effectiveness against the cancer it treats.

Idea by mentor Hannah

Exploring The Cancer Genome Atlas data 

There has been an explosion of publicly available data for cancer. The Cancer Genome Atlas was a research program with the purpose of creating a comprehensive catalog of genomic and molecular information about different types of cancer, with the aim of improving our understanding of the disease and developing new treatments. The dataset has been used to identify new cancer subtypes, develop diagnostic tests, and discover potential targets for new cancer therapies. Explore the implications and impact of The Cancer Genome Atlas data, and why it’s become so important.

Idea by mentor Hersh

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Physiological Benefits of Fasting-induced Autophagy

Autophagy, meaning "self-eating", is a cellular process where damaged or unwanted components are disposed. Autophagy has been linked to various diseased pathologies, including cancer and heart disease. Fasting or specific dietary lifestyles may induce levels of autophagy in the human body. In this project, we will perform and systematic review and meta-analysis of fasting or diet-induced autophagy and its benefits on the body. You will gain skills in 1) searching and reviewing primary literature, 2) computational skills for performing data analysis (R language), and 3) writing your scientific findings.

Idea by mentor Jose 

The Amyloid Hypothesis: Sifting through the controversy

For many years, scientists have thought that amyloid beta was the protein responsible for a patient developing Alzheimer's Disease symptoms. This "Amyloid Hypothesis" is now being questioned in light of current clinical data. Recently, drugs have been developed that reduce amyloid beta in patients. Surprisingly, the drugs worked in reducing amyloid beta, but it did not result in the slowing of disease pathology. Does this mean that the amyloid hypothesis is incorrect? Is amyloid beta less important in the progression of disease then what we once thought? This research project aims to explore the issues with the amyloid hypothesis and to assess where we stand in our understanding of amyloid beta's contribution to Alzheimer’s.

Idea by mentor Patrick

How do vaccines work?

During the COVID pandemic, vaccines have been all over the news! But how do they actually work? What’s the science behind them? Through this project, you will explore how vaccines work and the history of science behind vaccine development. While the final product of the projectwill be up to you, the ultimate goal of this project is for you to be a true public health advocate for vaccines and to be able to communicate why vaccines are so important in a way that the general public can understand.

Idea by mentor Helen

Sleep Disruption Profiles in Various Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been studied for decades but we are no closer to understanding the mechanisms of the disease. Because of the vast number of researchers studying AD, there are numerous models used to study the disease. All these models have different sleep profiles, phenotypes, disease onsets, sex differences etc. Therefore, in this project we will compile a document based on extensive literature review about the various models there are. We will focus on sleep profiles in these animals with an emphasis on male and female differences. This information is valuable because it is important to know which model is best to use to answer your scientific questions and there is a lot of criticism (by other scientists) that can be brought on by the model chosen so you need to be able to justify your choice. This project will also introduce you to the world of AD research and some of the gaps in knowledge in the field.

Idea by mentor Shenee

Rethinking The Treatment Of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neurodegenerative diseases affect millions of people worldwide. They are conditions that affect the nervous system, particularly the brain and spinal cord, and examples include Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. While billions of dollars have been spent trying to find treatments for the disease, very few drugs and therapies have had a meaningful impact on slowing down disease progression. This is often because by the time someone is diagnosed with a disease, it has progressed too far for a treatment to have a substantial effect. Some recent approaches to treatment have turned to looking for early indications of the disease (termed "biomarkers") that can occur before the onset of symptoms. By diagnosing disease and beginning treatment before symptoms arise, these treatments could have a more profound effect in slowing down the progression of disease. Students could review the recent progress being made on identifying biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases, and either write a paper or even record a podcast on their findings!

Idea by mentor David

Genetics Project Ideas

Height and genetics: nature or nurture.

How much do your genes determine your height? How much do nutrition and environmental factors play a role? What gene variants are implicated in height differences and what is the role of epigenetics? Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype that occur without changes to the underlying DNA sequence. These changes can be influenced by diet and lifestyle. We will access and analyze an open dataset on twins to estimate the correlation between monozygotic twins (who have the exact same DNA) and height. You will learn to use R to open a dataset, analyze data with statistical methods such the student’s t-test, and display your data as graphs and charts. Finally, you will learn how to make a research presentation on height and genetics, describe the research methods, and present the data in a compelling and thorough way.

Idea by mentor Adeoluwa

The World of Personalized Medicine

Similar to our fingerprints, our genetic code is also unique to each individual person. Our genetic code is what determines our hair color, height, eye color, skin tone...just about everything! For those that develop diseases such as cancer, their genetic code found inside the malignant cells that comprise a tumor may also be unique to them or to certain groups of people with similar mutations (the drivers of disease). So why is it that we treat each person the same way even though the genetic drivers of that disease may be disparate? The world of Personalized Medicine is new and exciting and looks to circumvent this problem. Personalized Medicine (also known as precision medicine) uses the genetic code of a patients disease to guide treatment options that prove to be highly efficacious. Together, lets write a review on a disease of your choice that could benefit from Personalized Medicine based on current literature and research.

Idea by mentor Somer

General Biology Project Ideas

Teach a biology concept two ways: to your fellow students and to the general public.

One of the best ways to learn is to teach. Choose a biological concept that interests you and prepare a lesson and or demo on it. The format should be a video recording of yourself teaching (a la Khan Academy or a Zoom class), but the other details are up to you. Consider incorporating a demonstration (e.g. how can you use items from your kitchen to illustrate properties of mixtures?) or animation (e.g. to illustrate molecular motion). Also consider how you will check that your students understand the concept(s) and/or skill(s) you have taught them. Prepare and record two versions of your lesson: one intended for your peers and one for the general public. How will the versions differ to reflect these different audiences? You will learn what it's like to teach, gain a much greater understanding of your chosen concept(s)/skill(s), and learn how to communicate science to different audiences.

Idea by mentor Alexa

Once you’ve picked a project idea, check out some of our resources to help you progress with your project! Whether you’re stuck on how to cite sources , how to come up with a great thesis statement , or how to showcase your work once it’s finished , we’ve created blog posts to help you out. If you’re interested in doing one of the biology research projects with the help of an amazing mentor at Polygence, apply now ! If you would like some help with coming up with your own idea, book a complimentary consultation call with our admissions team here ! For more biology and science research information, check out our comprehensive list of research opportunities for high school students .

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21 Unique Science Projects for High School Students

• Last modified 2024-07-05
• Published on 2023-10-31

Whether you’re leading a group science project or working independently to pursue your own scientific interests , we brainstormed to create the most unique list of science project ideas for high school students. Discover fresh, cool science project ideas that you’ve never seen before! In addition, we’ve added some bonus material to walk you through how to do research for your project, and write a report in a fun and engaging way that will all but guarantee that ticket ends up in your hands!

What should you include in your high school science project?

Science teachers hold students ages 14-18 to a much higher standard when grading science projects. High schoolers must demonstrate a solid understanding of the scientific method and reflect current guidelines in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) industry. Students’ science projects must also demonstrate their curiosity and eagerness to explore new and complicated scientific concepts.

Structure your science project neatly in sections, and make sure you include all necessary components: Purpose, Background Information, Scientific Question, Hypothesis, Materials, Procedures, Results, Conclusion, and Works Cited/Bibliography. When editing your science project, some questions to ask yourself are:

• Are my steps clear enough for someone to easily replicate my results?
• Do I have tables and graphs to illustrate the collected data? Are they easy to read?
• How original is my idea compared to other high school science projects?
• How can I present my science project in a clear way to ensure my audience understands the complicated scientific concepts?

Science Project Ideas for Each Subject

In high school, students typically take Biology, Chemistry, and Physics chronologically from 9th to 11th grade. 12th graders can choose which science subject they performed best in and take an AP science class in that subject for a challenge and to college credit. Depending on their school’s science class offerings, high school seniors can also take more focused science classes such as AP Environmental Science, AP Psychology, AP Human Geography, or AP Computer Science. Learn more about the differences between each subject .

With so many intriguing science project ideas for high school students, choosing a project that’s best for you can be difficult. When reading through this list, consider which ideas strike your interest. Do they relate to something your teacher mentioned in class? Is it a science project you’ve always been curious about? Would you want to study this topic as your college major? Will this science project be helpful in your portfolio when applying for your dream university?

When you find a science project idea that appeals to you, the best way to approach the topic is to do background research. Look up some keywords from the description in research journal databases, such as The Concord Review and Journal of High School Science. These 12 research journals are easier to read and more suitable for high schoolers because the papers are all written by other high school students.

Biology Science Projects

• Explore gene editing and its possibilities by creating genetically modified organisms or treating genetic disorders.
• Discover why people get seasonal allergies and which biological differences make some people more prone to allergic reactions than others.
• Research an invasive species that was recently introduced in your community, and predict its impact on native species.

If you’re curious to learn more about biology, consider taking an AP Biology class at your high school. Or, if you’re just getting started, check out an online class on the foundations of biology .

Chemistry Science Projects

• Test how effective Advil (ibuprofen) is compared to Tylenol (acetaminophen) when dealing with different symptoms and illnesses.
• Examine the chemical anatomy of different artificial food dyes or other additives, and compare their effects on our health.
• Develop a skincare product that’s safe to use.

Do these science project ideas sound interesting to you? Consider taking an online chemistry course to learn more about your scientific interests and get ahead of the game!

Physics Science Projects

• Explore the popular yet controversial topic of how one electron can be in two places at once.
• Determine the differences between the two atomic bombs the U.S. used in World War 2.
• Uncover the differences in safety features between a gas engine car and an electric car when rapidly decelerating from a high speed.

Environmental Science Projects

• Compare the water pollution levels in your town and a neighboring town to determine what factors might be causing higher pollution levels. Propose a social change initiative to lower water pollution.
• Conduct a study on your school’s recycling habits. How can the current system be made more efficient? How much recycling ends up as unusable waste in landfills?
• Investigate solutions to cleaning up oil spills. What is the most effective method?

In most cases, studying Environmental Science requires a solid understanding of Biology, since these subjects overlap. If you’re interested in both subjects, you might want to consider studying them in college. Before then, it’s essential to understand the differences between Environmental Science and Biology; so, choose the right AP course and earn college credit toward your future major.

Psychology Science Projects

• Compare and contrast the effectiveness of medicine versus hallucinogenic plants for different illnesses. Why might some people prefer alternative medicine over traditional medicine?
• Dive into how cultural or socio-economic factors may contribute to someone’s belief in conspiracy theories and political extremism on social media.
• Research the effects of college admissions on self-esteem and long-term life satisfaction.

Need more ideas? Check out some more psychology research topics to find the best science project for you.

Human Geography Science Projects

• Design a more sustainable urban development plan for your city. How could your city be remapped?
• Analyze the impact of farmers’ markets on people’s relationship to food and healthy eating habits.
• Uncover some key reasons behind the rapid spread of COVID-19 across the world.

As one of the more directly applicable sciences, human geography science projects delve into more practical topics. If these topics interest you, AP Human Geography might be a great class for you to take!

Computer Science Projects

• Design a therapy Chatbot to help users practice simple exercises for boosting mental health, such as gratitude journaling.
• Analyze the relationship between mental health disorders in younger generations and the rise of social media using data visualization tools.
• Code an interactive experience for an emotional support robot dog.

Thinking about taking your computer science skills to the next level? Try testing out your skills with AP Computer Science .

Presenting your Science Project in a High School Classroom

People tend to think that science projects are about writing science reports and long research papers. However, there are more engaging ways to showcase your scientific discoveries and have fun along the way!

Write a Blog High school students can exercise their creative muscles by starting a science blog. Students can research current events in science and write posts about recent scientific developments in the STEM industry. Not sure how to get started? Here are some tips on how to create a blog .

Make a Board Game Another fun idea to present a science project is to make a board game. As players progress across the board, they can learn about your research questions, hypothesis, variables, and what you discovered in your science experiment.

Add Kahoot to Your Slides If part of your assignment is to make PowerPoint slides, make your presentation slides more interactive and engaging by adding a game of Kahoot . Kahoot is a website that lets you make a fun quiz to share with your classmates. You can add the game to the end of your presentation to quiz them on what they learned from your science project. Prepare a small prize for whoever gets the most correct answers!

Make a Model for a Live Demonstration Consider whether or not your experiment can be replicated through a model in time, which is by far the best way to grab your audience’s attention. Even if your whole experiment can’t be built into a model, make part of it to help your classmates understand a difficult scientific concept.

How to Write a Scientific Research Paper

Even if you’re stuck just writing a paper for your science project, don’t worry. Start with looking into research that’s already been done on the topic. Here are resources on how to conduct scientific research and how to read complicated research papers . Once you move onto writing your science paper, talk with a tutor to get clear, personal feedback from experienced teachers.

Next Steps – Share your Science Projects

Want to take your science project to the next level? There are countless ways for high school students interested in science to get involved outside of class . The best way to get your innovative science project out into the world is through competitions and fairs. Check out these 11 STEM competitions for high school students that you can enter!

An impressive, creative, and well-documented science project can help with college admissions and with pursuing a career in medicine , or other scientific fields. Follow the steps outlined above to structure your science project in an organized, coherent fashion. When you’re ready, take your science project to STEM competitions and boost your chances of getting into your dream college!

Further Your Science Passion with Aralia Education

Aralia is well-equipped to help high school students with their science projects. Aralia offers a diverse range of science classes designed to ignite students’ curiosity and deepen their understanding of the world around them. From introductory courses to advanced topics, our expert instructors provide engaging and comprehensive instruction, empowering students to excel in the field of science. If you ever need help anywhere along the way, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Access 100+ Subjects. Discover your true potential under the guidance of our top high school & college teachers. Tomorrow starts today!

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18 Must-Try Science Experiments for High School: From Basic Chemistry to Complex Reactions

Learners of all ages are enamored with scientific experiments:

P5 have been looking at changes of state in science, and today investigated the water cycle! We did an experiment with water & food colouring in a plastic bag to see if we could see any changes, and noticed signs of evaporation and condensation inside the bag @SLC_RAiSE #Science pic.twitter.com/cla3opitiT — Burgh Primary School (@BurghPrimary) October 25, 2023

This article will equip high school teachers with an arsenal of exciting science experiments that will keep their students engaged and learning. Offering projects across a variety of disciplines, from physics to biology, this carefully curated list will be suitable for learners at any level. By incorporating these experiments into their lesson plans, educators will be providing their students with valuable hands-on experience that complements their textbook knowledge. With easy-to-follow instructions and materials that are easily accessible, teaching science has never been more enjoyable!

Experiment 1: Investigating Osmosis with Potato Slices

This accompanying video offers a visual guide on how this osmosis project is conducted using potatoes. By the end, students will have a vivid understanding of osmotic movement and its effects.

Experiment 2: Making a Homemade Volcano

High school students have a wonderful opportunity to step into the shoes of a scientist with this exciting and educational experiment. They can construct their very own volcanic eruption, right from the safety of their classroom or home! By synergizing baking soda with vinegar, students will get a firsthand view of a thrilling chemical reaction that mimics the grandeur of a volcanic eruption. Beyond the sheer fun and spectacle, this experiment serves as an enlightening experience, imparting deeper insights into the complex world of chemical reactions.

Experiment 3: Exploring Density with Oil and Water

Experiment 4: building a simple electric motor.

High school students possess an innate curiosity, constantly seeking to understand the world around them. Dive deep into the captivating realm of electromagnetism with this enlightening project, revealing the intricate process that enables an electric motor to effortlessly transform electrical impulses into tangible mechanical movements. As students embark on this hands-on journey, they’ll gain an intimate appreciation for the underlying principles that power much of today’s technology.

Experience the mesmerizing magnificence of an electric motor as this video unravels the mystery behind its seamless conversion of electrical energy into mechanical power. Unlock the inner workings of this wonder machine in the science projects for high school.

Experiment 5: Testing Acids and Bases with Red Cabbage

Experiment 6: observing microorganisms with a microscope, experiment 7: studying chemical reactions with alka-seltzer experiment, experiment 8: measuring the speed of light with a microwave oven, experiment 9: demonstrating newton’s third law of motion with balloons, experiment 10: observing the greenhouse effect with sunlight and jars, experiment 11: investigating chromatography with markers, experiment 12: creating a simple electromagnet, experiment 13: examining photosynthesis with leaf disks, experiment 14: extracting dna from strawberries, experiment 15: building a mini tesla coil, additional 3 fun science experiments for high school, experiment 16: making invisible ink with lemon juice, experiment 17: creating rainbow fire with salt, experiment 18: exploring bioluminescence with glowing bacteria, useful science experiments resources, leave a comment cancel reply.

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Okay, this is the hardest part of the whole project…picking your topic. But here are some ideas to get you started. Even if you don’t like any, they may inspire you to come up with one of your own. Remember, check all project ideas with your teacher and parents, and don’t do any project that would hurt or scare people or animals. Good luck!

• Does music affect on animal behavior?
• Does the color of food or drinks affect whether or not we like them?
• Where are the most germs in your school? ( CLICK for more info. )
• Does music have an affect on plant growth?
• Which kind of food do dogs (or any animal) prefer best?
• Which paper towel brand is the strongest?
• What is the best way to keep an ice cube from melting?
• What level of salt works best to hatch brine shrimp?
• Can the food we eat affect our heart rate?
• How effective are child-proof containers and locks.
• Can background noise levels affect how well we concentrate?
• Does acid rain affect the growth of aquatic plants?
• What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?
• Does the color of light used on plants affect how well they grow?
• What plant fertilizer works best?
• Does the color of a room affect human behavior?
• Do athletic students have better lung capacity?
• What brand of battery lasts the longest?
• Does the type of potting soil used in planting affect how fast the plant grows?
• What type of food allow mold to grow the fastest?
• Does having worms in soil help plants grow faster?
• Can plants grow in pots if they are sideways or upside down?
• Does the color of hair affect how much static electricity it can carry? (test with balloons)
• How much weight can the surface tension of water hold?
• Can some people really read someone else’s thoughts?
• Which soda decays fallen out teeth the most?
• What light brightness makes plants grow the best?
• Does the color of birdseed affect how much birds will eat it?
• Do natural or chemical fertilizers work best?
• Can mice learn? (you can pick any animal)
• Can people tell artificial smells from real ones?
• What brands of bubble gum produce the biggest bubbles?
• Does age affect human reaction times?
• What is the effect of salt on the boiling temperature of water?
• Does shoe design really affect an athlete’s jumping height?
• What type of grass seed grows the fastest?
• Can animals see in the dark better than humans?

Didn’t see one you like? Don’t worry…look over them again and see if they give you an idea for your own project that will work for you. Remember, find something that interests you, and have fun with it.

To download and print this list of ideas CLICK HERE .

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25+ Best Science Research Ideas for High School Students

If you’re an ambitious high school student looking for opportunities to build your college profile and learn new skills, consider undertaking a research project. You do not need to be sure about what you want to major in, but having a general idea aligned with your interests helps! Conducting research shows demonstrated interest in a subject, aids critical thinking and problem-solving, provides laboratory experience, and helps you gain analytical and communication skills. 

What makes a good research idea?

There are a few key components you need to keep in mind when thinking about a research topic:

What is your project trying to achieve? For your research to be relevant, it needs to identify a knowledge gap and be significant. Your research findings should add to existing literature and help future researchers.

It is important to state what will be included in your research explicitly.  Clearly defined boundaries help estimate a realistic timeline and allocate any necessary resources.  

The easiest way to be dedicated throughout your research project is by choosing a topic you are passionate about!  This will make sure you remain motivated throughout, and it will reflect in your work. Do not choose a topic for the sake of it — you will find the project difficult to complete and your disinterest will reflect in the quality of your work.

Feasibility:

You may have a grand idea for your research topic, but can you execute it? It’s important to consider any constraints you may have — time, money, etc. — and choose a topic that can be completed with your given resources.  If you are working independently, choose a topic that isn't resource-intensive. For example, research that requires you use advanced telescopes to examine cosmological patterns may not be feasible if you do not already have access to one. 

What do I do once I have a research idea?

Great job, you have found a topic that interests you, is relevant to the field, and is feasible in scope and resources! Next step, you need to find a mentor who can guide and advise you through the research process.  They could be a working researcher, a college professor, a graduate student, or a Ph.D. candidate.

If you’re looking for a mentor, we’d recommend applying to the Lumiere Research Scholar Program  which connects students with world-class researchers, offers one-on-one mentorship, and guides you through the research and writing process, even helping you get your paper published!

Chemistry research ideas for high school students:

Chemistry can be a great field to undertake independent research in — chemical reactions form the basis of life and can give you a deeper understanding of the world.  Moreover, chemistry is directly related to important issues that affect us, like climate change, drug discovery, nanotechnology, and more. Research in these domains can lead to life-changing benefits for society! 

Some topics you can research include:

1. Using green chemistry to achieve sustainability targets in the fields of energy, water remediation, agriculture, and sensing

2. Analyzing different energy storage options and comparing and contrasting different technologies' chemistries, performance, lifetime, cost, geographic and resource constraints, and more

3. Investigating how startups and the private sector’s newest technologies are critical to the transition to a green future and how products are commercialized from lab to market

4. Understanding how material nano-structure can create specific properties and take advantage of "structure-property" understanding to engineer new materials

5. Determining the role small molecules play in imaging, labeling, target identification, inhibiting native protein functions, and facilitating foreign ones, especially in new techniques used to understand disease pathways

6. Investigating how molecules are made in nature, such as the reactions performed by enzymes to make natural products

Suggested by Lumiere PhD mentors at Harvard University, University of California, Berkeley, Yale University, University of Cambridge, Technical University of Munich, Georgia Institute of Technology, Duke University, University of Leeds, Cornell University, and John Hopkins University

Biology research ideas for high school students:

Research in biology can contribute to humans’ understanding of living organisms, lead to medical breakthroughs and advancements in healthcare, contribute to cancer research and treatment, deepen our understanding of genetics, improve sustainability by helping develop biofuels and biodegradable materials, and more. 

7. Tumor progression and how cancer cells invade and interact with other cells

8. Cancer immunotherapy: the study of how cancer cells evade the immune system and how we can harness the immune system to battle cancer

9. Researching past and current technologies used in gene editing. Identify challenges and weigh the ethical and social implications of these technologies

10. Identifying technical challenges in mass vaccination campaigns. Review existing data from public health organizations and current scientific literature on new vaccine delivery technologies

11. Analyzing the effects of alcohol and drug addiction on the brain

12. Discovering different theories of learning and memory. You can design and use different  clinical studies here

Suggested by Lumiere Ph.D. mentors at Stanford University, UC Berkeley, Cornell University,  Duke University, and Yale University   

Physics research ideas for high school students:

Have space, quantum physics, nuclear science, and other such subjects always fascinated you? If so, a research project in physics is a great way to dig deeper and understand why different phenomena occur. Physics is a broad and interconnected discipline; research in the subject can cover topics like mechanical and electrical engineering, quantum computing, nuclear energy, astrophysical and cosmological phenomena, and computational technologies.

13. The features and limitations of augmented and virtual reality technologies, current industry standards of performance, and solutions to address challenges

14. Cosmological mysteries (like dark energy, inflation, and dark matter) and their hypothesized explanations

15. Physical processes that shape galaxies through cosmic time in the context of extragalactic astronomy and the current issues and frontiers in galaxy evolution

16. Radiation or radiation measurement in applications of nuclear physics (such as reactors, nuclear batteries, and sensors/detectors)

17. The electrical and thermodynamic properties of Boson particles, whose quantum nature is responsible for laser radiation

18. Mathematical derivation of the dynamics of particles from fundamental laws (such as special relativity, general relativity, and quantum mechanics)

19. The theoretical and experimental advances in quantum computing. Explore current high-impact research directions for quantum computing from a hardware or theoretical perspective

20. Nuclear fission or nuclear fusion energy as a possible solution to mitigate climate change

Suggested by Lumiere Ph.D. mentors at Northwestern University, Princeton University, Stanford University, Cornell University, University of Cambridge, Harvard University, University of California, Irvine, and University of Southampton.

Marine biology research ideas for high school students:

Contributing to research in marine biology can be extremely important given the diversity of marine ecosystems, the life they support, and their importance in combating climate change and preventing extreme weather events.  Understanding how oceans work directly relates to water pollution and the quality of seafood, contributes to coastal protection and carbon sequestration (the process of capturing and storing excess carbon dioxide), and helps educate the public on the importance of protecting marine habitats.

 If this interests you, here are some research topics to consider:

21. Examine how corals are responding to climate change, how the change in oceanic temperatures affects their reef-building capabilities, and the knock-on effects

22. Examine how marine conservation and tourism can go coexist. Suggest ways to ensure the sustainable development of coastal economies

23. Study how marine pollution impacts coastal areas, marine biodiversity, and communities’ livelihoods

24. Study how human activity (like pollution, fishing, and habitat destruction) has impacted marine genomes and how other anthropogenic factors have influenced adaptation and genetic diversity in marine organisms

25. Study the effect of plastic pollution on marine life and examine the benefits of adopting more eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging materials. Develop new methods to remove plastic from the ocean

26. Study carbon sequestration. Investigate how coastal ecosystems like mangroves, saltmarshes, seagrasses, etc. can help mitigate C02 emissions

27. Study the effect of plastic pollution on marine life and examine the benefits of adopting more eco-friendly and biodegradable packaging materials. Develop new methods to remove plastic from the ocean

If you’re serious about conducting independent research, you may want to consider the Lumiere Research Scholar Program , a selective online high school program for students founded by researchers at Harvard and Oxford. Last year, we had over 4000 students apply for 500 spots in the program! You can find the application form here . You can also reach out to us at [email protected] to know more, or to have a chat about possible collaborations!

Also check out the Lumiere Research Inclusion Foundation , a non-profit research program for talented, low-income students. Last year, we had 150 students on full need-based financial aid!

Kieran Lobo is a freelance writer from India, who currently teaches English in Spain.

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• 25 Science Research Competitions for High Schoolers

What’s Covered:

• Why Should You Enter a Science Research Competition?
• How Do Science Research Competitions Affect My Admissions Chances?

Participating in a science research competition as a high schooler can not only allow you to explore one of your passions, but also make you a more competitive candidate during the college admissions process. There’s a wide variety of science research competitions designed for high schoolers, including the high-profile contests listed below. 

Why Should You Enter a Science Research Competition? 

Entering a science research competition demonstrates that you take initiative and that you care about academics beyond the grades in your courses, both of which are qualities that colleges appreciate in prospective students. 

Participation in competitions is already a strong extracurricular activity that’s likely to make your application more memorable, and successes—like making the finals or winning—can open additional doors, to scholarships or even research programs with professors once you get to college.

If competition isn’t really your thing, another way to showcase your initiative and skills is to work on an independent research paper. There are a number of ways to do independent research, including working with a high school teacher, reaching out to local professors, or taking part in a structured research program.  

For example, the Lumiere Research Scholar Program is one type of structured research program tailored for high school students. In the program, you work one-on-one with a researcher on an independent research project. The program is run by researchers from Harvard and helps create the structure for you to get started quickly doing your own research. Many of Lumiere’s alums have used their research in the structured program to then apply to research competitions like ISEF.  

Whether you participate in a structured program first or dive right into a competition, engaging in research allows you to deepen your understanding of one of your interests, while simultaneously boosting your profile for college admissions. 

25 Science Research Competitions for High Schoolers 

1. american academy of neurology neuroscience research prize.

Grades: 9-12

Type: National 

The American Academy of Neurology (AAN) Neuroscience Research Prize competition challenges students to investigate problems regarding the brain or nervous system. The competition is only open to individual students—group projects are ineligible. Teachers are encouraged to provide guidance and support; however, they should allow students to demonstrate their own creativity. 

Winners receive a monetary prize and the chance to present their projects at the AAN Annual Meeting.

2. NCF-Envirothon

Type: State, National, and International

Envirothon is North America’s largest environmental education competition, with more than 25,000 students participating in the multi-level competition each year. Student teams are first challenged at state-level competitions, with the winners moving on to face top teams from across the globe at the annual international competition. 

The international competition is a six-day event held in a different location each summer—for example, on an open range of the American West one year, and at a coastal community in eastern Canada the next. Participants have the chance to win thousands of dollars in scholarships.

3. Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF)

Type: Local, Regional, and International

The Regeneron ISEF is the world’s largest international pre-college STEM competition—high school students representing all 50 states and more than 70 countries, regions, and territories, take part. Students showcase independent research and compete across 22 categories for awards ranging from $500 to $75,000.

This is not a group-based competition—individual students enroll in local school science fairs before advancing to upper-level competitions in hopes of reaching the national stage. 

4. National Science Bowl

Type: National

Hosted by the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., the National Science Bowl is a highly publicized competition that tests students’ knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics, including biology, chemistry, earth science, physics, energy, and math. Students compete in teams of four (plus an alternate) and have a teacher who serves as an advisor. 

The National Science Bowl is one of the largest science competitions in the country—roughly 344,000 students have participated in it throughout its 34-year history.

5. National Science Olympiad

Type: State and National 

One of the nation’s premier STEM competitions, the National Science Olympiad is the pinnacle of achievement for the country’s top Science Olympiad teams. Teams compete annually for the opportunity to win prizes and scholarships, including a one-time $10,000 Science Olympiad Founders’ Scholarship. About 6,000 teams compete each year, beginning at the regional level in hopes of reaching the national competition.

6. Regeneron Science Talent Search (STS)

Established in 1942 and hosted by the Society for Science, the Regeneron Science Talent Search is considered the nation’s most prestigious high school science research competition. The competition tasks young scientists with presenting their original research before a panel of nationally recognized professional scientists.

Of the roughly 1,800 entrants, 300 Regeneron STS scholars are selected—they and their schools are awarded $2,000 each. From that pool of scholars, 40 finalists are then identified to receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they compete for an additional $1.8 million in awards, with a top prize of $250,000.

7. Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Type: Regional, State, National, and International 

In this competition, students from around the world seek to address the current and future water challenges facing the world. Competition for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize occurs on four levels: regional, state, national, and international. 

• Regional winners receive a certificate and a nomination to compete in the state competition.
• State winners receive a medal and an all-expenses-paid trip to compete in the national competition.
• National winners receive a trophy, a $10,000 scholarship, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the international competition in Stockholm, Sweden.
• International winners receive a crystal trophy and a $15,000 scholarship, along with a $5,000 award for their school.

In order to participate, students begin to research and develop a practical project proposal either individually or with a group.  

8. TOPSS Competition for High School Psychology Students

To participate in this competition, students must submit a video (up to 3 minutes long) that demonstrates an interest in and understanding of a topic in psychology that they think could benefit their local community and improve lives. Students must utilize at least one peer-reviewed research study on their topic, and must include a closing slide citing their source(s). Up to three winners are chosen to receive a $300 scholarship.

9. Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) National Competition

Type: Regional and National

The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium National Competition is one of the country’s longest-running STEM competitions—participants submit and present scientific research papers, and compete for military-sponsored undergraduate scholarships. 

The JSHS national competition is designed to emulate a professional symposium. Research projects are organized into categories such as Environmental Science, Engineering and Technology, and Medicine and Health. After competing regionally, about 250 students are chosen to attend an annual symposium to showcase their work.

10. MIT THINK Scholars Program

In the fall of each year, students who have thoroughly explored the background of a potential research project and are looking to get it off the ground can present their proposals to a group of undergraduate students at MIT . If selected, students will be able to carry out their project, while receiving up to $1,000 in funding. They’ll also be invited to a four-day, all-expenses paid trip to MIT’s campus. 

Finalists participate in weekly mentorship meetings and will have the opportunity to present their findings to MIT students and faculty at the end of the program.

11. Conrad Challenge

Teams of two to five students are tasked with designing and detailing project proposals to tackle various problems in categories such as Aerospace & Aviation, Health & Nutrition, Cyber-Technology & Security, and Energy & Environment. In doing so, they will identify problems in the world and come up with feasible and innovative solutions, while working with judges and mentors along the way. 

Finalists will be selected from the competing teams and invited to the Innovation Summit in Houston, where they will pitch their projects to judges and potentially receive numerous prizes and awards, ranging from scholarships to professional networking opportunities.

12. USA Biolympiad Competition

Type: National and International

Students will undergo multiple rounds of testing that will eventually pinpoint 20 finalists—out of nearly 10,000 students annually—for selection into a residential training program to represent the USA in the International Biology Olympiad. This is one of the most prestigious and difficult competitions for high school scientists–it is the ultimate test for students devoted to the future of biology.

13. Davidson Fellows Scholarship

While not exclusive to STEM, the Davidson Fellows program offers various major scholarships for students interested in careers in sciences—scholarship categories include Science, Technology, and Mathematics. The program requires students to submit significant work that is recognized as meaningful and has the potential to make a positive contribution to society. 

Scholarships range from $10,000 to $50,000.

14. Destination Imagination

Type: Regional, State, National, International 

Destination Imagination is another worldwide competition that covers a variety of subjects, but it specializes in science-based challenges. Students will form teams and choose from a list of different challenges to compete in, in categories such as Technical, Scientific, and Engineering.

Students will solve these challenges and present their solutions in regional competitions. Regional winners will move on to statewide competitions before being invited to the Global Finals, where students from 36 states, 7 Canadian provinces, and 24 countries compete for awards.

15. Breakthrough Junior Challenge

For students looking for a more creative, unconventional competition, the Breakthrough Junior Challenge tasks students with creating a short two-minute video in which they explain a complex scientific concept and demonstrate how it works in practice.

Winning applicants will need to demonstrate immense creativity and deep understanding of complex scientific concepts. Rest assured, the prize is worth the difficulty, with awards including a $250,000 college scholarship, a $100,000 grant to the winner’s school for the development of a science lab, and a $50,000 award to a teacher of the winner’s choosing.

16. Biotechnology Institute BioGENEius Challenge

Type: State and National

Students from across the country are invited to participate in the Biotechnology Institute’s BioGENEius Challenge, where they’re able to complete a project in the category of Healthcare, Sustainability, or Environment. Their project must be extensive, and produce concrete results, and they will then compete in either a local or a virtual “At-Large” competition, with other student competitors from around the world.

17. Genes in Space

Grades: 7-12

For students interested in the science of space and its overlap with our current understanding of the human genome, this competition combines the two worlds by tasking students with designing a DNA experiment that addresses challenges in space exploration and travel.

Finalists receive mentorship from Harvard and MIT scientists and present their proposals to win the grand prize. The Genes in Space winner will travel to the Kennedy Space Center to see their experiment launched into space, and actually conducted on the International Space Station.

18. Odyssey of the Mind

Type: Regional, State, and International

Students form teams to compete in a variety of STEM-based challenges during this global problem-solving competition, which culminates in the World Finals. Challenges change annually and can range from designing vehicles to building small structures that can support hundreds of pounds. These challenges are designed to encourage creativity in the performative and presentational elements of competition.

19. U.S. National Chemistry Olympiad

Type: Regional, National, International

Students interested in chemistry can participate in the USNCO, in which they’ll take rigorous exams to prove their skills in the field. Top test-takers will be selected to attend a prestigious Study Camp, where they’ll compete for the chance to represent the U.S. at the International Chemistry Olympiad. Interested students can contact their local coordinator, who can be found through the program’s website.

20. ArcGIS Online Competition

Type: Regional, State, and National

This competition tasks high schoolers with conducting a research project connected to their home state, and eventually presenting their data in an ArcGIS StoryMap. This is a multi-level competition–participants compete at the school, state, and national level as they pursue top honors.

21. AAPT High School Physics Photo Contest

Type: International

This unique international competition is presented by the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) and challenges students to create visual illustrations of natural and contrived phenomena, along with a written analysis of what the images are demonstrating. More than 1,000 students take part in this competition annually.

22. DNA Day Essay Contest

This annual competition asks high schoolers from around the globe to examine, question, and reflect on important topics in genetics. The essay can be no longer than 750 words and the prompt changes yearly. First place takes home $1,000, second place $600, and third place $400.

23. The Biomimicry Institute: Youth Design Challenge

Through this science competition, students are introduced to biomimicry—an interdisciplinary approach to science and environmental literacy. Students work as teams with an adult coach to search for bio-inspired ideas to solve real-world problems in support of a healthier planet.

24. TEAMS (Tests of Engineering Aptitude, Mathematics, and Science)

During this aptly named competition, students must work in teams to apply their knowledge of math and science to real-world engineering challenges. The three-part, themed competition includes design/build, multiple choice, and essay components, and the theme changes annually. 

Beyond the chance to win an award, participants build valuable, broadly applicable skills like teamwork, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking.

25. Eye on the Future Teen Video Contest

While not a research competition per se, aspiring scientists will want to look into this science-related competition. Participants are tasked with creating a video between 30 seconds and three minutes long, either on their own or in teams of up to three members. Students compete in three categories: science in your world, science in the field or lab, and science in the future. 

Winners receive a $2,000 cash prize and a paid trip for them and a parent or guardian to visit the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. 

How Do Science Research Competitions Affect My Admissions Chances? 

The influence your participation in science research competitions can have on your college admissions varies—considerations such as how well you performed and the prestige of the event factor into how admissions officers view the competition. That being said, the four tiers of extracurricular activities provide a good general guide for understanding how colleges view your activities outside the classroom.

The most esteemed and well-known science research competitions are organized into Tiers 1 and 2. Extracurricular activities in these categories are extremely rare, demonstrate exceptional achievement, and hold considerable sway with admissions officers. Tiers 3 and 4 are reserved for more modest accomplishments—like winning a regional (rather than a national) competition—and carry less weight at colleges than their higher-tiered counterparts. 

Generally, participation in a science research competition will be considered at least a Tier 2 activity. As stated before, this varies depending on the competition and your performance. For example, being a finalist or winner in something like the Regeneron Science Talent Search or the International Biology Olympiad—prestigious national and international competitions—is very likely to be considered a Tier 1 achievement. 

However, lower-tiered extracurriculars are still valuable, as they show colleges a more well-rounded picture of you as a student, and highlight your desire to pursue your interests outside of school. 

Curious how your participation in science research competitions affects your odds of college admissions? Collegevine can help. Our free chancing calculator uses factors like grades, test scores, and extracurricular activities—like science research competitions— to calculate your chances of getting into hundreds of colleges across the country! You can even use the information provided to identify where you can improve your college profile and ultimately bolster your odds of getting into your dream school. 

Disclaimer: This post includes content sponsored by Lumiere Education.

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100 Research Topics for High School Students

By Eric Eng

High school is such an exciting time for stretching your intellectual muscles. One awesome way to do that is through research projects. But picking the right topic can make all the difference. It should be something you’re passionate about and also practical to tackle. So, we’ve put together a list of engaging research topics for high school students across ten different subjects: physics, math, chemistry, biology, engineering, literature, psychology, political science, economics, and history. Each topic is crafted to spark your curiosity and help you grow those research skills.

Physics Research Topics

Research topics for high school students in physics are an exciting way to enhance your understanding of the universe.

1. Gravitational Waves and Space-Time

How do gravitational waves distort space-time, and what can these distortions tell us about the origins of the universe?

2. Quantum Entanglement Applications

What are the potential technological applications of quantum entanglement, and how can it be harnessed for secure communication?

3. Dark Matter and Galaxy Formation

How does dark matter affect the formation and behavior of galaxies, and what evidence supports its existence?

4. Physics of Renewable Energy

What are the fundamental physical principles behind renewable energy sources, and how do they compare in terms of efficiency?

5. Superconductors in Technology

How are superconductors utilized in modern technology, and what advantages do they offer over traditional materials?

6. Particle Physics at the Large Hadron Collider

What significant discoveries have been made at the Large Hadron Collider, and how do they advance our understanding of particle physics?

7. Microgravity Effects on Organisms

How does microgravity affect the physiological and biological functions of organisms during space travel?

8. Thermodynamics and Engine Efficiency

How do the principles of thermodynamics improve the efficiency and performance of internal combustion engines?

9. Electromagnetism in Wireless Communication

How do principles of electromagnetism enable the functioning of wireless communication systems?

10. Cosmic Radiation and Human Space Travel

What are the effects of cosmic radiation on astronauts, and what measures can be taken to protect them during long-term space missions?

These research topics for high school students are designed to deepen your knowledge and prepare you for advanced studies and innovations in the field of physics.

Math Research Topics

Math research topics for high school students are a fantastic way to explore real-world problems through the lens of mathematical principles .

11. Graph Theory and Social Networks

How can graph theory be applied to identify influential nodes and optimize information flow in social networks?

12. Cryptography and Data Security

What cryptographic techniques are most effective in securing online communications and protecting sensitive data?

13. Mathematical Models in Disease Spread

How do SIR models predict the spread of infectious diseases, and what factors affect their accuracy?

14. Game Theory and Economic Decisions

How does game theory explain the strategic behavior of firms in competitive markets?

15. Calculus in Engineering Design

How is calculus used to optimize the structural integrity and efficiency of engineering designs?

16. Linear Algebra in Computer Graphics

How do matrices and vectors facilitate the creation and manipulation of digital images in computer graphics?

17. Statistical Methods in Public Health

What statistical methods are most effective in analyzing public health data to track disease outbreaks?

18. Differential Equations and Population Dynamics

How do differential equations model the population dynamics of endangered species in varying environments?

19. Probability Theory in Risk Management

How is probability theory applied to assess and mitigate financial risks in investment portfolios?

20. Mathematical Modeling in Climate Change Predictions

How do mathematical models simulate climate change scenarios, and what variables are most critical to their predictions?

These research topics for high school students are designed to spark your curiosity and help you build critical thinking skills and practical knowledge.

Chemistry Research Topics

Chemistry research topics for high school students open up a world of molecular wonders and practical applications.

21. Photosynthesis Chemical Processes

How do the chemical reactions involved in photosynthesis convert light energy into chemical energy in plants?

22. Catalysts and Reaction Rates

How do different catalysts influence the rate of chemical reactions, and what factors affect their efficiency?

23. Environmental Pollutants and Atmospheric Chemistry

How do specific environmental pollutants alter chemical reactions in the atmosphere, and what are the consequences for air quality?

24. Green Chemistry Principles

How can green chemistry practices be applied to reduce chemical waste and promote sustainable industrial processes?

25. Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery

How does nanotechnology improve the targeted delivery and effectiveness of drugs within the human body?

26. Plastic Composition and Environmental Impact

How does the chemical composition of various plastics affect their environmental impact and degradation process?

27. Enzymes in Biochemical Reactions

How do enzymes catalyze biochemical reactions, and what factors influence their activity and specificity?

28. Electrochemistry in Battery Technology

How are electrochemical principles applied to improve the performance and sustainability of modern batteries?

29. Chemical Fertilizers and Soil Health

How do chemical fertilizers impact soil health and agricultural productivity, and what alternatives exist to minimize negative effects?

30. Spectroscopy in Compound Identification

How is spectroscopy used to identify and analyze the composition of chemical compounds in various fields?

These research topics for high school students are designed to enhance your understanding of chemical principles and their real-world applications.

Biology Research Topics

Research topics for high school students in biology open up a fascinating window into the complexities of the living world.

31. Genetic Basis of Inherited Diseases

How do specific genetic mutations cause inherited diseases, and what are the mechanisms behind their transmission?

32. Climate Change and Biodiversity

How does climate change affect biodiversity in different ecosystems, and what species are most at risk?

33. Microbiomes and Human Health

How do microbiomes influence human health, and what roles do they play in disease prevention and treatment?

34. Habitat Destruction and Wildlife

How does habitat destruction impact wildlife populations and their behaviors, and what are the long-term ecological consequences?

35. Genetic Engineering in Agriculture

How can genetic engineering techniques improve crop yields and resistance to pests and diseases?

36. Pollution and Aquatic Ecosystems

How do various pollutants affect aquatic ecosystems, and what are the implications for water quality and marine life?

37. Stem Cells in Regenerative Medicine

How are stem cells used in regenerative medicine to repair and replace damaged tissues and organs?

38. Evolutionary Biology and Species Adaptation

How do evolutionary principles explain the adaptation of species to changing environmental conditions?

39. Diet and Human Health

How do different dietary choices impact human health, and what are the underlying mechanisms?

40. Bioinformatics in Genetic Research

How is bioinformatics used to analyze genetic data, and what insights can it provide into genetic disorders and evolution?

These research topics for high school students are designed to deepen your understanding of life sciences and prepare you for advanced studies and research in the field.

Engineering Research Topics

Engineering research topics give high school students practical insights into designing and creating innovative solutions.

41. 3D Printing in Manufacturing

How does 3D printing technology revolutionize manufacturing processes, and what are its key advantages over traditional methods?

42. Robotics in Modern Industry

How do robotics improve efficiency and productivity in modern industries, and what are some specific applications?

43. Sustainable Building Design

What principles of sustainable building design can be applied to reduce environmental impact and enhance energy efficiency?

44. Artificial Intelligence in Engineering

How is artificial intelligence integrated into engineering solutions to optimize processes and solve complex problems?

45. Renewable Energy Technologies

How do renewable energy technologies, such as solar and wind power, contribute to reducing carbon footprints?

46. Aerodynamics in Vehicle Design

How do aerodynamic principles enhance the performance and fuel efficiency of vehicles?

47. Material Science in Engineering Innovations

How do advancements in material science lead to innovative engineering solutions and improved product performance?

48. Civil Engineering in Urban Development

How does civil engineering contribute to urban development and infrastructure planning in growing cities?

49. Electrical Engineering in Modern Electronics

How are electrical engineering principles applied in the design and development of modern electronic devices?

50. Biomedical Engineering and Medical Devices

How does biomedical engineering contribute to the development of innovative medical devices and healthcare solutions?

These research topics for high school students are designed to broaden your understanding of engineering principles and their real-world applications, preparing you for future innovations and problem-solving in the field.

Literature Research Topics

Literature research topics give high school students the chance to delve into the rich and varied world of written works and their broader implications.

51. Identity in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction

How do contemporary young adult fiction novels explore themes of identity and self-discovery among teenagers?

52. Historical Events and Literary Movements

How have significant historical events influenced and shaped various literary movements, such as Romanticism or Modernism?

53. Symbolism in Classic Literature

How do authors use symbolism in classic literature to convey deeper meanings and themes?

54. Narrative Structure in Modern Storytelling

How do modern authors utilize narrative structures to enhance the storytelling experience and engage readers?

55. Literary Devices in Poetry

How do poets employ literary devices like metaphor, simile, and alliteration to enrich the meaning and emotional impact of their work?

56. Dystopian Themes in Science Fiction

How do science fiction authors use dystopian themes to comment on contemporary social and political issues?

57. Cultural Diversity and Literary Expression

How does cultural diversity influence literary expression and contribute to the richness of global literature?

58. Feminist Theory in Literary Analysis

How is feminist theory applied to analyze and interpret the representation of women and gender roles in literature?

59. Postcolonial Literature Principles

How does postcolonial literature address themes of colonization, identity, and resistance, and what are its key characteristics?

60. Intertextuality in Modern Novels

How do modern novelists use intertextuality to create layers of meaning and connect their works with other literary texts?

These research topics for high school students are designed to deepen your understanding of literary techniques and themes. They prepare you for advanced literary analysis and appreciation.

Psychology Research Topics

Psychology research topics offer high school students a fascinating journey into the complexities of human behavior and mental processes.

61. Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health

How does social media usage affect the mental health and well-being of adolescents, particularly in terms of anxiety and depression?

62. Stress and Cognitive Function

How does chronic stress impact cognitive functions such as memory, attention, and decision-making?

63. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Anxiety Disorders

How effective is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating various anxiety disorders, and what mechanisms underlie its success?

64. Early Childhood Experiences and Personality Development

How do early childhood experiences shape personality traits and influence long-term behavioral patterns?

65. Sleep and Memory Retention

How does the quality and quantity of sleep affect the retention and recall of memories?

66. Neuroplasticity in Brain Recovery

How does neuroplasticity facilitate brain recovery and adaptation following injury or neurological illness?

67. Mindfulness Practices and Emotional Regulation

How do mindfulness practices help individuals regulate their emotions and reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety?

68. Genetic Factors in Mental Health Disorders

How do genetic predispositions contribute to the development of mental health disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder?

69. Group Dynamics and Decision-Making

How do group dynamics influence individual decision-making processes and outcomes in collaborative settings?

70. Psychological Assessments in Educational Settings

How are psychological assessments used to support student learning and development in educational environments?

These research topics for high school students are designed to enhance your understanding of mental processes and behavior. They prepare you for advanced studies and practical applications in the field.

Political Science Research Topics

Political science research topics offer high school students an exciting opportunity to dive into the complexities of political systems and their impact on society.

71. Social Media and Political Campaigns

How does social media influence the strategies and outcomes of political campaigns, particularly in terms of voter engagement and misinformation?

72. International Organizations and Global Governance

How do international organizations, such as the United Nations, contribute to global governance and conflict resolution?

73. Political Corruption and Economic Development

How does political corruption affect economic development and stability in different countries?

74. Democracy in Political Systems

How do the principles of democracy vary across different political systems, and what impact do these differences have on governance?

75. Public Opinion and Policy-Making

How does public opinion shape government policy-making processes and legislative decisions?

76. Political Ideology and Government Policies

How do different political ideologies influence the formulation and implementation of government policies?

77. Electoral Systems and Political Representation

How do various electoral systems impact political representation and voter behavior?

78. Political Communication in Media

How do media and communication strategies shape public perception of political issues and candidates?

79. Globalization and National Sovereignty

How does globalization affect national sovereignty and the ability of states to maintain independent policies?

80. Political Theory and Social Movements

How can political theory be used to understand the origins, development, and impact of social movements?

These research topics for high school students are designed to enhance your understanding of political processes and theories. They prepare you for advanced studies and informed civic participation.

Economics Research Topics

Economics research topics give high school students valuable insights into how economic systems and policies shape our world.

81. Minimum Wage Laws and Employment Rates

How do changes in minimum wage laws impact employment rates across different sectors and demographics?

82. Fiscal Policy in Economic Recessions

How do government fiscal policies, such as stimulus packages, help manage and mitigate the effects of economic recessions?

83. Globalization and Local Economies

How does globalization influence local economies, particularly in terms of job creation and market competition?

84. Behavioral Economics and Consumer Decisions

How do psychological factors and cognitive biases affect consumer decision-making and market trends?

85. Trade Policies and International Relations

How do specific trade policies impact international relations and global trade dynamics?

86. Technology in Economic Growth

How do technological advancements drive economic growth and productivity in various industries?

87. Taxation and Income Distribution

How do different taxation policies affect income distribution and economic inequality within a society?

88. Economic Modeling and Market Predictions

How are economic models used to predict market trends, and what are the limitations of these models?

89. Inflation and Purchasing Power

How does inflation impact purchasing power and the cost of living for consumers?

90. Econometrics in Economic Data Analysis

How is econometrics used to analyze and interpret complex economic data, and what insights can it provide?

These research topics for high school students are designed to deepen your understanding of economic principles and their real-world applications, preparing you for further studies and informed decision-making in the field.

History Research Topics

History research topics for high school students offer a deep dive into the past. They help you understand how it shapes our present and future.

91. Industrial Revolution: Causes and Consequences

What were the key factors that led to the Industrial Revolution, and how did it impact society and the economy?

92. Colonialism and Indigenous Populations

How did colonial rule affect the cultural, social, and economic lives of indigenous populations?

93. Women in Historical Social Movements

What roles did women play in various social movements throughout history, and what were their contributions?

94. Historical Revisionism in Modern Historiography

What are the principles and controversies surrounding historical revisionism in contemporary historiography?

95. Technological Advancements and Historical Events

How have technological innovations influenced significant historical events and driven societal changes?

96. Major Wars: Causes and Effects

What were the primary causes, key events, and consequences of major wars in history?

97. Religion in Shaping Historical Narratives

How has religion influenced the crafting and interpretation of historical narratives across different cultures?

98. Historiography and Documenting Events

What methods and principles are used in historiography to accurately record and analyze historical events?

99. Economic Changes and Historical Societies

How have economic shifts impacted social structures and historical developments in various societies?

100. Primary Sources in Historical Research

Why are primary sources important in historical research, and how are they used to ensure accuracy and depth in historical analysis?

These research topics for high school students are designed to deepen your understanding of past events and their significance, preparing you for advanced studies and critical historical inquiry.

How do I pick the right high school research topic?

Choosing the right research topic involves considering your interests, the availability of resources, and the relevance of the topic to current issues. Start by identifying subjects you are passionate about. Then, look for specific questions within those subjects that spark your curiosity. It’s also important to consider the feasibility of the research, including access to necessary materials and data.

What high school research topics are in demand today?

High-demand research topics for high school students today often align with current global challenges and advancements. In science and technology, areas such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence , and genetic engineering are popular. In social sciences, topics like the impact of social media, political polarization, and mental health are highly relevant. Keeping up with current events and scientific journals can help you identify trending topics.

What resources should I use for my high school research?

Effective research requires a mix of resources. Start with your school library and online databases like JSTOR or Google Scholar for academic papers. Utilize books, reputable websites, and expert interviews to gather diverse perspectives. Don’t overlook primary sources, such as historical documents or scientific data, which provide firsthand information. Additionally, consider using software tools for data analysis and project management.

How can I publish or present my high school research?

Publishing and presenting your research can enhance its impact and your academic profile. Consider submitting your work to high school research journals , science fairs , and local or national competitions. You can also present at school or community events, or create a blog or website to share your findings. Networking with teachers and professors can provide guidance and additional opportunities for publication and presentation.

How does high school research enhance my college applications?

High school research demonstrates your ability to undertake independent projects, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Colleges value these attributes as they indicate readiness for college-level work. Including research experience in your application can set you apart from other applicants. It shows your commitment to learning and your ability to contribute to academic and extracurricular activities at the college level.

Want to assess your chances of admission? Take our FREE chances calculator today!

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The Complete Guide to Independent Research Projects for High School Students

Indigo Research Team

If you want to get into top universities, an independent research project will give your application the competitive edge it needs.

Writing and publishing independent research during high school lets you demonstrate to top colleges and universities that you can deeply inquire into a topic, think critically, and produce original analysis. In fact, MIT features "Research" and "Maker" portfolio sections in its application, highlighting the value it places on self-driven projects.

Moreover, successfully executing high-quality research shows potential employers that you can rise to challenges, manage your time, contribute new ideas, and work independently. 

This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know to take on independent study ideas and succeed. You’ll learn how to develop a compelling topic, conduct rigorous research, and ultimately publish your findings.

What is an Independent Research Project?

An independent research project is a self-directed investigation into an academic question or topic that interests you. Unlike projects assigned by teachers in class, independent research will allow you to explore your curiosity and passions.

These types of projects can vary widely between academic disciplines and scientific fields, but what connects them is a step-by-step approach to answering a research question. Specifically, you will have to collect and analyze data and draw conclusions from your analysis.

For a high school student, carrying out quality research may still require some mentorship from a teacher or other qualified scholar. But the project research ideas should come from you, the student. The end goal is producing original research and analysis around a topic you care about.

Some key features that define an independent study project include:

● Formulating your own research question

● Designing the methodology

● Conducting a literature review of existing research

● Gathering and analyzing data, and

● Communicating your findings.

The topic and scope may be smaller than a professional college academic project, but the process and skills learned have similar benefits.

Why Should High School Students Do Independent Research?

High school students who engage in independent study projects gain valuable skills and experiences that benefit and serve them well in their college and career pursuits. Here's a breakdown of what you will typically acquire:

Develop Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Skills

Research and critical thinking are among the top 10 soft skills in demand in 2024 . They help you solve new challenges quickly and come up with alternative solutions

An independent project will give you firsthand experience with essential research skills like forming hypotheses, designing studies, collecting and analyzing data, and interpreting results. These skills will serve you well in college and when employed in any industry.

Stand Out for College Applications

With many applicants having similar GPAs and test scores, an Independent research study offer a chance to stand out from the crowd. Completing a research study in high school signals colleges that you are self-motivated and capable of high-level work. Showcasing your research process, findings, and contributions in your application essays or interviews can boost your application's strengths in top-level colleges and universities.

Earn Scholarship Opportunities

Completing an independent research project makes you a more preferred candidate for merit-based scholarships, especially in STEM fields. Many scholarships reward students who show initiative by pursuing projects outside of class requirements. Your research project ideas will demonstrate your skills and motivation to impress scholarship committees. For example, the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology rewards students with original independent research projects in STEM fields. Others include the Garcia Summer Program and the BioGENEius challenge for life sciences.

Gain Subject Area Knowledge

Independent projects allow you to immerse yourself in a topic you genuinely care about beyond what is covered in the classroom. It's a chance to become an expert in something you're passionate about . You will build deep knowledge in the topic area you choose to research, which can complement what you're learning in related classes. This expertise can even help inform your career interests and goals.

Develop Time Management Skills

Time Management is the skill that lets you effectively plan and prioritize tasks and avoid procrastination. With no teacher guiding you step-by-step, independent study projects require strong time management, self-discipline, and personal responsibility – skills critical in college and adulthood.

Types of Independent Research Projects for High School Students

Understanding the different types and categories can spark inspiration if you need help finding an idea for an independent study. Topics for independent research generally fall into a few main buckets:

Science Experiments

For students interested in STEM fields, designing and carrying out science experiments is a great option. Test a hypothesis, collect data, and draw conclusions. Experiments in physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and psychology are common choices. Science experiment is best for self-motivated students with access to lab equipment.

Social Science Surveys and Studies  

Use research methods from sociology, political science, anthropology, economics, and psychology to craft a survey study or field observation around a high school research project idea that interests you. Collect data from peers, your community, and online sources, and compile findings. Strong fit for students interested in social studies.

Literary Analysis Paper

This research category involves analyzing existing research papers, books, and articles on a specific topic. Imagine exploring the history of robots, examining the impact of social media on mental health, or comparing different interpretations of a classic novel. If you are an English enthusiast, this is an easy chance to showcase your analytical writing skills.

Programming or Engineering Project

For aspiring programmers or engineers, you can take on practical student projects that develop software programs, apps, websites, robots, electronic gadgets, or other hands-on engineering projects. This type of project will easily highlight your technical skills and interest in computer science or engineering fields in your college applications

Historical Research

History research projects will allow you to travel back and uncover the past to inform the future. This research involves analyzing historical documents, artifacts, and records to shed light on a specific event or period. For example, you can conduct independent research on the impact of a local historical figure or the evolution of fashion throughout the decades. Check to explore even more history project ideas for high school students .

Artistic and Creative Works

If you are artistic and love creating art,  you can explore ideas for independent study to produce an original film, musical composition, sculpture, painting series, fashion line, or other creative work. Alongside the tangible output, document your creative process and inspirations.

Bonus Tip: Feel free to mix different ideas for your project. For example, you could conduct a literature review on a specific historical event and follow it up with field research that interviewed people who experienced the event firsthand.

How To Conduct an Independent Research Project

Now that you have ideas for project topics that match your interests and strengths, here are the critical steps you must follow to move from mere concept to completed study.

1. Get Expert Guidance and Mentorship

As a high school student just starting out in research, it is advised to collaborate with more experienced mentors who will help you learn the ropes of research projects easily. Mentors are usually professors, post-doctoral researchers, or graduate students with significant experience in conducting independent project research and can guide you through the process. 

Specifically, your mentor will advise you on formulating research questions, designing methodologies, analyzing data, and communicating findings effectively. To quickly find mentors in your research project area of interest, enroll in an online academic research mentorship program that targets high school students. You’d be exposed to one-on-one sessions with professors and graduate students that will help you develop your research and publish your findings.

The right mentor can also help transform your independent project ideas into a study suitable for publication in relevant research journals. With their experience, mentors will guide you to follow the proper research methods and best practices. This ensures your work meets the standards required, avoiding rejection from journals. 

2. Develop a Compelling Research Question

Once you are familiar with the type of independent research best suited to your strengths and interests, as explained in the previous section, the next step is to develop a question you want to answer in that field. This is called a research question and will serve as the foundation for your entire project.

The research question will drive your entire project, so it needs to be complex enough to merit investigation but clear enough to study. Here are some ts for crafting your research question:

●  Align your research question(s) with topics you are passionate about and have some background knowledge. You will spend a significant amount of time on this question.

●  Consult with your mentor teacher or professor to get feedback and guidance on developing a feasible, meaningful question

●  Avoid overly broad questions better suited for doctoral dissertations. Narrow your focus to something manageable, but that still intrigues you.

●  Pose your research question as an actual question, like "How does social media usage affect teen mental health?" The question should lay out the key variables you'll be investigating.

●  Ensure your question and desired approach are ethically sound. You may need permission to study human subjects.

●  Conduct preliminary research to ensure your question hasn't already been answered. You want to contribute something new to your field.

With a compelling research question as your compass, you're ready to start your independent study project. Remember to stay flexible; you may need to refine the question further as your research develops.

3. Set a Timeline and Write a Proposal

After defining your research question, the next step is to map out a timeline for completing your research project. This will keep you organized and help you develop strong time management skills.

Start by creating a schedule that outlines all major milestones from start to finish. In your schedule, allow plenty of time for research, experimentation, data analysis, and compiling your report. Always remember to build in some cushion for unexpected delays.

Moreover, you can use tools like Gantt charts to design a timeline for an independent research project . Gantt charts help you visualize your research project timeline at a glance. See the video below for a tutorial on designing a Gantt chart to plan your project schedule:

[YouTube Video on How to Make a Gantt Chart: https://youtu.be/un8j6QqpYa0?si=C2_I0C_ZBXS73kZy ]

Research Proposal

To have a clear direction of the step-by-step process for your independent study, write a 1-2 page research proposal to outline your question, goals, methodology, timeline, resources, and desired outcomes. Get feedback from your mentor to improve the proposal before starting your research. 

Sticking to your timeline requires self-discipline. But strive to meet your goals and deadlines; it will build invaluable real-world skills in time and project management. With a plan in place, it's time to move forward with your research.

4. Do Your Research

This is the active phase where a student is conducting a research project. The specific method you will follow varies enormously based on your project type and field. You should have your methodology outlined in your approved research proposal already. However, most independent research has a similar basic process:

• Review existing studies : Perform a literature review to understand current knowledge on your topic and inform your own hypothesis/framework. Read relevant studies, articles, and papers.
• Create methodology materials : Design your independent research methodology for gathering data. This may involve experiments, surveys, interviews, field observations, or analysis of existing artifacts like texts or datasets.
• Permissions and Equipment :  Secure any necessary equipment and permissions. For example, if doing interviews, you'll need a recording device and consent from participants.
• Collect your data : For science projects, perform experiments and record results. For surveys, recruit respondents and compile responses. Gather enough data to draw valid conclusions.
• Analyze the data using appropriate techniques : Quantitative data may involve statistical analysis, while qualitative data requires coding for themes. Consult your mentor for direction.
• Interpret the findings : Take care not to overstate conclusions. Look for patterns and relationships that shed light on your research question. Always maintain rigorous objectivity.

While a student's project methodology and its execution are unique, ensure you follow the standard practices in your field of interest to ensure high-quality acceptable results. You can always refer to the plan in your research proposal as you diligently carry out the steps required to execute your study. Ensure you have detailed records that document all your processes.  

5. Write Your Final Paper and Presentation

Once you've completed your research, it's time to summarize and share your findings with the world by writing the final paper and designing its presentation. This involves synthesizing your work into clear, compelling reporting.

Drafting the paper will likely involve extensive writing and editing. Be prepared to go through multiple revisions to get the paper polished. Follow the standard format used in academic papers in your field;  your mentor can provide you with examples of independent study related to yours. The final product should include: 

• Abstract : A short summary of your project and conclusions.
• Introduction : Background on your topic, goals, and research questions.
• Literature Review : Summary of relevant existing research in your field.
• Methods : Detailed explanation of the methodology and process of your study.
• Results : Presentation of the data and main findings from your research. Using visual representations like charts was helpful.
• Discussion : Objective interpretation and analysis of the results and their significance.
• Conclusion : Summary of your research contributions, limitations, and suggestions for future work.
• References/Bibliography : Full citations for all sources referenced.

Adhere to clear academic writing principles to keep your writing objective and straightforward. Generally, stick to a 10-15 page length limit appropriate for student work. However, you may need to write more depending on your project type.

6. Research Presentation

After writing your research project report, you should prepare a presentation to share your research orally. Moreover, a research presentation is a tangible opportunity to practice public speaking and visual communication skills. Your presentation will include slides, handouts, demonstrations, or other aids to engage your audience and highlight key points in your independent study project.

Once you have written your final paper, you will likely want to publish it in relevant journals and publications. For detailed tips see our guide on how to publish your student research paper . Some options you have to formally publish your high school-level independent research include:

• Submitting your paper to academic journals and competitions
• Presenting at symposiums and science fairs
• Sharing on online research databases
• Adding your work to college applications

Publishing your independent project allows you to share your findings with broader scholarly and student audiences. It also helps amplify the impact of all your hard work.

Independent Research Project Examples

To spark creative ideas for independent research projects, it can be helpful to read through and examine examples of successful projects completed by other high school students in recent years. Here are some inspiring examples:

●  Using machine learning to diagnose cancer based on blood markers (bioinformatics)

●  Applying feature engineering and natural language processing to analyze Twitter data (data science)

●  Investigating connections between stress levels and HIV/AIDS progression (health science)

●  The Relationship between Color and Human Experience

These published i ndependent research project examples demonstrate the impressive research high schoolers take on using the Indigo research service with mentors from different fields. Let these case studies motivate your creative investigation and analysis of the best ideas for your project.

Need Mentorship for Your Independent Research Project?

As outlined in this guide, conducting a rigorous independent research study can be challenging without proper guidance from experts, especially for high school students. This is why partnering with an experienced research mentor is so crucial if your goal is to produce publishable research work.

With Indigo's structured research programs and ongoing expert feedback, you can elevate your high school independent study to a professional level. To get matched with the perfect research mentor aligned with your academic interests and passions, apply to Indigo Research now.

Indigo Research connects high school students with PhD-level researchers and professors who provide one-on-one mentorship through the entire research process - from refining your initial topic idea all the way through analyzing data, writing up results, and finalizing your findings.

High schoolers get hands-on college research experience and support system through STEM internship

August 26, 2024

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Before she started her summer internship on the University of Chicago’s campus, Alexandra Raez knew she wanted to be an engineer but navigating the wide array of established and emerging engineering pathways, particularly as a low-income, first-generation student, felt daunting.

The six-week After School Matters STEM Lab summer research program for Chicago public high school students, led by the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering in partnership with After School Matters, paired Raez with rising fourth year PhD student Andrea Diaz as her mentor and offered hands-on research experience and college and career readiness support. By the time the internship was winding down, Raez was in the lab helping Diaz upcycle engineered plastic into membranes for redox flow batteries that could potentially support future power grids—and feeling empowered and supported herself.

“I don’t feel as scared [of going to college] anymore, as if everyone is going to be better than me. I feel like I genuinely can contribute to something really big, and I think I am capable of doing stuff that the people I look up to do,” Raez said. “Andrea has taught me not only about science but also about how to be more confident in myself and how to speak up and I think that’s been really great coming from another woman who’s in the field, so it’s been really inspiring to be working alongside her.”

Raez, who lives in the Gage Park neighborhood and attends Walter Payton College Prep, is one of 10 Chicago public high school students who took part in the STEM Lab this summer, working with 11 UChicago mentors across nine campus labs. The internship is designed to have high schoolers be part of authentic research projects and environments, and get insights into how science and engineering researchers work in an innovative, collaborative environment, as well as valuable experience for competitive college applications.

“It is an opportunity to step into the day-to-day life of a STEM researcher, to carry out a research project with the support of dedicated research mentors, a chance to develop professional skills like science communication and networking, and an opportunity to immerse high schoolers in authentic research spaces at UChicago,” Laura Rico-Beck, Assistant Dean of Education and Outreach at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, says.

For Raez, who had never been on a college campus prior to her internship, the program exposed her to areas of research and engineering careers she hadn’t previously considered while also connecting her to a new network of academic and professional contacts, especially the powerful advocate she found in Diaz. Diaz, too, found the experience not only personally meaningful, but professionally beneficial.

“Alexandra is very inquisitive, so it’s been perfect timing. Having an extra set of eyes and ears seeing everything I do has allowed me to see my research from a different lens,” Diaz said. “It allows me to format my thoughts a lot better and think about the way I want to talk about my research, it’s been great in that sense in that it not only helps her have an opportunity but also really helps me develop as a researcher.”

Diaz, who grew up in an under-resourced community just outside Chicago, also says she sees a lot of her younger self in Raez and hopes working with her can be as valuable for Raez as working with her own women mentors was for her. Diaz says she’s already connected Raez to colleagues and others in the field, including a professor friend at an East Coast university Raez mentioned being interested in possibly applying to. That professor, in turn, connected Raez to two Latina undergraduate students who were happy to share their own experiences.

That feeling of community and budding support system, Raez says, really set the STEM Lab experience apart and gave her resources she can continue to tap as she starts applying to colleges in the fall and in the years that follow.

“Coming here to the lab, I thought I was going to be an outsider, everyone was going to be like, ‘Oh my god, the high school student’s going to be asking questions all day and bothering us!’ But everyone is so welcoming, and they really treated me as if I was part of their team and their lab,” she said. “And they didn’t underestimate how much I knew, they just cared about how much I wanted to learn, so I truly felt like I was part of the University here and it felt awesome to be part of such a great community and have so many talented people working all around me.”

—Article originally published on the Office of Civic Engagement website

Real particle physics analysis by UK secondary school students using the ATLAS Open Data: an illustration through a collection of original student research

• Regular Article
• Open access
• Published: 02 September 2024
• Volume 139 , article number  781 , ( 2024 )

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Eimear Conroy   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0215-2767 1 ,
• Alan Barr 1   na1 ,
• Ynyr Harris 1   na1 ,
• Julie Kirk 2   na1 ,
• Emmanuel Olaiya 2   na1 &
• Richard Phillips 3   na1  

Since the 2020 release of \(10 \hbox { fb}^{-1}\) of integrated luminosity of proton–proton collision data to the public by the ATLAS experiment, significant potential for its use for youth engagement in physics and citizen science has been present. In particular, this article aims to address whether, if provided adequate training and resources, high school students are capable of leveraging the ATLAS Open Data to semi-autonomously develop their own original research projects. To this end, a repository of interactive Python Jupyter notebook training materials was developed, incrementally increasing in difficulty; in the initial instalments no prior knowledge of particle physics or Python coding is assumed, while in the latter stages students emulate the steps of a real Higgs boson search using ATLAS data. This programme was implemented in secondary schools throughout the UK during the 2022/23 academic year and is presented in this article through a collection of research projects developed by a selection of participating students.

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During the 2022/23 academic year, a repository of interactive Python Jupyter notebook training materials for meaningfully interacting with the ATLAS Open Data were rolled out to schools across the UK by the UK-based Institute for Research in Schools (IRIS), an organisation which aims to promote original research performed by secondary school students. This is accomplished by connecting and supporting schools and teachers with projects compiled by academic and industry partners, spanning topics from ionic liquid chemistry to Earth observation. This ATLAS Open Data programme and set of resources were developed over the span of three years, including alpha and beta tests with groups of students participating in the International Particle Physics Masterclass at the University of Oxford and with a pilot of approximately 50 students in 6 UK schools in the 2021/22 academic year, respectively.

The full programme was rolled out to approximately 300 participating students from 25 participating schools nationwide in the 2022/23 academic year, where students worked through the repository of notebooks semi-autonomously in small groups, supported by their teachers, who were in turn supported by IRIS and a team of particle physics researchers at the University of Oxford and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (RAL). A map illustrating the distribution of participating schools across the United Kingdom is shown in Fig. 1 . In general, schools participated for several months to one full academic year. The time invested per week was at the discretion of individual schools and teachers; an example of a common arrangement was a weekly after-school club. With each notebook incrementally increasing in difficulty, the decision was left to the students and their teachers, after which notebook they wished to consolidate their learning and produce an original research project.

A map illustrating the distribution of all UK schools participating in the IRIS ATLAS Open Data project in the 2022/23 academic year

The intended research output of these original student projects was a set of posters, with a subset to be presented at one of the IRIS Student Conferences in summer 2023. The target audience of these conferences are the students participating in every IRIS-supported project in a given year, of which the ATLAS Open Data project is one. These conferences allow students to experience an academic conference setting, to present talks and posters to their peers, and ask to questions of their peers’ work in turn. Additionally, following the conference, participating student groups are invited to write proceedings.

This article presents the collection of conference proceedings prepared by participating students in the ATLAS Open Data project, structured such that the order in which the students’ projects are presented approximately the topic order of the repository of notebooks provided to them. All work and writing in Sects.  2 – 8 is the students’ own, with the exception of framing prefaces written in italics and light-touch editing for legibility.

The contributed pieces represent solely the work and perspectives of the secondary school students by whom the individual works were produced, and do not represent the viewpoints of the ATLAS Collaboration.

2 Introduction

To date, ATLAS experiment [ 1 ] at the Large Hadron Collider [ 2 ] has released a total integrated luminosity of 10 \(\hbox {fb}^{-1}\) of \(\sqrt{s}=13\) TeV proton–proton ( pp ) collision data and corresponding Monte Carlo (MC) simulations [ 3 ] to the public, in addition to \(1\hbox { fb}^{-1}\) of \(\sqrt{s}=8\) TeV pp collision data and corresponding MC [ 4 ], in accordance with the ATLAS Open Data Access policy [ 5 ]. Alongside the release of the data, provided in ROOT format [ 6 ], the ATLAS Collaboration has provided extensive documentation for the public datasets and a variety of tools for their usage, targeting secondary school students, undergraduates, graduate students, and the teachers and lecturers who supervise them. One such example is a collection of Jupyter notebooks [ 7 ] provided on the ATLAS Open Data portal [ 8 ], containing examples of Python data analysis activities and, exploiting the visual advantages of the Jupyter notebook format, accompanying text and images.

In this project, we build on the collection of Jupyter notebooks provided by ATLAS to create a repository [ 9 ] of training materials targeting secondary school students in the UK, adding notebooks introducing students to python coding, comprehensive background information for each exercise, extensively commenting example code, integrated exercises with solutions for students, and prompts for learning extension exercises which may also serve as ideas for independent student projects. We aim to address whether, if provided the correct training and resources, secondary school students can produce original particle physics research using the ATLAS Open Data. The created repository comprises a set of seven Jupyter notebooks and supplementary materials, with no prior knowledge of Python coding or particle physics assumed. We take a scaffolded approach; each notebook becomes incrementally more challenging than the previous. The topics covered by each notebook are shown in Fig. 2 .

The structure and topics covered by the repository of training materials created for UK secondary school students

The structure of each individual notebook is as follows:

Introduction of learning goals;

Necessary background information presented in a variety of formats—text, diagram, video;

Worked data analysis example, including accompanying text and substantively commented code;

“Try it yourself” exercise. Particularly in early notebooks, the code structure is provided, with blanks left to be filled by students;

At the conclusion of each notebook, prompts for learning consolidation exercise/ independent project ideas are provided. These “off ramps” are chosen such that they may be completed using only the skills acquired to this point, providing flexibility to students and teachers with respect to the time and resources they wish to invest. Sections  2 – 8 present reports of these independent projects in the students’ own words, with the order selected to roughly follow the right-hand (blue) column of Fig.  1 so that this article reflects the structure of the repository of training materials.

3 Developing python coding skills to model projectile motion and analyse data from high-energy collisions in the Large Hadron Collider

By students of Limavady Grammar School : Leo Collins, Darcy Cooper, Ella Feeney, Callum Gilpin, Emily Harnett, Annabelle Hunter, Norman Ling, Rebecca McCausland, Aoife McLaughlin, Olivia McLernon, Ryan Wilson.

3.1 Preface

In this section, the students consolidate skills developed in the first four notebooks of the repository. They rely on background information on the Large Hadron Collider and the ATLAS experiment developed from notebook 1, Python coding skills developed in notebook 2, and the ability to interact with ROOT files to produce histograms of event kinematics developed in notebook 3. They employ these skills to develop a Python model of project motion and compare the benefits of their model with analytical methods learned in school, extract and plot lepton multiplicity in a sample of simulated events, and to reproduce the Z boson mass peak.

3.2 Summary

In this project, we developed skills in coding with Python. Using these skills, we were able to write the code necessary to solve projectile motion questions. This provided us with an insight into the advantages and disadvantages of using this method over completing these calculations manually. We then used our Python skills to create histograms via coding. The histograms produced show that, in the chosen samples of simulated data with no selections applied, it is most likely that only one lepton will be reconstructed in each event inside the Large Hadron Collider. Finally, we applied appropriate selections to the data to reconstruct the Z boson invariant mass peak. Via the use of Python code, we determined the mass of the Z boson to be approximately equal to 90 GeV.

To use Python programming language to write a programme to find the distance travelled by a 10 kg projectile fired at 15 m/s at \(45^\circ\) above the horizontal from a point 2 m above the ground;

To use Python programming language to display data in the form of a histogram of simulated high-energy collisions in the Large Hadron Collider;

To use Python to analyse data from high-energy collisions in the Large Hadron Collider and determine the mass of the Z boson.

3.4 Background information

3.4.1 python coding.

Python is a popular general-purpose programming language that can be used for a wide variety of applications. It is used to build websites, software, and perform analysis [ 10 ]. Python also offers the ability to easily automate processes through scripting, making it key for software testing, troubleshooting, and bug tracking. It plays a key role in data science tasks and is used to perform complex statistical calculations, visualise data, and create machine learning algorithms [ 11 ].

Python is used today in research to solve many of the world’s complex modern physics problems. However, it may also be applied to more basic physics equations, for example, calculations involving constant velocity. This can be done by simulating the motion of an object. If we know the object’s x positional coordinate at a particular time t and its instantaneous velocity v along the x -axis at that time, this will allow us to find the object’s x position a small time later \(\Delta t\) by substituting these values equation:

Similarly, Python can be used to solve basic problems of constant acceleration, by updating Eq.  1 to reflect that, since the object is now accelerating, its velocity is changed at every step and must be updated accordingly:

3.4.2 Projectile motion

Projectile motion is the motion of an object thrown or projected into the air, experiencing only the acceleration due to the force of gravity. The object is called a projectile, and its path is called its trajectory [ 12 ]. The resultant path is in effect a combination of two motions—horizontal and vertical. This allows us to apply the equations of motion separately in each orthogonal direction. Particles in a projectile follow a curved path known as a parabola.

3.4.3 The Large Hadron Collider

The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) [ 2 ] is the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. It consists of a 27-kilometre ring of superconducting magnets with a number of accelerating ‘radio frequency cavity’ structures to boost the energy of the particles along the way [ 13 ].

3.4.4 ATLAS

The ATLAS detector [ 1 ] is a general-purpose particle physics experiment at the LHC at CERN. ATLAS is the largest detector of its kind and is designed to record the high-energy particle collisions of the LHC, which take place at a rate of 40 million interactions per second in the centre of the detector. The ATLAS Collaboration is a large global collaboration with the common aim of better understanding the fundamental constituents of matter and their interactions [ 14 ]. The ATLAS project investigates a wide variety of fundamental particles, from the Higgs boson to what makes up dark matter [ 15 ].

3.4.5 Fundamental particles

There are two types of fundamental particles, quarks and leptons. Each of these groups have six particles, related in pairs. The six quarks are paired into three generations; the up and down quark, the charm and the strange quark; and the top and bottom quark. The six leptons are also arranged into three generations; electrons and electron neutrinos, muons and muon neutrinos, and the tau and tau neutrino [ 16 ]. The electron, muon and tau lepton all have an electric charge and a sizeable mass, whereas the neutrinos are electrically neutral and have very small mass. There are four fundamental forces, three of which result from the exchange of particles called bosons. The W and Z bosons are responsible for the weak force [ 16 ].

The Z boson is very unstable and does not live long enough to be detected, so to find the Z boson we reconstruct it from its decay products. We will reconstruct Z bosons which have decayed into two leptons. To conserve charge and lepton number these leptons need to have an opposite charge and the same flavour, meaning we will be looking for a muon and an antimuon or an electron and an antielectron (positron).

3.5.1 Method

To code the simulation for a projectile motion, we used the following method:

Set the initial conditions of the projectile;

Make a loop over time steps;

In the loop, update the velocity of the projectile (only its y-coordinate changes).

3.5.2 Results

Graph showing the projectile x position against time (left) and y position against time (right)

From Fig.  3 , it can be determined that the ball hits the ground, −2 m below its starting position, at time t= 2.80 s. At this time, it is at a horizontal distance of 22.1 m from its starting point, moving with a vertical velocity of − 14.7 m/s and a horizontal velocity of 7.9 m/s.

3.5.3 Analysis and conclusion

Advantages of simulating projectile motion using Python:

Good method of graphically displaying projectile motion;

Efficient technique for analysing large amounts of data;

Once the code is correct there is no room for human error;

Provides a clear representation of calculations.

Disadvantages of simulating projectile motion using Python:

Requires a comprehensive understanding of Python code;

May be difficult to apply to more complex physics problems.

3.6.1 Method

Load a ROOT file containing MC simulation from the ATLAS Open Data [ 17 ] database by using the Python uproot library;

To fill histogram, extract the number of leptons from our TTree using uproot . A TTree is a container that keeps track of the information from a collision event. Fill the histogram using the .fill() function from the Python hist module;

Plot the histogram using the .plot() and plt.show() functions from the Python matplotlib library;

Title the histogram and create a labelled x -axis.

Normalise the histogram so that it shows the proportion of each number of leptons produced, up to a maximum value of 1, instead of the absolute number of collision events that produced the different numbers of leptons.

3.6.2 Results

Figure 4 shows the lepton multiplicity of simulated events accessed as described above. The strong peak around at 1 shows that the majority of open data events included have one lepton, a result which was expected given that the histogram was produced from a sample with a one-lepton inclusive filter applied.

A histogram showing the absolute number of leptons produced per collision event (left) and the same histogram normalised to 1 (right)

3.6.3 Analysis and conclusion

An advantage of displaying large datasets in histogram format is that the information can be viewed in a clear, concise way, allowing for the major features of the distribution of the data to be seen. From the MC simulation analysed, we were able to see trends in many leptons were produced in each collision event simulated in that sample. The histograms produced show that, most commonly, only 1 lepton is produced per collision event.

3.7.1 Method

First, open a ROOT file of data collisions file using uproot , and inspect the contents of the file;

Use the .arrays method of uproot to import only specific variables for each event, and then define a histogram, with x -axis named mass/GeV;

Make cuts in the data [ 17 ], requiring two leptons of the same flavour, and then cut the data again requiring that those two leptons are oppositely charged, to reconstruct the Z boson invariant mass;

Import the Python matplotlib module and plot the histogram.

3.7.2 Results

Figure  5 shows the mass of the particles fitting the above criteria. The strong peak at around 90GeV shows that this is the mass of the Z boson.

Graph showing the mass distribution of a Z boson

3.7.3 Analysis and conclusion

The \(qq\rightarrow Z\rightarrow ll\) process is not the only way in which Z can be produced at the LHC; it is possible for virtual interactions between quarks and antiquarks to produce two Z bosons which then both decay in the same way as mentioned above to create a final state with four leptons. Exploring this interaction could be an alternative method to determine the mass of the Z boson.

4 An investigation in to energy conservation in the decay of the Z boson

By students of Lady Manners School : Caleb Byrne, George Colver.

4.1 Preface

In this section, students consolidate skills developed in notebooks 4 and 5, reproducing Z boson mass peaks in events with two or four leptons in the final state through the application of object and event selections and reconstructing the four-momentum of pairs of leptons. The students also explore the impact of statistical concepts, such as sample size and bin width, on particle physics results.

4.2 Summary

In this article, we discuss our processes for reconstructing the mass of a Z boson by analysing the four-momentum of the decay products. This has been achieved by analysing events from the ATLAS Open Data [ 17 , 18 ], recorded (and simulated) by the ATLAS experiment [ 1 ] CERN. A number of filtering conditions were used to identify cases where Z bosons had decayed into lepton–antilepton pairs, and these events were analysed to determine the invariant mass of the original unstable particles. These evaluations were done using the Python programming language, and the results were presented as histograms that display the frequency density for a range of masses; the modal peak can be taken as the true mass of the Z boson.

4.3 Introduction

The ATLAS Experiment [ 1 ] is one of four experiments located at the Large Hadron Collider [ 2 ] (shown in Fig.  6 ), where protons are accelerated to relativistic speeds and collided together, producing a great number of particles, including the Z boson.

The Large Hadron Collider, a depiction of the four detectors present at the LHC: ATLAS, LHCb, ALICE and CMS [ 19 ]

The ATLAS Experiment consists of four main subsystems, each concerned with identifying and measuring the properties of different particles as they pass through. Moving outward from the collision point, these are:

The silicon Tracker shows the paths taken by charged particles, allowing the momentum of these particles to be calculated by analysing the curvature of their trajectories;

The Electromagnetic Calorimeter measures the energy of particles which interact electromagnetically, such as photons and electrons, by recording the electric signals produced by their passage through layers of liquid argon and dense absorber material;

The Hadronic Calorimeter measures the energy of strongly interacting hadrons using layers of steel in which the particles are stopped;

Finally the Muon Spectrometer measures the energy and momentum of muons, which pass through the previous layers interacting very little.

The layers described above are shown in Fig.  7 .

A slice of the different sub-detectors within the ATLAS detector [ 20 ]

As highlighted in Fig.  7 , particles cannot be detected until they reach the relevant layers of the detector. This can be a problem if a particle is unstable and prone to decay, like the Z boson, as it is not possible to detect directly. Instead, the particles that it decays into must be considered, and used to reconstruct the original particle.

The Z boson can decay in a few different ways [ 21 ]. The most common ( \(\sim\) 70% of decays) channel is the Z decay into hadrons; however, as these particles can be produced by a number of processes within the accelerator, this is not the cleanest possible signature to accurately reconstruct the Z boson. The second most common decay route ( \(\sim\) 20% of decays) is the decay into neutrinos. However, since neutrinos are incredibly weakly interacting, they can only be indirectly inferred from Missing Energy in an event. Finally the last decay route ( \(\sim\) 10% of decays) produces a lepton–antilepton pair, show in Fig.  8 , and this channel suits our criteria of being easily measurable, and a unique enough event to identify accurately.

A Feynman diagram of Z boson decaying into a lepton–antilepton pair

By also considering another channel, we can be yet more stringent in our selection of events. It is possible for two quarks to interact, exchanging a virtual particle, and both decaying into Z bosons which then decay via the channels already identified, as shown in Fig.  9 . This means that two different lepton–antilepton pairs are produced, each within the window of the Z boson mass, a more unlikely coincidence if they were produced by another process, allowing for a more confident identification of these events as being the decays of Z bosons.

Quark interaction, producing two unstable Z bosons

Once the criteria for an event containing a Z boson decay had been determined, we were able to use these events to reconstruct the mass of the Z boson.

Due to the laws of conservation of mass-energy and momentum, the total momentum and mass-energy of the lepton–antilepton pair produced must be equal to the total momentum and mass-energy of the Z Boson that produced them. We used a Lorentz vector to store these mass-energy/momentum values concisely, sum them, and finally calculated the invariant mass of the original Z Boson. The structure of a Lorentz vector is shown below:

The E component is the mass-energy of a particle, and the p components are the momentum in each of the three spatial directions. These vectors can be combined by simply adding the relevant elements, and once the resultant vector is known, the invariant mass can be calculated as shown below:

Using these tools, the invariant mass of a Z boson can now be calculated. We used a mixture of real, recorded events from the ATLAS Open Data [ 17 , 18 ], and simulated [ 22 ] events in our investigation to evaluate the accuracy of the simulations and ensure that our method works in both cases.

This was achieved by first loading the data (using the Python uproot library to load the files into ROOT TTree data structures from which the events could then be extracted), and then iterating through each event, selecting events where the number of leptons present was an even number greater than 0, where the number of positive (antileptons) and negative (leptons) leptons was identical and of the same flavour, and hence where a pair of leptons originating from a Z boson was produced. These pairs then had their Lorentz vectors filled and summed to allow the invariant mass of the original Z boson to be calculated. These values were then used to fill a histogram, ready for analysis and inspection.

4.5 Results

In order to improve the presentation of our results, we used 60 bins in our histograms, from 60 to 120 GeV. These results are discussed below.

Determining the mass of the Z boson in the two-lepton channel using both simulated data (left) and real data (right)

Initially, we determined the mass of the Z boson in the two-lepton channel, as shown in Fig.  10 . The modal mass peaks on both the left-hand plot, corresponding to simulated Z boson decays, and on the right-hand plot, corresponding to real data, suggest a mass for the Z boson of 91 GeV \(\pm 1\) GeV. Compared to the accepted result of 91.2 GeV, our measurement is in good agreement. The right-hand histogram containing real data events is very similar to the simulated data, suggesting a high degree of accuracy in the CERN simulations. The real data showed considerably more \(Z\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decays; however this is likely due to aspects of the particular data files we chose to analyse such as trigger thresholds or object filters, and not an actual discrepancy.

Determining the mass of the Z boson in the four-lepton channel using both simulated data (left) and real data (right)

Subsequently, we repeated our measurement of the Z boson mass in the four-lepton channel, as shown in Fig. 11 . For both the simulated (left) and real data (right) invariant mass distributions for the decays of two Z bosons to a total of four leptons are rather similar to those in the two lepton channel shown in Fig. 10 ; however, it is considerably less ‘clean’, tending to show more spikes at lower masses and unusual dips at \(\sim\) 88 GeV.

4.6 Analysis and conclusions

All histograms we generated from a large sample of data sets indicate a Z boson mass of \(\sim\) 90 GeV, which is very close to the accepted value of 91.2 GeV [ 21 ], giving credence to our methodology.

Upon reflection, we realised that the reason the distributions created by the events involving four leptons were less well-fitted to a bell curve was because the data sets containing these events that we were initially using were orders of magnitude smaller than the equivalent two lepton datasets; random errors and fluctuations were magnified, and the distribution formed by these events was subsequently far less smooth. Using a larger data set for decays producing four leptons produces a far smoother histogram, as shown in Fig.  12 .

Use of a large data set for decays producing 4 leptons produced a smoother histogram

4.7 Further investigation

Our research so far has provided us with some interesting and exciting results, and we plan to continue to investigate the concept of detecting particles by working backwards from their more stable decay products to determine information about the original, less stable particle. We plan to apply similar methods to those discussed here to study other particles such as high mass quarks, and other bosons such as the W and Higgs bosons. Looking at the theory behind more complex interactions and planning experimental procedures to glean information about them is also an exciting concept which we plan to explore in the future.

4.8 Acknowledgements

The research and findings presented in this article could not have occurred without the help of IRIS, the University of Oxford, RAL, Dr Neil Garrido (Regional Schools Engagement Lead), and Dr Ebbens (Lady Manners Head of Physics).

5 Investigation into experimental methods

By students of Lady Manners School : Eleanor Joinson, Robbie Milton.

5.1 Preface

In this section, students consolidate skills developed in notebooks 6 and 7, to search for the Higgs boson using two different methods; a bump hunt in the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel, and a non-resonant search in the \(H\rightarrow WW\) channel. In the former, the students explore the concept that larger datasets lead to clearer signal peaks, while in the latter, ideas such as irreducible backgrounds and the use of simulation are explored.

5.2 Introduction

Peter Higgs and Francois Englert won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2013 for their work on the Higgs boson. In 1964, Higgs submitted a paper which predicted the existence of the Higgs field, which allowed boson mass to be introduced to the Standard Model. To test for the Higgs field, the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) [ 2 ] was used to search for a Higgs ’particle’ associated with the Higgs field, which would be unstable. In 2012, the evidence gathered by the LHC at the ATLAS detector was sufficient and strong enough to officially ’discover’ the Higgs boson [ 23 , 24 ].

We decided to investigate how different statistical methods for searching for new particles are more convincing than others, and how the accuracy and validity of identical data can alter based upon the tests applied. The two tests we conducted were via the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel, where the Higgs boson will decay into two photons resulting in a larger concentration of photons of the known mass of the Higgs boson, and the \(H\rightarrow WW\) channel which is tested using a non-resonant search, where the small amount of difference in the transverse masses [ 25 ] between the data and predicted backgrounds provide evidence for the Higgs boson. This allowed us to compare the two methods in terms of statistical significance so that the strength of the different tests could be evaluated.

5.3 Method 1

The method used to first prove the existence of the Higgs boson involved the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel shown in Fig.  13 ; however, diphoton pairs very commonly produced in LHC collisions, which means that only after analysing billions of collisions can a clear ’bump’ in the otherwise continuous curve of the diphoton invariant mass produced. It is also impossible to know the exact collisions the Higgs boson was produced in, but the significant increase in the number of diphoton events around the mass of the Higgs boson is enough evidence to confidently prove its involvement.

\(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel

Using the four diphoton data sets available in the ATLAS Open Data [ 26 ], each containing millions of events, we selected the relevant photon objects that met ’Tight’ requirements. Our requirements for a Tight photon were: Event passes photon trigger, photon object is reconstructed, photon has \(p_{\mathrm{T}}>\) 25 GeV, photon is in the ’central’ region of ATLAS ( \(|\eta |<\) 2.37), photon does not fall in the ’transition region’ of ATLAS (1.37 \(\le |\eta |\le\) 1.52) between the calorimeter barrel an endcap.

Once the good-quality photons were extracted, Lorentz vectors of their four-momenta were built, and their respective invariant masses were calculated. From each data set, we produced a histogram showing the diphoton invariant mass, shown in Fig. 14 .

Histograms showing diphoton invariant mass distributions for each of the four available data sets

These histograms were then combined to produce a single histogram showing the data from all sets in one graph, shown in the left-hand side of Fig.  15 . While not directly comparable due to differences in event weighting, an example plot from a full \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) analysis is shown for illustrative purposes on the right-hand side of Fig. 15 .

Histogram showing diphoton invariant mass for the combined four data sets (left), and a full ATLAS measurement of the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel [ 27 ] included for illustrative purposes (right)

The full data show a clear ‘bump’ in the data at 125 GeV when compared to the fourth-order polynomial, which shows the predicted trend without the Higgs boson. We see a similar ’bump’ in our histogram, but it is not as clear as the ATLAS results. However, we do still produce data with a deviation from the predicted data trend at the known mass of the Higgs boson. This suggests that while our data are less conclusive than the full ATLAS data, it still shows some evidence of the Higgs boson.

5.4 Method 2

In addition to the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel, the \(H\rightarrow WW\) channel, shown in Fig.  16 is an alternative method used to prove the existence of the Higgs boson. This method is tested using a non-resonant search, where we investigate the difference between the background prediction (created using simulations) and the data [ 28 ], with any remaining events after the background is subtracted indicating the presence of the Higgs boson. This search therefore relies heavily on accurate simulations.

Feynman diagram of the Higgs boson decaying to 2 W bosons signal (left), and the Standard Model diboson background production from two quarks (right)

The simulated background must be scaled to ensure the sample size is in proportion to the number of data events recorded. Then, ’good leptons’ must be selected to improve the signal-to-background ratio of the events we selected. These leptons must pass ’Tight’ requirements: The lepton must be isolated and central ( \(|\eta |<\) 2.37). If the event shows exactly two leptons (indicative of a \(H\rightarrow WW\) decay, with each lepton originating from a leptonic W boson decay) then their Lorentz vectors are created and so the transverse masses [ 25 ] can be calculated (using the .Mt() function which came inbuilt with the training Jupyter notebooks) and plotted on a histogram, showing the frequency of different transverse mass values, shown in Fig.  17 (left).

We repeated this process for the predicted background data. From there, we subtracted the simulated background from the data, shown in Fig.  17 (right). This showed a clear excess of events, that can then be explained by the existence of the Higgs boson.

Histogram of the raw transverse mass frequencies of one data set without the removal of the background diboson production (left), compared to the remaining events after the simulated background data is removed (right). The resulting ‘left-over’ events are evidence for the presence of the Higgs boson

5.5 Analysis and conclusions

Both the experiments that we conducted resulted in viable evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson. In the first experimental method, the histogram produced does show a slight deviation from the 4th-order polynomial curve seen over the rest of the data in a similar place (at 125 GeV) to the full ATLAS data. The reduced clarity of the ’bump’ can be explained by the much smaller data set available for us to use, as the production of the Higgs boson is a rare event.

The second method we conducted uses simulated data to help identify the Higgs boson, by removing the ’expected’ events present, assuming no Higgs boson, from the ’actual’ events recorded to observe some events that were previously unaccounted for. Due to the use of simulations and scaled predicted results, the data might not give as conclusive evidence for the presence of the Higgs boson, as the results were not generated directly from raw data. This is in contrast to the first experimental method, in which all data points were filtered and selected from the raw data collected by ATLAS.

As a result, we concluded that the first method, the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) channel, yielded more convincing results showing good agreement with the known mass of the Higgs boson, even with the comparatively smaller data set.

Moving on with our research, we plan to investigate other channels of Higgs boson decay, continuing to evaluate the evidence produced. From there, we would look to refine the tests further, with the aim of improving the validity of the results, and how convincing the evidence for the existence of the Higgs boson would be.

6 Searching for the Higgs Boson through the \(\gamma \gamma\) and \(W^+W^-\) decay channels

By students of City of London Academy Highgate Hill : Dan Trinder, Elani Ponnampalam, and Radhe Das.

6.1 Preface

In this section, students exploit techniques developed in notebook 4 ( \(Z\rightarrow ll\) search ), notebook 5 ( \(ZZ\rightarrow 4\,l\) search ), notebook 6 ( \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) search ) and notebook 7 ( \(H\rightarrow WW\) search ) to explore their original ideas in analysis code development, validation and optimisation. The Z boson mass peak is used to validate analysis code before searches for the Higgs boson are conducted. Additionally, the students develop original data caching and multithreading mechanisms to increase the efficiency of their data processing.

6.2 Summary

The primary focus of this study was to detect the Higgs boson through exploration of the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) and \(H\rightarrow WW\) decay channels. Utilising the publicly released 13 TeV proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS experiment [ 1 ], we employed Python modules and libraries such as NumPy , pickle and uproot to analyse over 10 million events. In addition to this, we developed two new modules: the rootFile module, which was created to combine data from various sources, and a multithreading module, which accelerated data processing. We refined our analysis code initially by testing it on a simulated sample Standard Model \(Z\rightarrow l^+l^-\) and \(ZZ\rightarrow l^+l^-l^+l^-\) decays in the ATLAS detector, provided by the ATLAS Open Data [ 18 , 28 ]. Our analysis of the Standard Model simulation relied on two foundational principles in physics: the conservation of invariant mass and the conservation of momentum. Following this, the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel [ 26 ], was explored using a technique known as ‘bump hunting’, and for the and \(H\rightarrow WW\) decay channel [ 28 ], we conducted a non-resonant search. Despite rigorous analysis of the ATLAS Open Data to which we had access, our results were inconclusive; we did not detect the Higgs boson.

6.3 Introduction

In 2012, the ATLAS [ 1 ] and CMS [ 29 ] collaborations detected the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) [ 2 ], decades after it was first theorised in 1964 [ 30 ]. This discovery not only confirmed the existence of the Higgs field—which is responsible for a particle’s mass—but also marked the beginning of a continuing effort to understand its properties [ 31 ]. These endeavours may shed more light on phenomena like dark matter, which makes up most of the universe’s mass content but remains undetected [ 32 ]. This study aims to contribute to this understanding through exploration of two of the most common decay channels of the Higgs boson: \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) and \(H\rightarrow W^+W^-\) . We employ an iterative approach; refining our code as the study progresses, as well as sophisticated computational techniques such as multithreading to accelerate data analysis. With this research we aim to play a role in furthering scientific understanding of the Higgs boson.

Given the unstable nature of the Higgs boson, we focused on studying its decay products rather than the particle itself, due to its short lifetime. By utilising two fundamental laws in physics: the conservation of invariant mass [ 33 ] and the conservation of four-momentum, it was possible to reconstruct the Higgs boson from selected decay channels, and study it further.

Using the publicly released collection of 13 TeV proton–proton collision data recorded by the ATLAS Experiment, we began stage one of our validation process. The first step was to filter out events that contained more than two leptons, then to further reduce the data by eliminating pairs that did not have the same flavour and opposite charge. We then combined their individual four-momenta and used this to calculate their reconstructed invariant mass. At this stage of our research, we began the development of a more sophisticated file loading system—a prototype of our later rootFile module—and incorporated a data caching mechanism to reduce the impact of any computational errors that may have occurred and caused us to lose significant amounts of progress.

Following this, we modified our lepton event data filtration criteria to discard events that did not have four leptons. Similarly to the previous stage, we removed lepton pairs that did not have two leptons with opposite charge and same flavour. In addition to this, we implemented a for loop that matched and analysed every possible lepton pair, then selected the two pairs that, based on their invariant mass, were most likely to have originated from a Z boson decay and plotted them on the histogram.

After these two validation steps, we explored the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel, employing Python code and ROOT Lorentz vectors to reconstruct the invariant masses of the decay products of the Higgs boson, and examining the resultant histogram to determine whether we had succeeded in detecting the Higgs boson. A ’bump’ around 125 GeV—the invariant mass of the Higgs boson—would have confirmed its presence. Considering that we were detecting photons in this stage, not leptons, we updated the filtering criteria. To be counted as a valid event, the photon had to pass ‘tight’ requirements, be well isolated, pass the photon trigger, and have sufficient transverse momentum. The invariant masses of photon pairs that that satisfied each of those requirements were plotted on a histogram along with error bars displaying the statistical uncertainty in our measurement. In addition to this, we did a data-driven estimate of the background diphoton events and fitted the resulting cubic function to our histogram to make the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) events easier to see. We also created a multithreading module to speed up the data processing, after realising that the analysis of 10 million events would take a substantial amount of time and utilised the revised rootFile module to make the data extraction more efficient.

During our exploration of the \(H\rightarrow WW\) decay channel, we conducted a non-resonant search. This is done by plotting the transverse mass [ 25 ] of the \(W^+W^-\) for experimental data recorded by the ATLAS experiment, then subtracting the transverse mass of Monte Carlo simulations of background events coming from the SM WW diboson background production from two quarks and plotting the result on a histogram. W bosons cannot be detected directly in the ATLAS detector because they are unstable and decay too quickly. Instead, we look at their decay products—a lepton and missing energy from a neutrino—to confirm the W bosons’ presence. In addition to this, each simulated event had to be scaled to account for the greater number of events in the Monte Carlo sample than in the ATLAS data. After subtracting the simulated backgrounds, we plotted the resultant histogram, which displayed our measured Higgs signal.

6.5 Results

The focus of our study was the exploration of two common decay channels of the Higgs boson: \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) and \(H\rightarrow W^+W^-\) . Prior to investigating these decays, we carried out two stages of preliminary tests to ensure our code was reliable.

6.5.1 Code validation using \(Z\rightarrow \mu ^-\mu ^+\) and \(Z\rightarrow e^- e^+\)

To validate the accuracy of our code, we began by testing by detecting Z bosons using dilepton event data recorded using the ATLAS experiment at CERN from the ATLAS Open Data collection [ 28 ]. To confirm our code was functional, we would need to see a significant cluster of events around 91 GeV—the invariant mass of the Z boson [ 34 ]. Figure  18 (left) shows the results after initial cuts were made based on lepton flavour and charge, and, as expected, the resulting histogram had a high concentration of events with a reconstructed mass within the range of \(86-96\) GeV ( \(91\pm 5\) GeV). To gain a clearer view of the mass distribution, we removed lepton pairs that fell outside this mass range and increased the bin count, resulting in Fig.  18 (right). This observation of the Z peak in pairs of leptons with a combined invariant mass of approximately 91 GeV confirmed the reliability of the code.

Code validation through observing an event cluster at the invariant mass of the Z boson (91±5 GeV). The reconstructed invariant masses of both \(e^+e^-\) and \(\mu ^+\mu ^-\) pairs were plotted, both before (left) and after (right) an additional cut on dilepton invariant mass, to highlight the Z peak

6.5.2 Code validation using \(qq\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow l^+l^-l^+l^-\)

To further validate the accuracy of our code, we instead analysed four-lepton events [ 18 ]. As before, to confirm that our code was reliable, we needed to see that a large fraction of the lepton pairs had an invariant mass within the range \(86-96\) GeV ( \(91 \pm 5\) GeV). We were expecting to plot a histogram with a similar shape to that of Fig.  18 . Figure  19 displays the reconstructed masses of same-flavour, opposite-sign lepton pairs in events with four leptons in the final state, separately for \(e^+e^-\) (left) and \(\mu ^+\mu ^-\) (right). Each plot has the Z peak shape we were expecting to see. Thus, we were able to conclude that our code was functional and that we had a solid foundation for further analysis.

ZZ production in the four-lepton channel. The invariant masses of \(e^+e^-\) and \(\mu ^+\mu ^-\) pairs are plotted separately for \(e^+e^-\) (left) and \(\mu ^+\mu ^-\) (right) pairs

6.5.3 Searching for the Higgs Boson: \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\)

Having validated the reliability of the code, we explored the decay channel \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) [ 26 ]. Figure  20 depicts our results. Unfortunately, our analysis did not show a significant ’bump’ around the expected value of 125 GeV (the invariant mass of the Higgs boson [ 35 ]); therefore, we were unsuccessful in confirming its presence through the analysis of this decay channel.

A technique called ‘bump hunting’ was employed to detect the Higgs boson when conducting analysis of the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel. We fitted a cubic function representing a data-driven estimate of background diphoton events (the red line) and normalised it (the grey line) to attempt to make the bump easier to see

6.5.4 Searching for the Higgs Boson: \(H\rightarrow W^+W^-\)

The last stage of our research involved conducting a non-resonant search to detect pairs of W bosons from dilepton data [ 28 ], shown in Fig.  21 (left). After using Monte Carlo simulations to estimate the background, displayed in Fig.  21 (middle), we subtracted this result from the data, to produce Fig.  21 (right). The presence of a Higgs signal in our resulting histogram suggested the presence of the Higgs boson. However, other factors must be considered before we can conclude that we detected the Higgs boson, e.g. we only accounted for one background process.

Each stage of performing a non-resonant search for \(H\rightarrow WW\) production. Selections are applied to dilepton data (left), \(qq\rightarrow WW\) backgrounds are estimated using MC simulation (middle), which were finally subtracted from data to produce our measurement of the Higgs signal (right)

6.6 Discussion

6.6.1 code validation using \(z\rightarrow \mu ^-\mu ^+\) and \(z\rightarrow e^- e^+\).

Our findings in Stage 1 demonstrate that our code was functional, since it accurately identified and reconstructed Z boson events from lepton pairs. As we hypothesised, there was a large concentration of events around 91 GeV, which indicated that the filters we used were effective in isolating events that originated from the decay of a Z boson. To make the mass distribution easier to see, we increased the number of bins and introduced a mass cut to filter events that were unlikely to have come from a Z boson decay. The results we achieved align well with research conducted by other groups in the past.

After conducting an initial round of analysis, we decided to implement a data caching mechanism in preparation for future stages. The selected events from the ROOT files we had downloaded and merged using the rootFile module were converted into an array and locally cached in a JSON file, exported using the pickle module. This means that if the code needed to be re-run, the JSON file could be loaded instead of going through the process of re-downloading and reanalysing the data, which would be time consuming.

Our results were promising, however, further refinements could be made to both the rootFile module prototype and our analysis code to make the data processing more efficient.

6.6.2 Code validation using \(qq\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow l^+l^-l^+l^-\)

Stage two extended the validation process; however, rather than applying our code to events with two leptons, we applied it to events with four. This provided us with the opportunity to apply our code to a more complex scenario and check whether it was reliable enough to be used in further stages.

Recognising that by exploring events involving four leptons, we introduced the possibility that a single event could yield up to 4! valid pairs, we implemented a for loop that generated and analysed each of the 24 potential lepton pairs. Any pair that did not satisfy all the filters was discarded, and following this, only the pair that had a reconstructed mass closest to that of the Z boson (91 GeV), was included in the histogram. Although incorporating this step into our methodology extended the time taken for the data analysis, it proved worthwhile as it enabled us to identify a greater number of valid lepton pairs. Similarly to our approach during the initial stage, we employed the rootFile module to increase the efficiency of our analysis chain. We iteratively refined this module as we progressed to ensure it was fully functional by the time we began searching for the Higgs boson.

The results we achieved showed that our code was robust. There was a large peak of events around 91 GeV ( \(\pm 5\) GeV), which is what we hypothesised we would see. Figure  19 closely resembles Fig.  18 , which we had previously established was accurate. This strongly suggests that our code was reliable and could be used as the foundation for our data analysis in stages 3 and 4.

6.6.3 Searching for the Higgs Boson: \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\)

Upon validating our code, the focus of our research shifted to the exploration of the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel. As depicted in Fig.  20 , the data analysis did not yield the desired result: a ’bump’ around 125 GeV. Despite fitting a cubic function that represented a data-driven estimate of the background diphoton events to our histogram to make the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) events easier to see, we were unsuccessful in confirming the presence of the Higgs boson.

Several factors could explain this. First, it is possible that our ‘tight’ requirements resulted in the discarding of many ‘good photons’. If we erred too far on the side of caution, trying to ensure that we did not involve events that did not originate from the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel in our histogram, we may have missed valid photons originating from a Higgs decay. Not including these photons in our histogram may have resulted in the absence of the ’bump’ at 125 GeV. Secondly, we may not have analysed enough events to see the concentration of events around the invariant mass of the Higgs boson. \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) is a rare event and is often difficult to see over any background diphoton events. Additionally, the data-driven background fit to a cubic function may not have been robust enough to make the result visible on the histogram. It is possible that the use of a larger sample size may have resulted in the presence of the ‘bump’ at 125 GeV.

After realising that we had millions of events to analyse, which would take a significant amount of time, we decided to create a multithreading module. This module was made to speed up data processing by utilising threads to divide the workload into smaller sections that could run simultaneously. Instead of analysing each event one by one, multiple events were analysed at once, leading to a significant decrease in the time taken for the data processing.

Although we were unsuccessful in detecting the Higgs boson, we made improvements to the efficiency of our code through the development of the multithreading module, which proved especially beneficial for Stage 4 of our research.

6.6.4 Searching for the Higgs Boson: \(H\rightarrow W^+W^-\)

To search for the Higgs boson through analysis of the \(H\rightarrow W^+W^-\) decay channel, we conducted a non-resonant search. This was necessitated by the fact that the masses of the decay products were greater than the invariant mass of the Higgs boson, thus rendering the ‘bump hunting’ technique we had previously used not applicable. By subtracting the Monte Carlo simulated background from the real data, we estimated the Higgs signal, as depicted in Fig.  21 . Although this method did yield a Higgs signal, and therefore in theory confirmed the presence of the Higgs boson, it should be noted that our histogram only considered one source of background—diboson events. Had we considered multiple sources of background, the resultant histogram would have a much smaller Higgs signal, or possibly not one at all. Therefore, to confirm the presence of the Higgs boson, we would need to conduct further analysis on several other sources of background events, as well as the one we already considered, and re-examine the histogram.

6.7 Conclusions

Our research began with thorough code validation using \(Z\rightarrow \mu ^-\mu ^+\) and \(Z\rightarrow e^- e^+\) and \(qq\rightarrow ZZ\rightarrow l^+l^-l^+l^-\) events, which confirmed the reliability of our code in preparation for subsequent stages. While we did not yield results through exploring the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel, we made significant improvements to our code, and developed a multithreading module to expedite data processing. After analysis of the \(H\rightarrow W^+W^-\) decay channel, we identified a Higgs signal. However, we could not confirm the presence of the Higgs, as we did not consider enough sources of background events to conclusively say that we detected it. Our iterative approach allowed for incremental improvements, and refining first drafts of code as we progressed through the stages streamlined the analysis process later. Our work demonstrated the benefits of such an approach and highlighted several areas for improvement, for example, the need for a larger sample size when exploring decay channels. Therefore, although our results did not confirm the presence of the Higgs boson, the code we utilised to explore our chosen decay channels provides us with a solid framework for future research endeavours.

7 Re-proving the existence of the Higgs Boson

By students of The Tiffin Girls’ School : Ayda Yazdani, Soniya Walke, Phoebe Lister.

7.1 Preface

In this section, students leverage the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) and \(H\rightarrow WW\) s earch techniques developed in notebooks 6 and 7 to design a search in an additional decay channel: \(H\rightarrow ZZ\) . This is supported by skills in analysing ZZ production developed in notebook 5. Students also explore the idea of background fits, implementing an original fit to the continuum background to \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) to emphasises the Higgs mass peak.

7.2 Summary

The Higgs field plays a critical role in the Standard Model of particle physics. All massive elementary particles interact with the field through the Higgs mechanism and acquire mass, enabling them to form matter and give rise to the complex structures one can observe in the universe. The Higgs boson is the mediator the Higgs field.

The experimental method used to discover the Higgs boson involved the precise measurement of the properties of particles produced in proton–proton collisions at the Large Hadron Collider [ 2 ] using the ATLAS detector [ 1 ], and the use of statistical methods to identify the Higgs boson signal from the background events. We intended to apply these same skills on a smaller scale through our analysis of publicly available ATLAS Open Data [ 18 , 26 , 28 ] datasets from the ATLAS detector available on CERN’s website [ 8 ].

In our research, we investigated three decay channels of the Higgs boson: Higgs to two photons, Higgs to two W bosons and Higgs to two Z bosons. Executing cuts on the collection of ATLAS Open Data allowed us to target each of these channels individually and plot histograms to piece together evidence of the Higgs boson’s existence.

7.3 Introduction

The Standard Model of particle physics describes how the fundamental forces interact with particles. These elementary particles are classified into fermions, or ‘matter particles’, and bosons, known as ‘force carriers’, the latter which includes the Higgs boson.

Half a century after the Higgs mechanism was first proposed in the 1960s by the theoreticians Robert Brout, François Englert, and Peter Higgs, the existence of the Higgs boson was finally confirmed in 2012. Data was collected from the ATLAS [ 1 ] and CMS [ 29 ] detectors, at the Large Hadron Collider [ 2 ] at CERN to prove the existence of the particle. The measured data displayed a deviation from the expected backgrounds: in early ATLAS measurements, the invariant mass distribution of two photons produced in the diphoton channel showed a slight bump near 126 GeV (consistent with the Higgs boson’s hypothesised mass) with a significance of 2.2 standard deviations above the Standard Model (SM) background [ 36 ]. Later combinations with CMS results produced an observation of the Higgs boson at 125 GeV over 5 \(\sigma\) , above the threshold for discovery.

7.4 Research aims

This project aimed to re-prove the existence of the Higgs boson by exploring Higgs boson production in three of its most sensitive decay channels, each shown in Fig.  22 :

The \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay channel in the two-photon final state (2.8 \(\sigma\) local significance observed), looking for evidence of the Higgs boson in distributions of diphoton invariant mass, expecting a mass of 125 GeV;

The \(H\rightarrow WW\) decay channel in the two-lepton final state (1.4 \(\sigma\) local significance observed), using a non-resonant search technique;

The \(H\rightarrow ZZ\) decay channel in the four-lepton final state (2.1 \(\sigma\) local significance observed), by reconstructing the diboson invariant mass.

Feynman diagrams for two \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay modes (left) [ 37 ], one \(H\rightarrow WW\) decay mode (middle) [ 38 ], and one \(H\rightarrow ZZ\) decay mode (right)

7.5 Methods

We used the 13 TeV ATLAS Open Datasets [ 18 , 26 , 28 ], which provided us with data collected from real proton–proton collisions detected by ATLAS, in addition to simulated samples. These data files, presented in ROOT format [ 6 ], were analysed using a selection of Python libraries suited to our research: the uproot module for reading in data, the numpy library to carry out statistical analysis and the hist module from the larger matplotlib library for data visualisation and plotting histograms produced from our analyses.

7.6 Results

7.6.1 higgs to diphoton ( \(h\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) ) channel.

In order to prove the existence of the Higgs boson through the Higgs to diphoton channel, we needed to plot the invariant mass of the two photons produced in selected event data, chosen after making suitable cuts to ensure that mainly events involving a two-photon system were included. The process, including the cuts involved, is enumerated below.

Diphoton invariant mass plots for datasets A-D

Loop through each data event in the TTree (a ROOT data storage format) from the ROOT file containing the collision data;

In each event, search for good-quality photons, which must:

Pass the diphoton trigger;

Pass “Tight” reconstruction requirements;

Have \(p_{\mathrm{T}}>25\) GeV;

Be in the ‘central’ region of ATLAS with \(|\eta | < 2.37\) , excluding the ‘transition region’ between ATLAS’s Inner Detector barrel and electromagnetic calorimeter endcap \(1.37 \le |\eta | \le 1.52\) ;

If the two photons are well-isolated, extract their four-momentum from the \(p_{\mathrm{T}}\) , \(\eta\) , \(\phi\) and energy, and store them in a TLorentzVector , a ROOT object emulated in the Jupyter notebook resources, which stores the energy and momentum of a particle as a four-vector. A function allowing us to extract invariant mass from a TLorentzVector was also provided;

Add the TLorentzVector s associated with the two photons together;

Calculate the invariant mass of the two-photon system;

Check each photon makes up a minimum fraction of the diphoton system invariant mass;

Fill a histogram with the invariant mass of the two-photon system.

We repeated this process for all the diphoton datasets, labelled A–D, provided by the ATLAS Open Data. We plotted separate histograms for each dataset, as shown in Fig.  23 .

Merged histogram for the diphoton invariant masses obtained from all events in A, B, C and 2,900,000 events of D (ran out of memory)

The datasets had varying numbers of events, with dataset D having the highest number (3,600,000 events), making the processing time longer for this dataset. Due to this, when merging the histograms for the different datasets to make the bump at the Higgs boson mass more visible, we were unable to include all events from dataset D, as we were limited by the processing power of our computers. The merged diphoton invariant mass histogram is shown in Fig.  24 .

To make the Higgs bump clearer to see, we produced a prediction of the background using a cubic function to fit the graph and plotted the data against this to make it stand out more. The background fits to each individual dataset are shown in Fig.  25 .

Fitted histogram for datasets A-D

7.6.2 Higgs to two W bosons ( \(H\rightarrow WW\) ) channel

Histogram of the transverse mass of the leptons produced in data as the decay products of the 2 W bosons (top left), histogram of the transverse masses of lepton from the simulated background events (top right), histogram of lepton transverse mass data with simulated backgrounds (above 2 graphs combined) (bottom left), and background-subtracted histogram showing the observed Higgs signal (bottom right)

To find a signal for the Higgs boson decaying to two W bosons, we used a non-resonant search technique to plot a histogram of the transverse mass of the decay products of the two W bosons. To perform this analysis, we first selected only data events with ‘good-quality’ leptons, using similar selections to the Higgs to diphoton channel.

For this channel, we then selected pairs of leptons with different flavours and opposite charges, to reduce contributions from background processes. We also placed requirements on the transverse momenta, with the leading and subleading leptons requiring \(p_{\mathrm{T}}>22\) GeV and \(p_{\mathrm{T}}>15\) GeV, respectively.

Then, we applied various event-level selection criteria, including the magnitude of the missing transverse energy (MET) and the angle \(\phi\) between the MET and the dilepton system, to ensure that the selected events were consistent with the \(H\rightarrow WW\) signal and that events that may have arisen from background processes were rejected.

Next, we used the samples of \(qq\rightarrow WW\) Monte Carlo simulations provided by the ATLAS Open Data to model the expected background contributions, scaled to match the luminosity of experimental data used. The same selections that were applied to the data were also applied to the simulation, and the transverse mass of the dilepton system in the simulated events was also plotted in a histogram. The final step was to subtract the background from the data, and this produced our Higgs signal.

Each of the steps described above is shown in Fig.  26 .

7.6.3 Higgs to two Z bosons ( \(H\rightarrow ZZ\) ) channel

Higgs to ZZ channel histogram

To investigate the Higgs to ZZ decay channel in the four-lepton final state, we modified the code used in Sect.  6.5.2 to instead plot the invariant mass of the Z boson. Instead of using datasets with events in the two-lepton final state, we used data events from the datasets with events in the four-lepton final state.

Slightly different selection criteria were applied to the datasets, allowing only events with two pairs of same-flavour opposite sign leptons to target the decay of a Z boson. These pairs were used to reconstruct two pairs of TLorentzVector s, corresponding to the leading and trailing Z boson. The two reconstructed Z bosons were then combined to reconstruct the four-momentum of the ZZ system, which was used to plot the histogram of the system’s invariant mass. Figure  27 shows the results of this method using the events from Dataset D of the ATLAS Open Data four-lepton final-state data collection. There is a clear peak at 125 GeV, which is the accepted value for the invariant mass of the Higgs boson. This is evidence that the Higgs boson exists and was produced during several of the events in the dataset used.

7.7 Discussion

After examining all our histograms, it was clear that there was a pronounced bump at 125 GeV for the \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) and \(H\rightarrow ZZ\) channels, the expected invariant mass we would expect from the Higgs boson, in addition to a clear Higgs signal in the \(H\rightarrow WW\) . Since we conducted multiple investigations through different decay channels, it solidified our evidence for observing the Higgs boson.

We ensured that we worked well as a team and divided up sections to focus our analysis on, and met regularly to share our findings and create a plan of our next steps. It also meant we could work through coding challenges together, as we were able to share similar experiences and collaborate to find a solution. We also watched some lectures and videos to enable us to understand the relevant physics before diving deep into our research, so that we could get the most out of the project.

7.8 Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Institute for Research in Schools, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and the University of Oxford for providing us with this enriching opportunity. Moreover, thank you to our teacher, Mr Carpenter, and coordinator, Dr Richard Phillips, for supervising and supporting us. In addition, a special thank you to Professor Alan Barr and his Ph.D. students for their guidance and for inspiring us to pursue this project.

8 Searching for the Higgs boson through its decay into a muon-antimuon pair

By students of King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys : Rohan Desai, Yijun Chen, Amogh Shetty, Ishaan Dubey.

8.1 Preface

In this section, students use the ATLAS Open Data and the skills developed in all seven notebooks to design an original search for a rare Higgs boson decay: \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) . The students also implement several ideas in statistics, such as kernel density estimation to perform a continuous fit to a histogram, signal significance, and p-values.

8.2 Summary

Using Atlas Open Data [ 28 ], we searched for the predicted decay of the Standard Model (SM) Higgs boson into a muon-antimuon pair. The Large Hadron Collider (LHC) [ 2 ] provided us with data at \(\sqrt{s}\) = 13 TeV from proton–proton collisions. By imposing selection criteria, we isolated events that are most likely to exhibit the characteristics of our desired decay. We reconstructed the masses of these events using the TLorentzVector class, provided in the Jupyter [ 7 ] notebooks, to calculate our invariant dimuon mass, \(m_{\mu \mu }\) , which we used to populate a histogram. We used Monte Carlo (MC) files from the ATLAS Open Data to simulate the backgrounds of this decay, which we then subtracted from the real data to isolate the signal. After processing 9.4 million MC events and 12.2 million data events, a peak was revealed within the range for the mass of a Higgs boson, Footnote 1 \(m_{\mathrm{H}}\) , at 125.66 GeV. The observed significance for a Higgs boson at \(m_{\mathrm{H}}=125.38\)  GeV was calculated to be 1.169 \(\sigma\) . While not statistically significant to the level of observation, this result supports the possibility of the decay of a Higgs boson to second-generation fermions.

8.3 Introduction

All particles are proposed to be excitations of fields—the Higgs boson is an elementary particle in the Standard Model and an excitation of the Higgs field, which gives mass to elementary particles. The Higgs field is a scalar field; therefore, its associated boson is scalar and has a spin of zero. The addition of this field allows spontaneous symmetry breaking of the electroweak interaction, giving mass to many particles via the Higgs Mechanism.

The Higgs field can be analogised to crossing an infinite, flat field of snow. The following scenarios are possible:

Skiing across the top—this is analogous to a high-energy particle not interacting with the Higgs field. It does not sink into the ‘snow’ as it is travelling at the speed of light and therefore has no mass.

Walking in snowshoes—they will sink into the ‘snow’ as they travel slower than before. This is like a particle with some mass as this person somewhat interacts with the field.

Walking regularly—this person will sink deeply into the field, as they are travelling very slowly and with little energy. This represents a particle with greater mass that interacts strongly with the field.

Just as the snowfield is made up of tiny, individual snowflakes, the Higgs field gives rise to many Higgs boson excitations, which give mass to elementary particles.

The Higgs boson was discovered in 2012 by the ATLAS [ 1 ] and CMS [ 29 ] experiments at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) [ 2 ] at 5.9 \(\sigma\) significance [ 41 ]. It is measured to have an invariant mass of \(125.38\pm 0.14\hbox { GeV}\) [ 39 ], and is found to be consistent with the predicted properties for the Higgs boson by Peter Higgs et al. in 1964 [ 42 ]: Even (positive) parity, no electric charge, no colour charge, zero spin, and zero strong force interaction. Even the Higgs branching ratios have agreed with those predicted. The first evidence of fermion interactions with the Higgs field was through Higgs decay to tau particles, which was observed in the combination of ATLAS and CMS results performed at the end of Run 1 at the LHC, and later remeasured at a higher significance [ 43 ].

The Higgs boson is very unstable, with a lifetime of \(1.6\times 10^{-22}\) seconds [ 44 ], which means it decays almost immediately, making it difficult to find. By measuring decay rates to different particles, the predicted mechanism by which they acquire mass can be tested. Measurements performed so far have focused on Higgs boson interactions with the most massive particles, such as the W and Z bosons, and only with particles from the most massive generation, the top and bottom quarks and the tau lepton. The interaction of the Higgs boson with lighter particles, such as muons, has so far not been observed. Measuring the full spread of Higgs boson interactions is critical to test if the Higgs mechanism can explain the full range of particle masses.

The Standard Model predicts several rare Higgs boson decay channels which have not yet been observed. Among these are decays to second-generation leptons and quarks, e.g. \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) , and \(H\rightarrow Z\gamma\) . The focus of this project is on one of the rarest decays: the Higgs boson into a dimuon pair ( \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) ). The expected branching fraction for the decay of the Higgs boson into a pair of muons at \(m_{\mathrm{H}}=125.38\)  GeV is \(B(H\rightarrow \mu \mu ) = 2.18 \times 10^{-4}\) [ 45 ]. Figure  28 displays this statistic more visually. Other more prevalent decays have significantly higher branching fractions, making them easier to detect.

The branching ratios of a 125.38 GeV Higgs (left), created using data from [ 46 ], the branching ratios of the Higgs with respect to the mass of the Higgs (right), from [ 47 ]

Only one in five thousand Higgs bosons is predicted to decay to muons. And, like a needle in a mountain of needles, for every predicted decay of a Higgs boson to muons at the LHC, there are a thousand pairs of muons that mimic our desired signal [ 45 ]. This background from other particles makes isolating the Higgs boson decay to muons extremely difficult. Therefore, the efficacy of event selection and simulation is paramount. The \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay offers the best opportunity to measure the Higgs interaction with second-generation fermions at the LHC, providing new insights into the origin of mass for different generations.

8.4 Methods

The ATLAS experiment [ 1 ] is located at the LHC [ 2 ], which collides protons at high speeds and uses a set of complex detectors to measure the outcome. Data from these collisions are organised into ’events’, some of which have been made available to the public. We used files from the ’ATLAS Open Data’ [ 28 ] to conduct our investigation. The ‘bump hunt’ method that we employed is commonly used for measurements at CERN - using the law of conservation of energy, the Higgs boson can be found by reconstructing the invariant masses of its decay products ( \(m_{\mu \mu }\) ). After selecting appropriate events using the selection criteria in Table 1 , each dimuon invariant mass is added to a histogram. This process was repeated millions of times, so the final histogram should have a higher frequency around the mass of a Higgs boson (125.38 GeV)—a ‘bump’ suggesting existence of the \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay. The same process can then be carried out using simulated data for the backgrounds to this decay, and this background is subtracted from the data to enhance the visibility of our bump. A statistical analysis is then performed to quantify this evidence.

8.4.1 Event selection

To find this extremely rare decay, we used selection criteria: a set of filters applied to the data to distinguish the relevant signal from background data. After extensive research [ 48 , 49 ], we produced the selection criteria shown in Table 1 to identify and isolate the specific events where this dimuon decay has occurred. The same selection criteria were used to filter the real and simulated events.

8.4.2 Simulated events

We simulated the collisions of particles in the LHC using files from the 13 TeV ATLAS Open Data set [ 28 ]. Monte Carlo (MC) simulation files are used to simulate the behaviour of subatomic particles produced by the LHC. We used electroweak diboson and Higgs MC files from the Open Data, which we believed would mimic the expected background of the \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay. The simulated events were filtered through the same selection criteria as in Table 1 .

8.4.3 Invariant mass reconstruction and plotting

Using the selection criteria in Table 1 , we found the data events most likely to exhibit the characteristics of the \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay and background MC events that mimic \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) . Using the implementation of ROOT’s [ 6 ] TLorentzVector class in the training notebooks, we used the transverse momentum, pseudorapidity, azimuthal angle and energy of these events to reconstruct the four-momentum of our desired decay. The notebook implementation of the ROOT SetPtEtaPhiE and M functions allowed us to easily calculate \(m_{\mu \mu }\) for each event and add it to a histogram, forming the red histogram of ’real data’ in Fig.  29 . We used ‘kernel density estimation’ (KDE) to transform our discrete histogram into a continuous line, improving our ability to find patterns in the distribution. The Gaussian distribution was our “kernel”, and we used Scott’s rule to calculate the bandwidth of the kernel, giving us an appropriate resolution for the data.

The line formed after using a Gaussian KDE to transform the histogram of the real dimuon masses, in red. The green line shows the same for Monte Carlo simulated events. The y -axis displays frequency, with the simulated graph being scaled up to have the same proportions as the real data

The same process was repeated for the simulated events; this formed the red and green lines for real and simulated data, respectively, in Fig.  29 . As there was a difference in the number of real and simulated events produced, we scaled the simulated graph up to have the same normalisation as the distribution of real events. This step helped us compare the simulated background data to real data, allowing us to identify events consistent with the expected behaviour of \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay and remove events that are the result of other background processes. Any difference in the two lines in Fig.  29 suggests a deviation from the expected behaviour, providing evidence for the \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay.

8.5 Results

Graph of weighted data events with simulated backgrounds subtracted

After applying the event selections in Table 1 to the reconstructed data and simulation, as shown in Fig.  29 , we were able to create Fig.  30 by subtracting the simulated background from the data, therefore isolating the signal. In total, we processed 12.2 million real data events and 9.4 million MC events, with the latter scaled up to have equal luminosity as the data. Our selection criteria were able to filter these background events to approximately 35% of their original number. There is a significant spike at 125.5 GeV, which lies in the 1 \(\sigma\) confidence interval for the Higgs mass (125.38±0.15 GeV). Due to the rarity of this decay, we were unable to isolate all the signal from the background, leaving us with bumps/ troughs at m \(\simeq\) 121 GeV and 128 GeV, respectively. The bump in MC data in Fig.  29 between 128 and 129 GeV appears to show the presence of another background decay that survived our selection criteria. This highlights the challenges in isolating rare events from background noise. Ideally, we would investigate this decay in order to possibly isolate the signal data further, which would produce a clearer spike.

Plot of observed local p-values of results at a range of test masses for the Higgs boson. Dotted lines show the corresponding 1 \(\sigma\) and 2 \(\sigma\) values

From our results, we conducted a statistical analysis to find the p values ( p ) and the sigma values ( \(\sigma\) ), testing the Higgs boson mass hypothesis over an interval. We used the Gaussian function to calculate the error in our methods to calculate the data and background for each mass, then we used the data and background values from Fig.  29 to calculate the \(\sigma\) and p value. This process was repeated between 122 and 128 GeV, creating Fig.  31 which displays a p value against the tested Higgs mass. At \(m_{\mathrm{H}}=125.38\)  GeV, the accepted value for the Higgs mass, our observed \(\sigma =1.169\) ( \(p=0.121\) ). However, we found at \(m_{\mathrm{H}}=\) 125.66 GeV, \(\sigma = 1.224\) ( \(p=0.111\) ). The periodic fluctuation in our graph was a point of interest, something we hope to understand and improve on in the future. Further data could be processed to give a larger sigma value, as well as exploring the questions outlined in Sect.  7.5 .

8.6 Discussion

From the results of our research, we have found evidence in support of the existence of a Higgs decay into a muon-antimuon pair. Figures  29 and 30 show that there was an excess of events around 125 GeV, which is consistent with the expected signal from the Higgs boson decay. More precise results would be needed to confirm this as a discovery. The results from different Higgs decay modes could be combined to improve the precision of the measurements and provide a more complete understanding of the Higgs boson’s properties.

Another improvement to this project would be to divide the decay into its production categories, a method that previous searches have used [ 48 , 50 ]. Specifically, there are four exclusive categories of Higgs boson production: Gluon-gluon fusion (ggf), association with vector boson (VH), vector boson fusion (VBF), and association with the top quark and antiquark pair (ttH). VBF has shown to be dominant out of the four; its events could be investigated exclusively to obtain better results. Our next steps would be to apply specific selection criteria for each of these categories to refine our search for the dimuon pair, likely resulting in a bigger peak. However, it would be difficult to separate events to that degree with our dataset, as that level of refining would leave each category with a low number of events, resulting in larger uncertainty and less reliable results.

Although the ATLAS Open Data were very useful in providing us with the necessary information and resources to develop our skills, we found that some of the data we would have liked were not provided. For our decay ( \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) ), we would have liked to have been provided with a simulation of the \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) signal and certain specific backgrounds, but these were not available. Instead, we had to compromise the accuracy of our results by combining similar processes. An alternative would be to simulate this background ourselves, using open-source software such as MadGraph or Delphes. However, MadGraph does not model particle interactions with the ATLAS detector, and while Delphes does, it is not approved by ATLAS. Therefore, there was no way to accurately simulate the background ourselves, highlights a limitation of the ATLAS Open Data to motivated student researchers. Although some alternatives would have given better simulation results than ours, none would be comparable to those used at CERN. Furthermore, using machine learning algorithms such as XGBoost to identify b -tagged jets could more accurately isolate the signal data.

When evaluating our project, we found that we had initially overlooked the process of converting the histogram into a continuous curve. We used a simple kernel density estimation and found a width using Scott’s rule, but after further research we understood that we should have controlled this process further. One ATLAS paper stated “The width of the Gaussian component of the double-sided Crystal Ball function varies between 2.6 and 3.2 GeV depending on the category” [ 50 ]. A width between 2.6 and 3.2GeV would have given a less sensitive but more appropriate resolution for this investigation. Our function also took into account the edges of the histogram, as seen in 29 , where the graphs fall significantly on each side. If we were to repeat this process, a more appropriate function would be used.

With our observed \(\sigma =1.224\) , this project supports the prediction of the \(H\rightarrow \mu \mu\) decay and provides evidence for the decay of the Higgs boson to second-generation fermions. Although the ATLAS Open Data was extensive, an extension to the data provided would have resulted in a better result.

8.7 Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the Institute of Research in Schools, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and Oxford University for providing the data and learning modules to develop our ideas and conduct research, as well as the opportunity to present our findings at the IRIS Student Research Conference in London. We would also like to thank William Murray from Rutherford Appleton Laboratory for helping us to conduct a statistical analysis to find our sigma values. Finally, we would like to thank our school teacher Daniel Redshaw for supervising the project.

9 Applications of the XGBoost machine learning algorithm in particle physics

By students of King Edward VI Camp Hill School for Boys : Shizhe Liu, Sasan Hapuarachchi, Pruthvi Shrikaanth, William Shi, Joel Regi.

9.1 Preface

In this section, students utilise the ATLAS Open Data and skills developed in all seven notebooks to explore the potential of machine learning in particle physics analyses. Students compare traditional ‘cut and count’ methods to the output of the XGBoost classifier for different Standard Model and Beyond Standard Model processes. Students evaluate the performance of the machine learning algorithm using ROC curves and the Approximate Mean Significance metric.

9.2 Abstract

The rise in technological developments in artificial intelligence has opened up new avenues of exploration at the intersection of machine learning (ML) and particle physics. We evaluated the potential of the XGBoost (ML) algorithm, a powerful gradient-boosted decision tree classification algorithm, to streamline the process of identifying rare particle decays. We achieved this by comparing the performance of XGBoost in four different classification problems in particle physics with the performance of existing classification methods, such as the application of strict cuts. We found that while in some cases the algorithm provided near-perfect prediction results, the algorithm was overly rigorous in other cases, leading to large numbers of signal events being dismissed as background events by the algorithm.

9.3 Introduction

9.3.1 motivation.

Currently, the process of searching for rare particle decays presents a significant challenge for particle physicists, as these decays can only be found in a tiny proportion of the millions of events picked up by the sensors in particle detectors. The emergence of the XGBoost, a powerful classification algorithm, has the potential to aid particle physicists in resolving this challenge, as it may provide a better alternative to existing methods in identifying the events that contain elusive particle decays.

However, there are limited studies on the performances of the XGBoost algorithm in particle physics classifications. Therefore, we aim to address this gap by identifying the specific areas within particle physics where XGBoost excels and to compare its performance with existing methods, such as applying stringent cuts. We evaluated the algorithm’s classification performance in four different event types:

Higgs boson events;

Supersymmetry events;

Beyond standard model \(Z^{'}\) events;

Kaluza–Klein graviton events.

9.3.2 XGBoost classification algorithm

As advances in artificial intelligence continue to be made, increasingly powerful machine learning algorithms are being developed at a rapid pace, and the XGBoost algorithm is an example of a classification algorithm that has arisen as a result of this technological revolution. It uses gradient boosted decision trees to provide accurate classification results. ‘Boosting’ is a technique where new models correct errors made by previous ones, and are added one by one until no further improvements occur. ‘Gradient boosting’ allows models to predict the errors made by the previous models, to help provide an accurate result. The main advantages of XGBoost are its excellent speed and accuracy, due to its ability to discern subtle patterns in the data, in providing accurate predictions that may prove invaluable when performing particle physics classifications [ 51 ].

9.3.3 AMS metric

We evaluated the performance of the XGBoost classifier algorithm in carrying out the different categories of classification using the Approximate Median Significance (AMS) metric. When providing the true positive and false positive rates of the classification, the AMS metric uses the Wilks Theorem to compare the probabilities of observing the signal+background hypothesis and the background only hypothesis, to return an overall figure which represents the performance of the classifier. Therefore, AMS provided us with a standardised way of assessing the XGBoost algorithm in the different applications tested [ 52 ].

9.4 Results

9.4.1 higgs boson event classification.

Prior advancements in particle physics have revealed that it is possible to represent every particle as a wave in quantum fields. One such field is the Higgs field, which suggests that there would be a particle associated with this field, the Higgs boson [ 53 ]. We wrote a programme that trained the XGBoost algorithm to classify Higgs boson events using ATLAS Open Data samples containing over 400,000 events, including a mixture of simulated signal and background events [ 54 ], and tested it with another set of 400,000 events. All the test events that the XGBoost classifier had classified as signal events were, indeed, a real signal event. This yields an AMS score of infinity, which suggests that the XGBoost algorithm performed very well in classifying Higgs boson events. This can be reinforced by observing the ROC curve, which compares the true positive rate (TPR) against the false positive rate. As evident in Fig.  32 , the TPR initially increases rapidly, further suggesting that the XGBoost is accurate.

Higgs boson classification ROC curve

9.4.2 Beyond standard model \(Z^{'}\) event classification

The second type of particle we looked at is the \(Z^{'}\) boson hypothesised by the Topcolor model—a model for electroweak symmetry breaking, in which a top anti-top pair forms a composite Higgs boson. In this model, a \(Z^{'}\) boson is predicted to exist, which we decided to investigate via the XGBoost classifier.

The invariant mass of \(Z^{'}\) events classified using strict cuts (left), and \(Z^{'}\) events classified using the XGBoost algorithm (right)

To find these particles, we looked at the decay channel; in this case, the \(Z^{'}\) decays into a top-antitop pair in events with a single charged lepton, large-radius (large-R) jets and missing transverse momentum [ 17 ]. The lepton must have a transverse momentum > 30 GeV, missing transverse energy > 20 GeV, a small radius (small-R) jet close to the lepton, a large-R jet passing the top tagging requirements (mass > 100 GeV, N-subjettiness ratio < 0.75), etc.

Finally, we plotted the histograms of the \(Z^{'}\) invariant masses from the cut-based analysis (Fig.  33 (left)) and the results of the XGBoost classifier (Fig.  33 (right)).

9.4.3 Kaluza–Klein graviton event classification

The third type of particle we looked at is a Kaluza–Klein graviton hypothesised in the Randall–Sundrum model [ 55 ], a model for gravity in which gravity propagates through warped extra dimensions. Similarly to atoms having excited states or low energy states, particles can have corresponding Kaluza-Klein states where the particle has extra mass in other dimensions [ 56 ].

To find the Kaluza–Klein graviton, we searched for the particles into which it decays, in this case a \(\gamma \gamma\) pair. To find this particle, we performed a bump hunt in photons with transverse energies over 20 GeV [ 55 ]. To do this, we made the following cuts to the ATLAS Open Data set [ 26 ]: the event must have two photons, it must activate the photon trigger, and both photons must have a transverse energy greater than 20 GeV. Once we obtained our data points, we subtracted any that could have been produced by a \(H\rightarrow \gamma \gamma\) decay and plotted a graph of invariant mass against frequency using a fitting function.

Kaluza–Klein graviton events classified using restrictive cuts (left), and Kaluza–Klein graviton events classified using the XGBoost algorithm (right)

XGBoost classifiers were trained on ATLAS Open Data samples containing information (e.g. number of leptons, transverse mass, jet) to identify events which had good-quality photons and isolated photons, respectively—this problem required two classifiers. The models were then used in parallel to identify events which contained the decay of the Kaluza–Klein graviton, which typically had both good photons and photon isolation. The events classified by XGBoost were then plotted on a histogram shown in Fig.  34 (right) and compared with the original cuts-based histogram shown in Fig.  34 (left) to see the performance of the classification. The AMS values were 866.8 for the good photon classification and 866.7 for the photon isolation classification.

9.4.4 Supersymmetric event classification

‘Supersymmetry’ (SUSY) is the hypothesis that every fermion has a partner boson with different spin properties, where fermions have half-integer spin values and bosons have integer spin values [ 57 ]. We can search for supersymmetric particles by examining pairs of particles created from collisions in the LHC. To do this, we used Python to examine the ATLAS Open Data [ 28 ] and make ’cuts’ on it. These cuts filter out data that we do not need, leaving us with a subset of data that is much more useful for examining supersymmetric events.

SUSY events general classification using restrictive cuts (left), and SUSY events general classification using the XGBoost algorithm (right)

To carry out this investigation, we first used uproot to load the ATLAS Open Data and initialised our histograms to be plotted later. After this, we extracted all the information we needed to make our cuts from the data and stored it. Then, we set up variables to store the four-momentum of particles by creating four-vectors of their kinematics. A series of cuts were made, starting with selecting only collisions between electrons and muons in pairs of the same type and opposite charge. We then selected events where each particle had a minimum momentum, which we decided by following recommendations from the ATLAS experiment at CERN. Following this, we calculated the momentum of leading and trailing leptons, and manipulated their four-vectors to find the dilepton invariant mass. We then made further cuts based on the invariant mass and the accuracy of detected jets. Next, we sorted these leptons into categories based on the magnitude of their invariant mass and the event’s MT2 variable [ 58 ], which is related to the transverse mass of unseen particles. Finally, we plotted the distributions of the dilepton invariant mass with general (least strict), loose and tight requirements on dilepton invariant mass and MT2 values.

SUSY events loose classification using restrictive cuts (left), and SUSY events loose classification using the XGBoost algorithm (right)

After obtaining these results, we stored them in a.csv file. We then used the XGBoost machine learning algorithm, training it on half of our data, and testing it on the other half to see how well it matched the results of the cut-based analysis. To find the precision of our ML algorithm, rather than simply calculate the proportion of predictions that were ’correct’ or within an acceptable range, we used the AMS metric, defining a function that implements the AMS metric and then calculates it for each category (general, loose, tight). The graphs plotted by the XGBoost algorithm are given in Figs.  35 , 36 and 37 . The algorithm produced graphs, and AMS values \(\sim\) 1.689 (loose) and \(\sim\) 1.192 (tight), while the general category had an AMS value of \(\sim\) 603.226. This may have been a result of using a smaller dataset as this would have resulted in a weaker model. The comparison of the graphs shows us that our loose events classification predicted by the XGBoost algorithm shown in Fig.  36 (right) is most similar to the loose events classification made using cuts shown in Fig.  36 (left), sharing a shape with the tight classification graphs shown in Fig.  37 . Hence, we found that loose cut requirements were the best for building an accurate model to detect supersymmetric particles, although they may lead to more false positives than desirable when compared to tight requirements.

SUSY events tight classification using restrictive cuts (left), and SUSY events tight classification using the XGBoost algorithm (right)

9.5 Discussion

From BSM particles to delving into supersymmetry, we have explored the performance of the XGBoost machine learning algorithm across a wide range of cutting-edge classification problems in particle physics.

Our results revealed significant variations in the performance of the XGBoost algorithm across our tested range of particle physics classification problems. In some areas, such as the Higgs boson classification, the XGBoost gave perfect or near-perfect prediction results. However, in other cases, it was clear that the XGBoost displayed excessive rigidity, leading substantial portions of the signal data to be excluded and dismissed as background data, resulting in lacklustre distributions, as seen in our exploration of SUSY.

The XGBoost is a supervised learning algorithm, and so relies on labelled datasets. Therefore, the algorithm works best in classifications where the selection criteria are well defined, as it allows accurately labelled training datasets to be generated. In these cases, researchers may not feel the full benefit of the XGBoost, as the algorithm will only ever (at best) replicate a prior cut-based analysis. However, this is an issue that we hope to address in our future work by exploring the potential of deep learning models to identify the optimal selection criteria for particle decay classifications which have very few selection criteria identified so far.

10 Conclusion

In this article, a variety of original research projects performed by UK secondary school students using the ATLAS Open Data and the repository of training resources developed by the authors have been presented. Such student research output shows that secondary school students are capable of meaningfully engaging with public releases of LHC data, presupposing no prior knowledge or experience. With sufficient time, training and support, it has been demonstrated that it is possible for high school students to interact with the data presented in the same format and using the same analysis techniques as physics researchers. Additionally, it has been shown that, with correctly structured training, students can produce entirely original works of research, and often independently arrive at questions and ideas that exist at the cutting-edge of particle physics research. Key to such successes is the structure of the training materials; they must presuppose no prior knowledge and present new information in a step-wise manner (preferably in a variety of formats), coding examples should be thoroughly commented with interleaved exercises to consolidate learning, hints and solutions should be available throughout to prevent frustration due to students becoming ’stuck’. Crucially, off-ramps from the training should be provided at each level, so individual teachers can tailor the project to the particular group of students, and the time and resources available. In conclusion, the student research presented in this article makes a strong case for the value of the public release of LHC data, and for the ongoing support for the ATLAS Open Data project.

Data Availability Atatement

The data and simulation that support the findings of this study are openly available in the ATLAS Open Data repository, at http://doi.org/10.7483/OPENDATA.ATLAS.GQ1W.I9VI , http://doi.org/10.7483/OPENDATA.ATLAS.B5BJ.3SGS , http://doi.org/10.7483/OPENDATA.ATLAS.2Y1T.TLGL and http://doi.org/10.7483/OPENDATA.ATLAS.FRWJ.4ZQU . The manuscript has associated data in a data repository.

At the time of writing, it is accepted that \(m_{\mathrm{H}}\) = 125.38±0.14 GeV [ 39 ]. Recent research has shown that \(m_{\mathrm{H}}\) = 125.11±0.11 GeV may be possible [ 40 ].

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the work of the ATLAS Collaboration to record or simulate, reconstruct, and distribute the Open Data used in this paper, and to develop and support the software with which it was analysed. We also acknowledge the technical support provided by the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, and the support from the masters and graduate students of the Oxford Standard Model and Beyond group in developing the repository of training materials. Finally, we acknowledge the Institute for Research in Schools for their past and continuing support for this project, for connecting the materials with the students and teachers without whom the results presented in this paper would not have been possible.

The funding was provided by UKRI Public Engagement (Grant No. BB/T018534/1), University of Oxford, Merton College, University of Oxford, and Science and Technology Facilities Council (Grant Nos. ST/R002444/1, ST/S000933/1, ST/W000628/1, ST/X00600X/1). For the purpose of Open Access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) version arising from this submission.

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Alan Barr, Ynyr Harris, Julie Kirk, Emmanuel Olaiya and Richard Phillips have contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PJ, UK

Eimear Conroy, Alan Barr & Ynyr Harris

Particle Physics Department, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Didcot, OX11 0QX, UK

Julie Kirk & Emmanuel Olaiya

Institute for Research in Schools, Wellcome Wolfson Building, 165 Queen’s Gate, London, SW7 5HD, UK

Richard Phillips

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Correspondence to Eimear Conroy .

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Conroy, E., Barr, A., Harris, Y. et al. Real particle physics analysis by UK secondary school students using the ATLAS Open Data: an illustration through a collection of original student research. Eur. Phys. J. Plus 139 , 781 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-024-05518-z

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The University of Chicago The Law School

Global human rights clinic—significant achievements for 2023-24.

The Global Human Rights Clinic (GHRC) students continue to advance justice and address the inequalities and structural disparities that lead to human rights violations worldwide using diverse tactics and interdisciplinary tools. Over the past year, students and clinic director Anjli Parrin—who joined the faculty permanently in October 2023—worked in teams to promote human rights around the world. In particular, the GHRC supported justice efforts in the context of conflict and related to mass atrocities; the investigation and prevention of unlawful killings globally; the rights of missing migrants; the right to health; climate justice; and the right to equality and non-discrimination. Select work from each of these strands is described below.

Justice in Conflict: Supporting Atrocity Investigations in The Gambia and Central African Republic

The GHRC partners with civil society organizations and multidisciplinary scientific experts to investigate war crimes and mass atrocities, and advance justice in the context of conflict. Over this past year, the GHRC supported effective investigations in the Central African Republic and the Gambia. In addition, the Clinic worked with grassroots civil society and victims’ associations in both countries to advance critical human rights.

Central African Republic

In the Central African Republic (CAR), protracted violence and conflict has had devastating impacts on the civilian population. Civilians have borne the brunt of grave human rights violations, and the country remains one of the poorest in the world. The GHRC supported judicial authorities to carry out complex investigations of alleged mass atrocities committed during armed conflict in the country. Students worked alongside lawyers and scientific experts to conduct detailed factfinding, prepare legal memos on evidence collection and preservation, and support the creation of investigation files of human rights abuses.

Further, the GHRC alongside the Columbia Law School Smith Family Human Rights Clinic, partnered with CAR civil society, which is significantly under-funded and under-resourced, and therefore frequently shut out of international human rights forums and subject to attacks and threats domestically. We worked with two organizations—the Collectif des Organisations Musulmanes de Centrafrique (COMUC), an umbrella network of Muslim civil society, and the Association des Femmes Juriste de Centrafrique (AFJC), a women’s lawyers’ organization, and one of the largest providers of legal aid in the country—to document and advocate for the rights of religious minorities and women at the United Nations Human Rights Council. Students supported these organizations to:

• Launch a major human rights report on the right to freedom of religion and belief, and non-discrimination of religious minorities in CAR. This report documents violations of the right to life, arbitrary detention, freedom of movement, legal recognition, health, and education, and was launched in Geneva in December 2023.
• Carry out advocacy before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, as part of CAR’s Universal Periodic Review, a unique process of the Council whereby States’ human rights records are reviewed every five years. Students supported advocates from COMUC and AFJC to prepare reports on the human rights situation, present at a pre-session for the review in Geneva, and to meet diplomatic missions to inform them about the human rights situation in the country. The clinic’s support to national civil society ensured that they had access to this important international advocacy forum. The civil society reports can be accessed at the UN Office of the High Commission for Human Rights website (for a summary, see, A/HRC/WG.6/45/CAF/3 ).

In the Gambia, a military regime run by autocrat Yahya Jammeh committed scores of human rights abuses between 1994 and 2016, including arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and enforced disappearances. Following the overturning of the Jammeh regime, a truth commission was created to understand what happened during the dictatorship, and a special prosecution office is being set up. Families of those killed and disappeared are searching for answers as to the fate of their loved ones.

In partnership with the African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances (ANEKED) Gambia chapter, the Gambian Ministry of Justice, and the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, GHRC students supported efforts to advance justice and the search for missing persons in the Gambia. In particular, building on an assessment of the forensic and international criminal system conducted last year, the GHRC worked with civil society to carry out factfinding related to a key mass atrocity case. Additionally, in the Fall, the GHRC will work with ANEKED to expand its transitional justice and memory curriculum, so that young persons in the Gambia and globally learn about the process for truth and justice in the country.

Extrajudicial Executions: Preventing and Investigating Unlawful Deaths Globally

The GHRC provided strategic support to Morris Tidball-Binz, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions, and a leading independent human rights expert appointed by the United Nations to advise on the issue of unlawful killings from a thematic perspective. The Special Rapporteur procedures are a key pillar through which human rights is advanced at the UN. As part of their mandate, Special Rapporteurs undertake country visits, conduct annual thematic studies, and act on individual cases of reported violations by sending communications to States and international authorities. As of June 2024, Tidball-Binz joined the University of Chicago Pozen Family Center for Human Rights as a visiting senior research associate, where he will engage with and conduct joint research alongside Pozen Center and GHRC students.

In particular, the GHRC supported the Special Rapporteur with:

• Preparation for his country visit to Ukraine in May 2024. GHRC students conducted detailed research, factfinding, and analysis of concerns relating to unlawful killings in Ukraine, producing background research about the human rights situation prior to as well as during the ongoing escalation in hostilities. The research covered legislative and policy structures, key crosscutting concerns, emblematic cases, and positive developments. During the Special Rapporteur’s actual time in-country, GHRC students provided remote, ongoing support as required.
• Support in the research and drafting of his thematic report on the protection of the dead from a human rights perspective. GHRC students conducted factfinding, expert interviews, and legal analysis to inform the Special Rapporteur’s thematic report on protection of the dead, which was presented to the UN Human Rights Council on June 26, 2024 ( A/HRC/56/56 ). The UN Special Rapporteur acknowledged the contributions of the GHRC (video, remarks referencing the GHRC at 31:30).

Missing Migrants: A Forensic Response for African Missing Migrants in Southwest Europe

Thousands of Africans go missing each year attempting to cross international borders in search of safety and better opportunities. Despite the broad recognition among states of the importance and need to address the situation of missing migrants, there is a lack of formal coordination and procedures among all relevant stakeholders relating to missing migrants, and in many instances, even within a country’s government, there is a lack of information sharing. For families searching for the fate and whereabouts of their loved ones, the uncertainty is devastating, often leaving them in limbo.

In partnership with the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic (IRC) and the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team, the GHRC is supporting efforts to identify missing migrants traveling from Africa to South-West Europe. Over this course of this academic year, GHRC/IRC students:

• Researched migration patterns in key departure and transit countries in Africa, focusing on migrants leaving from the Gambia, Senegal, Morocco, and Tunisia. Additionally, students researched migration arrival patterns in Spain.
• Commenced an analysis of the existing legal frameworks governing the rights of missing migrants, and laws that pertain to transnational exchange of information of missing migrants. This analysis will be further developed and published next academic year.
• Prepared to carry out travel to the Gambia, Senegal, Tunisia, and Morocco, including identifying key stakeholders in each country from civil society, state institutions, and intergovernmental institutions.

Advancing the Right to Health Globally

GHRC students work to address violations of the right to health globally. We do so in two key areas—by working with Indigenous groups globally to reinterpret the international human right to health in accordance with Indigenous knowledge systems; and to support the realization of the right to health in the context of armed conflict.

Indigenous rights to health

In partnership with Human Rights Watch and Indigenous groups in South Africa, the Navajo Nation, and Guåhan (Guam), GHRC students are working to tackle systemic harms within global health and understand the impact of colonial determinants on health outcomes. This academic year, students worked to finalize a human rights report on the impact of US military buildup in Guåhan on Indigenous CHamoru medicinal and healing practices (the military currently controls approximately one-third of land on Guåhan). This report will be released in the Fall of 2024. Further, GHRC students supported Indigenous groups in South Africa and the Navajo Nation to document violations of the right to health in their lands.

Drawing upon his research through the GHRC, undergraduate student Elijah Jenkins was selected to receive the prestigious Stamps Scholarship , which will support him to undertake additional research in Guåhan. As a CHamoru student, Jenkins will deepen his understanding of and research into the impact of colonialism on the peoples of Guåhan and will continue to be supported by the GHRC.

Attacks on healthcare in conflict

The GHRC partnered with the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine to document, research, and support legal claims of violations of the right to health in the context of the ongoing conflict in Israel and Palestine. This project is taking place with the support and partnership of the Heath and Vascular Hospital at the Public Aid Society in Gaza. GHRC law students and Pritzker School medical students teamed up to conduct interviews with doctors who have recently traveled to Gaza, conduct open-source research into violations of the right to health, and analyze the applicable international humanitarian law governing protection of medical establishments and personnel. The team is currently preparing joint submissions to legal and quasi-judicial bodies.

Bridging the Chasm Between Law, Science, Technology and Narrative to Advance Climate Justice

While climate change is having a devastating impact across the planet, the harms are not experienced equally. Those on the frontlines of the climate crisis are frequently those who have contributed least to climate harms—including Indigenous groups, individuals living in small island nations, young people, and communities across the Global South. Coalitions of young people, including the Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change (PISFCC) and the World’s Youth for Climate Justice (WY4CJ), are leading the right to ensure a livable present and future.

In March 2023, the PISFCC succeeded in getting a historic resolution adopted, asking the International Court of Justice—the World’s Court—to rule on what the obligations of States are to protect the climate, and what the consequences are for the world’s biggest violators. Ahead of the ICJ oral hearings, GHRC is partnering with PISFCC, WY4CJ, visual investigations experts SITU Research , and artist Suneil Sanzgiri, to create a fifteen-minute film that weaves together the stories of young people and the impacts of climate harm through testimony, historical and contemporary documentation, and climate science. The film will debut at the Pinakothek der Moderne museum as part of the upcoming exhibition, Visual Investigations: between Advocacy, Journalism, and Law , opening October 10, 2024 in Munich, Germany.

Advancing Equality: Resisting Discriminatory Laws in Uganda and Globally

Discriminatory laws impact the ability of sexual and gender minorities, as well as other vulnerable groups, to access basic rights. Recently, several countries have passed discriminatory laws, including ones criminalizing homosexuality with extraordinarily punitive sentences. GHRC students work alongside civil society organizations in Uganda and around the world to challenge unfair laws and policies. This academic year, students:

• Partnered with Chapter Four Uganda and the Makerere University Human Rights and Peace Centre to develop a strategy to challenge discriminatory provisions in the survivor’s benefit clause of the National Social Security Fund Act. In March 2024, GHRC students traveled to Uganda to host the first of its kind moot court competition around this provision. Students partnered with Ugandan colleagues to prepare their arguments, and following the event met with the Minister of Justice to advocate for changes in the law. Currently, students are preparing a joint white paper on the issue, which will be published over the summer of 2024.
• In partnership with Stanford Law School International Human Rights and Conflict Resolution Clinic, GHRC students supported major NGOs in countries where new restrictions on sexual orientation and gender identity had been passed to analyze the restrictions and publish public-facing advocacy documents explaining their implications.
• Supported the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions with research and legal analysis of LGBTQI+ killings, ahead of a thematic report which he will present to the UN General Assembly in October 2024.