A One-of-a-Kind Opportunity

This on-site lab opportunity, unique to any area high school, connects accelerated students with industry partners and Ph.D. level mentors with expertise in the student’s area of research during the school year.

Through the Minnetonka Research program, students will have the opportunity to ask questions that matter to them. They will collaborate with industry partners and connect with university mentors. Minnetonka students will have the opportunity to experience the most advanced scientific study in the history of Minnetonka High School.

Scientific Research Courses

Two Scientific Research courses are available to students who have successfully completed an IB or AP science course: Scientific Research is available to Minnetonka sophomores, juniors and seniors; Scientific Research II is available to juniors and seniors.

Competency-based Grading

Science Research I and II are unique courses in the Minnetonka High School curriculum. Instructors assess Research students throughout the academic year using Competency-based Grading. This established list of core competencies was developed with insight from global leaders in the research field, representing the skills and competencies students will need to succeed as a 21st-Century researchers.

Creating the Next Generation of Researchers

Research students hone their problem-solving skills, while expanding their content knowledge. With expert coaching, students work collaboratively to develop real-time and agile response skills applicable in the real world.

A leading-edge, negative-pressure, wet lab gives students the space and time to pursue authentic scientific research in their areas of interest. Students have access to the lab before, during, and after school and on weekends. Each student will have a lab bench to conduct long-term experiments. Specialized equipment has been generously donated by Cargill.

Our students propose research questions and develop their own experimental designs. They conduct feasibility studies and create budgets. They collect and analyze data, and then draw and defend their conclusions. All of this will takes place in our new, dedicated research facility which includes wet lab benches and flexible “hub” space for collaboration work and presentations.