Students Testimonial

"During the summer of 2024, we met Dr. Menon for the first time. She explained to us the whole "Capstone" program which she leads and mentors budding young researchers from middle and high school. This program is a true learning experience in the world of science, technology and nature. It has been a wonderful learning journey for us since then. Sohum (my son) started reading the basic concepts in STEM, going through materials shared by Dr. Menon, then did his first annotated bib (bibliography), literature review as prerequisite steps to his research. Followed by was the discussion to select a research topic. I liked Dr. Menon's approach to let the researcher lead the way and come up with ideas, select the topic / area which interests him the most. This ensured that Sohum owns it and carries it ahead as it is 'his' project/ his research. The research included field trips, farm trips which helped us learn so much , discover nature, STEM concepts with a fresh perspective. And then the lab work with Dr. Schmidt which students have been doing, taught them so much about concepts like 'serial dilution', ' minimum inhibitory concentrations', 'bio-assay', just to quote a few examples. Opportunities provided through Capstone and the doors it opens are limitless. I would highly recommend this program to all motivated middle/ high schoolers who are interested in learning STEM, Nature through research. Thanks a lot for all your guidance, mentorship and help Dr. Menon!!"