Academics

A College-Level Research Curriculum

Science Research Methods and Ethics offers a rigorous, immersive curriculum designed to mirror the expectations and experience of authentic college-level research. Like all Sarah Lawrence programs, it is rooted in close faculty mentorship, small-group instruction, and dialogue-based learning, where students are active participants in shaping their own research.

Over two weeks, students engage in a full-day schedule that combines foundational coursework with individualized, discipline-specific research. Students exploring precollege STEM and social science programs often look for experiences that reflect the expectations of real research labs. Science Research Methods and Ethics is designed to
provide exactly that kind of rigor and engagement.

What Will I Learn?

Students will learn the scientific method and different forms of research. They will explore how scientists in different disciplines — from the natural sciences to psychology — approach questions, design studies, and build knowledge methodically.

Students will learn research ethics and lab safety. They will explore the ethical responsibilities of researchers and the safety practices that keep research environments secure.

Students will practice research methods and data collection. They will learn foundational techniques for gathering data appropriate to their discipline.

Students will learn to analyze data and build visualizations. They will practice turning raw data into clear, meaningful analysis and visual presentations.

Students will learn to communicate their work. They will build the skills needed to explain scientific findings clearly to a broader audience.

Students will complete an original research project in a disciplinary track. Working under the guidance of a faculty mentor and undergraduate TAs, students will apply their new knowledge to a hands-on project in the sciences, math, or psychology.

A Mentorship-Driven Approach

Unlike programs that offer only general exposure to STEM topics, this course pairs every student with a faculty mentor and undergraduate teaching assistants working actively in their field. Students don’t just learn about research — they do it, guided step-by-step by people who do it professionally.

Through daily coursework in the first week and hands-on project work in the second, students gain tools used in real research labs and college-level coursework alike.

Daily Learning Experience

Students spend seven hours each day in program activities, structured across a morning session, a working lunch, and an afternoon session.

The daily structure includes:

• Faculty-led instruction in research methods, ethics, and communication (week 1)
• Discipline-specific, track-based activities led by faculty mentors and undergraduate TAs
• Hands-on project work under faculty mentor supervision (week 2)
• Individual consultations and presentation preparation

This format allows students to move beyond surface-level exposure to scientific concepts and into a genuine, sustained research process.

What Will I Create?

Over the course of the program, students will produce a completed research project in their chosen discipline, along with an individualized development plan created in consultation with their faculty mentor and a faculty coordinator.

Students will complete the intensive with an oral presentation of their track project, open to family, faculty, and staff. Students may also choose to develop an optional poster to present at the Sarah Lawrence Science Poster Symposium the following fall.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the program, students will:

• Understand the scientific method and different forms of research
• Understand core principles of research ethics and lab safety
• Gain hands-on experience with research methods and data collection
• Build skills in data analysis and visualization
• Strengthen their ability to communicate scientific work
• Design, conduct, and present an original research project
• Craft an individualized development plan with faculty guidance
• Gain a genuine understanding of what it means to participate in an authentic research community

Most importantly, students leave with a clearer sense of themselves as researchers — and what it means to be part of a genuine scientific community.

A Sarah Lawrence Approach to Research

At Sarah Lawrence, science education is collaborative, interdisciplinary, and deeply personal. Students are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas across disciplines, and engage fully with the research process.

The result is a program that builds not only technical research skills, but also curious, thoughtful, and confident young researchers — prepared for college-level study and future research opportunities.

Meet the Coordinators

Kim Ferguson (Psychology) and Merideth Frey (Science/Math) serve as the faculty coordinators for the program. They are responsible for the overall curriculum, organizing program events, teaching general coursework during the first week’s morning sessions, and providing individual consultations during the second week. They also oversee course assessments, collect student evaluations, and provide letters of recommendation for students upon request.