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Frequently Asked Questions

  • Who can join the Summer Ardent Research Program? Age restrictions? Any aspiring students in grades 6-12* with an interest and passion in STEM should consider this program. *Rising grade for Fall.

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  • Do I need prior experience to join your research program? No, you do not. Our Ardent Research Mentor team will evaluate your application and guide you towards building the skills and knowledge that you need.

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  • Will I receive help selecting a research topic? You will be able to discuss possible topics with the program director and your mentor.

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  • Will I complete a project ready for the science fair in the summer? The time of completion varies depending on the project scale. Most students complete 90% of their projects by the end of summer and will complete them 100% by no later than December 15.

Engineering Class
Schoolboy Using Tablet

  • Is the application competitive? Yes. We must select a small group to work with for each division from a large pool of applicants. Please fill out the online application thoroughly.

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  • How much time does the program require? To produce a successful science fair research project, selected students must be able to devote a minimum of 160 hours during the summer towards their research effort.

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  • Do you provide lab equipment for research? We do offer simple biology and physics lab equipment.

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  • Who are the mentors? We have a team of research mentors with various skills and areas of expertise. Dr. James Li, the Summer Research program director, oversees the operations.​

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  • Do you help with finding research labs at colleges/universities? No, we do not.

  • What kind of science fairs will my student be able to join? Irvine Unified School District (IUSD) students will first experience their school science fairs, and may then be selected for the district science fair. Non-IUSD students will need to submit their online application to the Orange County Science and Engineering Fair (OCSEF) website—click HERE for details.

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  • What are the science fair rules like? Click HERE to view OCSEF rules and HERE to view California Science & Engineering Fair Rules.

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  • Do I need to attend both training sessions? No, you only need to attend one session.

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  • Can I partially attend training sessions in Option 1 and return to take the rest in Option 2? Yes, you can.

Questions?

Please email Research@ArdentAcademy.com or call (949) 861-2211.

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