Projects by year

Humanities

Habilitation

By Natalie C., Ava R., Eanam M.

What if a single story could change how you see homelessness and incarceration?

Our project challenges common stereotypes by sharing personal narratives of resilience and transformation. Through an interactive multimedia journal, we aim to foster empathy and encourage informed discussions on reentry and social reintegration.

Using qualitative research methods, we conducted case... Read More

Social Science

How TikTok has contributed to increasing nitrous oxide abuse, and how this has disproportionately impacted underprivileged communities.

By Christian S.

Whipped cream cans, compressed air dusters, and a sedative used during medical procedures all contain the same gas: nitrous oxide. Although this gas has been recreationally abused for many years, there is a plethora of evidence pointing towards a recent spike in the consumption of this inhalant in non-medical settings, especially among youth. At the same time, videos related to nitrous oxide... Read More

Social Science

Socioeconomic and Cultural Influences on Early Childhood Education Decisions

By Lily J.

Childrens’ future success is often determined not by their potential, but by the cost and accessibility of early education programs. The formative years from birth to age five are crucial for social, emotional, and cognitive development. However, with disparities in access to early education, these children face long-term inequities in learning outcomes. Addressing this issue requires... Read More

Social Science

High School Journalism programs and Its Effect on Media Literacy throughout classrooms

By Cate G.

The proliferation of digital media has transformed how younger generations consume news, with social media increasingly becoming the primary source of information. This study investigates the potential of high school journalism programs to enhance media literacy among students. Recent research suggests that Generation Z faces significant challenges distinguishing between factual reporting and... Read More

STEAM

Building Futures: Sustainable Architecture Solution to South Africa’s Housing Crisis

By Ivan S

South Africa is grappling with a severe housing crisis, deeply rooted in apartheid-era policies, rapid urbanization, and persistent poverty. These historical, economic, and social challenges have created significant barriers to affordable and sustainable living for a large portion of the population. This research project investigates how sustainable architectural methods can alleviate the cost... Read More

Social Science

Proposed Strategies to Address Challenges Faced by Urban Food Security Projects

By Lucy K.

Despite being one of the world’s largest economies, millions of US residents experience food insecurity, or the lack of adequate access to a healthy diet. This has inflamed crises of public health and drives income-based disparities in disease rates and mortality. Factors contributing to food insecurity include high food prices and inaccessibility of food stores, issues that government... Read More

Social Science

Getting to “Yes” In My Backyard

By Michael M.

The State’s Regional Housing Needs Assessment determined that Palo Alto is more than 6,000 units short of its housing needs (City of Palo Alto Housing Element Update). Many people do not know what the housing crisis stems from or how to solve it. This problem is complex, so we must start small. After researching, I discovered that Palo Alto teens could benefit from an awareness campaign... Read More

STEAM

One Health Approach For Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs): The Effects on Zoonotic Diseases

By Asya B.

The COVID-19 pandemic taking the lives of an estimated 18.2 million revealed gaps in worldwide public health systems and pandemic preparedness. Many developed nations started incorporating the One Health approach into their public health systems and recognizing its advantages (Sinclair, 2019). One Health is an inclusive approach for healthcare systems that recognizes the interconnectedness of... Read More

Humanities

Pet Toy Workshop about Spay and Neutering

By Lilia A. & Violet H.

Our project is to educate people about the overcrowding crisis in animal shelters, and how spaying and neutering can help prevent it. Too many pets end up in shelters because of unplanned litters, and sadly many never find homes. Through this workshop, we hope to raise awareness about responsible pet ownership and provide a hands-on activity to engage participants. As part of the workshop we... Read More

Social Science

Breaking the Sun Barrier

By Abby T. & Kamya K.

Breaking the Sun Barrier is a project that aims to provide sun safety education and resources to vulnerable populations in California. Our project has two action plans, our first goal is to collect 500 bottles for a sunscreen drive. The donations from the drive will be sent to Simply the Basics, an organization that will distribute the sunscreen to low income and homeless Californians. During... Read More

Social Science

Public Transit Youth Initiative

By Iris B & Alex E.

Oftentimes, people, especially young people, want to go someplace but are not able to get a ride and it is too far to walk or bike, they just end up choosing to stay home and miss out on the opportunity. Public transit is usually not an option for them as it seems too difficult to figure out. That’s why the main goal of this project is to promote the use of public transportation (such as buses... Read More

Humanities

The Impact of Financial Barriers in Sports

By Max N

Sports participation remains a significant and unexplored part of equality in society. In the United States, there has been a significant increase in the expenses associated with youth sports participation for families, with average costs ranging from $700–$1,000 per child annually for fees, gear, and travel expenses. Studies show that financial barriers heavily impact access to sports... Read More

Humanities

The Intersections Between Queer Trauma and Writing: An Exploration of Authors and Their Works

By Alice C.

Queerness and literary arts are deeply interconnected. As of 2023, roughly a quarter of those in writing-related work in the United States identify as LGBTQ+ (Lee & Low Books et al.) Simultaneously, queerness and trauma also have deep connections. Queer people, as a marginalized population undergoing unique stressors, are at a far higher risk of experiencing clinical symptoms of trauma,... Read More

Social Science

A Foodie’s Paradise…Until It’s Not.

By Zoya R., Giselle B., Hannah V.

The issue of food affects everyone, everywhere. In fact, one in four people are food insecure. For many, food is difficult to obtain; for others, it is hard to consume in recommended portions. Many buy more than they can consume, simply because they CAN. 40% of food gets wasted, but only 20% of all wasted food could feed the US population. But why do we not just feed everyone? Shouldn't... Read More

STEAM

Sustainability for Existing Homes: Increasing Awareness Through Advocacy and Community Events

By Grace S.

Sustainability is a growing priority for many cities, but there is only so much a city planner can improve without the help and participation of residents and their homes. In Palo Alto, a big gap surrounding sustainable housing is the lack of awareness and education about actionable steps people can take to improve their own homes. “Sustainability for Existing Homes: Increasing Awareness... Read More

Social Science

Affordable Housing Advocacy

By Chilton C., Siena H., Aditya S.

Our project aims to educate individuals about the impact of affordable housing through compelling video stories. By sharing real-life experiences, we hope to foster empathy and understanding among people with stable incomes, housing, and access to basic necessities. The videos will highlight how affordable housing has positively transformed lives, providing stability, opportunity, and a sense... Read More

STEAM

Climate problem

By Russell V

Climate change is continuing to worsen over time even though it's a known growing issue. Before solving an issue action has to start being taken. Latane and Darley's five stage model displays why commitment lacks when it comes to solving climate change issues,¨ We identify the factors that make climate change difficult to notice and ambiguous as an emergency; we explore barriers to taking... Read More

Social Science

Improving Low-Income Special Needs Students’ Quality of Education

By Seth W

On average, people with bachelor’s degrees earn about $765,000 more than people with only a highschool education over a lifetime (Education and Lifetime Earnings), proving that further education is instrumental in upward social mobility; however, students that struggle to receive proper primary and secondary education have much lower rates of pursuing higher education (The impacts of... Read More

Social Science

Improving Nutrition Education in Schools

By Abigail K.

The way nutrition education is being passed down to adolescents is flawed. Whether from outdated information, social media influence, or through school health classes, adolescents worldwide are at risk of developing negative food behaviors which can ultimately lead to disordered eating habits and a negative perception of themselves and the food they eat. In order to address this, this research... Read More

Humanities

Clothing Patterns From 13th-15th Century Northern Europe

By Noelle M.

Most studies on the construction of medieval clothing either focus on direct reconstructions of archaeological finds or discuss general appearance without delving into construction methods, leaving a gap where trends in how certain pieces of clothing were patterned are overlooked. Although few actual garments have survived, there are noticeable trends in the construction techniques used. These... Read More

Social Science

Positive Mental Health Literacy's effect on Marijuana use for coping

By Keshav Kapur S.

Nowadays, when walking through San Francisco, Seattle, or any major city, you are bound to come across the pungent smell of the drug Marijuana. Marijuana contains active chemicals called cannabinoids that, when ignited and inhaled, cause drug-like effects all through the body. In recent years, 24 states have legalized marijuana, making it easier to access and more prevalent than ever. In turn... Read More

Social Science

BRIDGE: Building Relationships Intergenerationally and Designing Guided Events

By Irene W. & Tara B.

Loneliness affects both teenagers and seniors, yet opportunities for meaningful intergenerational connections remain limited. BRIDGE (Building Relationships Intergenerationally and Designing Guided Events) seeks to close this gap by fostering relationships through structured, interactive events.

Our project organizes recurring team-building activities, such as story exchanges,... Read More

Social Science

Factors influencing female students in advanced math and science courses at a Bay Area high school to pursue STEM careers.

By Katie B.

Women have made great strides in the 20th century in gaining access to education and careers. Since the 1980s, the number of women getting bachelor’s degrees has matched and even surpassed that of men. But the story is different in STEM–women have persistently obtained less than 25% of degrees in engineering, physics, and computer science. This paper looks at what factors influence female... Read More

Social Science

Transition to High School - "High School Cheat Sheet"

By Jasmine A., Kate H.

The jump from middle school to high school can feel overwhelming; especially for first-generation students who lack access to critical information about academic, expectations, resources, and opportunities. Many struggle with navigating course selections, extracurricular involvement, and high school expectations without guidance from experienced family members. Our project addresses these... Read More

Social Science

How Contemporary U.S. Consumerism Shapes the Lives of Child Cobalt Miners in the DRC

By Oliver C.

Cobalt is an essential component of lithium-ion batteries, which power countless devices Americans use daily, from smartphones and laptops to electric vehicles and public transportation systems. However, much of this cobalt is mined under exploitative conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), often by children working in hazardous environments. This research investigates how... Read More

Social Science

How human behaviors affect underprivileged/Indigenous communities through the risk of invasive species

By Ben C.

The goal of my project is to examine how human actions like habitat destruction increases the risk of invasion by alien species to underdeveloped/indigenous communities. These population are especially at risk since they have less resources and defenses put in place to minimize damage from one of these invasions. Additionally communities of indigenous peoples rely heavily on the environment... Read More

Business

What Are The Economic Implications of Increased Chinese Outsourcing In the Rwandan Textile Industry?

By Kaliope H

There is an urgent need for entry-level employment opportunities in Rwanda. The unemployment rate has seen little change in the past few years, and the labor of 53.9% of the population remains underutilized (NISR, 2024). Many economists believe expanding the country's manufacturing capacity will increase entry-level employment opportunities, decrease reliance on foreign imports, and transform... Read More

STEAM

Efficacy of a Low-Cost UV Sensor for In Vitro Sunscreen Tests

By Eliana M.

What if you could find out which sunscreen has higher UV protection in 3 seconds using just a $10 sensor? Currently, golden standard sunscreen tests performed on human skin are timely and expensive, and have raised ethical and accuracy concerns. Consequently, scientists are working to perform these tests in labs instead, using equipment like spectrophotometers and artificial skin. These in... Read More

Social Science

Balancing the Technical and Creative Aspects of Filmmaking through Data Analytics

By Adi S.

This paper explores the evolving role of data analytics in balancing the technical and creative dimensions of filmmaking. While data-driven approaches have long been used to improve financial forecasting, casting decisions, and marketing strategies, their influence is now extending into the early creative stages, including scriptwriting and direction. Tools such as sentiment analysis and... Read More

Social Science

Mental Health Effects of Wrongful Convictions

By Drew H.

A major problem is false imprisonment. It strips humans of their freedom and violates their rights but this also comes with another problem, it can cause serious negative psychological effects. False convictions can cause many psychological problems with people, some being depression, anxiety, and PTSD. It alsoit also comes with stigma when it comes to the reintegration process of the... Read More

STEAM

Advanced Synthesis Investigation Models for Spectral Manipulation and Non-Definitive Tonality Induction

By Emilia D.

This study explores advanced synthesis models for spectral manipulation and non-definitive tonality induction, addressing a gap in psychoacoustics research regarding the interaction of bandpass noise and tonal elements within hierarchical tonality frameworks. Drawing on hierarchical processing, pitch salience, and psychoacoustic perception theories, this research uses intonation and pitch... Read More

Social Science

How Availability and Affordability Affects the Ecological Benefits of Farmers Markets

By Maya D.

Farmer's markets are often seen as the centerpiece of sustainable produce consumption and production… but are they? In many suburban and urban communities, farmer’s markets serve as a vital source of local produce and contribute to social, economic, and community wellness. However, existing research and preliminary findings from this project suggest otherwise, highlighting that many Americans... Read More

STEAM

Optimizing Machine Learning Models for Accurate Nutrition Value Prediction

By Anika K.

Individuals with health conditions and special preferences—especially those of the senior population—often have a hard time cooking and preparing healthy meals for themselves, mainly because of lack of knowledge regarding their specific diet like diabetes and high blood pressure. Personalized nutrition plays a crucial role in promoting a healthier lifestyle and minimizing food waste, making it... Read More

Social Science

Analyzing the Impact of COVID-19 Lockdown Policies on India's Agricultural Wholesale Markets

By Aritra N.

COVID-19 heavily impacted India's economy in 2020, as it caused a 23.9% year-on-year drop in India's GDP in Q2 2020. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic caused massive drops in the quantities of agricultural commodities shipped to wholesale markets due to lockdown policies put in place during the first wave disrupting the transport of goods. A lot of research has examined the effects of the... Read More

Social Science

Stopping the Stigma PERIOD.

By Lauren M.

An abundance of stigma surrounds menstruation today, which prompted the project, Stopping the Stigma PERIOD. Although many laws have been passed to enforce menstruation education, they are not enforced in all schools, causing a lack of menstrual education amongst students. The first phase of the project works to close this gap in the Bay Area; an educational infographic flier will be hung in... Read More

Social Science

Waste and Custodian Awareness

By Leo F. and Mars E.

Many teenagers are particularly prone to littering, partially due to their ignorance about their impact. As such, our plan is to fill the gap in their knowledge by hosting a cleanup event during a social-emotional learning class after lunch at a school in the Bay Area, thus demonstrating to the students the importance of custodial work and illustrating the negative impact of leaving waste... Read More

Humanities

The Impact of Acculturation on Asian American Youth and Young Adult Substance Use

By Crystal L.

This research paper explores the impact of acculturation on Asian American youth and young adult (AAYYA) substance use behaviors, both in aggregate and in regard to specific subgroups. Asian Americans are significantly underrepresented in research on substance use, due to inaccurate perceptions of them as a group that does not use substances and is largely unaffected by the risks and harms... Read More

Social Science

Social Media and Mental Health: Moral Panic or Modern Epidemic?

By Karthi G.

Is social media really driving a mental health crisis, or are we just looking at the wrong data? Most studies, like Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation, focus on the U.S., showing a strong correlation between rising social media use and worsening teen mental health. However, correlation isn’t always causation. To truly understand this issue, we need a global perspective. This research goes... Read More

Social Science

Equitable Literacy Playtime: Play-Based Practices to Bridge Socioeconomic Opportunity Gaps in First to Third-Grade Literacy Development

By Sarina S.

Early elementary school is a critical time for literacy development (Zill, 1999), yet disparities in resources due to socioeconomic status create significant challenges for many students (Debs, 2017). Socioeconomic disparities affect the time and resources students have access to (Debs, 2017). Because of this, it has become necessary to develop new solutions to bridge socioeconomic opportunity... Read More

STEAM

The Strangest Thing in Our Universe

By Hahn J

Across the vast emptiness of the cosmos, there lay a type of exotic matter so dangerous yet so interesting that if found to be real, would change what we know and understand about matter forever. That is the power of strange matter. Along with a strange name, it comes with interesting properties. To begin with, it is theorized to originate in a theoretical type of neutron star, a quark star.... Read More

STEAM

A quantitative look at humanity’s progress on fighting climate change

By Aiden M.

As climate change and climate anxiety worsen, it is increasingly important to view climate change from an angle of progress. The goal of this paper is to discover the quantitative amount of progress the world has made toward stopping and eventually reversing climate change. Climate change poses a major threat not just to the natural environment, but to the livelihoods of every human affected... Read More

Social Science

Silent Struggles

By Micah R.

The American education system has a problem. Academic statistics have a clear distinction between race, class, and economic status. There is especially a difference between African American students and white students. One of the issues that affects African American students' academic performance is the constant microaggressions that they face on a day-to-day basis. These are often seen as... Read More

STEAM

Aerodynamics of deformed badminton shuttlecocks caused by overuse

By Taishi L.

Badminton, defined by its speed and unique projectile known as a shuttlecock, is a fast paced sport especially popular in Asia. Unlike most sports, the shuttlecock's relatively low weight to high drag (air resistance) makes its motion very susceptible to this force. It is the deceleration due to drag that causes the badminton shuttlecock to fall in a distinctive parachute motion–a trajectory... Read More

Social Science

The Impact of the Berryessa BART Station on Housing Prices in San Jose

By Aiden Y.

This study examines the impact of the Berryessa BART station on housing prices in San Jose amid the city’s growing affordability crisis. Utilizing housing market data from Redfin and Zillow, a Difference-in-Difference (DiD) approach is used to to compare housing price trends within a 2-mile radius of the station (treatment group) to similar unaffected areas (control group). Additionally, a... Read More

Social Science

Special Education Teacher Preparation in Palo Alto

By Michael A.

The average special education teacher makes less money than the average general education teacherBut ifSPED teachers have financial incentives that GenEd teachers don't, why do they make less money? The answer is that SPED teacher retention is shorter than those in GenED. This means that SPED teachers leave the field at such a rate that the average SPED teacher doesn't reach higher pay scales... Read More

Humanities

Sexism’s Prevalence in Children’s Media and the Effect on Young Girl’s Mental Health

By Julia N.

1 in 3 women suffer from an eating disorder of some kind, caused by the perpetuation of constant negative messaging about their bodies (National Institute of Mental Health). The commonly blamed culprits is social media- however, if a closer look is taken at the tv and toys most popular for children there are consistent themes of sexism and objectification, displayed through character designs... Read More

STEAM

Propose Adjustments To Current School Emergency Preparedness Plan

By Yicheng L.

This project aims to propose updates to the existing emergency preparedness plan, specifically by identifying and recommending the addition of new evacuation points on campus. The primary objective is to alleviate congestion during evacuations triggered by fire alarms, improving safety and efficiency. It will identify suitable evacuation points through analysis of publicly available data... Read More

STEAM

A study and design for Aerodynamically efficient high downforce electric cars

By Anush P

My project aims to help improve aerodynamic efficiency for electric cars. Following up on existing research and integrating aerodynamic efficiency with high downforce using design changes as well as working upon the half car body. The final goal is to end up with a electric car design that has low drag and high downforce both which are important factors for high performance road cars. Using... Read More

STEAM

Ethical and Cultural Considerations for Genetic Editing: A Literature Review

By Ella S.

Imagine a world where everyone was born “perfect” in other words, lacking in all genetic predispositions to sickle cell disease, cystic fibrosis, cancers, HIV, etc. This world is becoming more and more possible with the development of genetic editing, specifically because of CRISPR technology, also known as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic responses. Using an enzyme called Cas... Read More

Social Science

The affect of lowering the voting age on voter turnout.

By Briar D.

Change happens when we speak and our vote is our voice. Despite voter turnout at an all-time high in 2020 with 66% of eligible voters voting, a third of the population still fails to vote in elections (Hartig, 2023). This problem negatively impacts Americans because the local and national governments fail to represent the will of the people accurately, and not everyone votes. In elections with... Read More

STEAM

Effects of Oral Hormonal Contraception on Elite Female Swimmers

By Llew L.

Understanding the physiological factors that influence performance is paramount in elite sports where fractions of a second can determine careers. For female athletes, hormonal oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) represent a common medical intervention, yet their impact on athletic performance, including strength, endurance, and recovery, remains inadequately understood (Hruby, 2022). This lack of... Read More

STEAM

Implementation of Brain Stimulation in Criminal Justice

By Gabriel B.

As neurotechnology rapidly advances, the criminal justice system faces unprecedented opportunities and challenges in offender rehabilitation. This research explores how closed-loop brain devices (CBDs) and similar brain-stimulating technologies could transform approaches to reducing offender recidivism (when prisoners return) while simultaneously examining the associated human rights... Read More

Humanities

Narratives and Plurality of Asian-American History in Education and Society

By Sylvie N.

This oral history project examines narrative plurality in education through Asian American studies, focusing on experiences across generations. By collecting personal testimonies, it highlights overlooked stories that shape understandings of history, identity, and cultural memory.