Research Leadership Program
Learn to lead research within a SoTS club
Build and lead a real research group. Develop skills that stand out on college applications and open doors to top careers in science, tech, and business
Career Value
College Applications
Research leadership demonstrates initiative, responsibility, and ability to organize joint efforts and working processes. Concrete outcomes: teams you managed, projects you guided, results your research group produced.
Academic Path
Lab positions: PIs love students who can manage projects and coordinate team efforts.
Graduate school: most PhD students don't learn research management until postdoc. You arrive years ahead.
Industry Path
Tech companies, startups, consulting, R&D departments - all need people who can lead teams through ambiguous problems.
Project management is an explicit job function. Technical skills plus leadership skills is the combination companies promote.
About
Doing research means you ask the question, run the experiment, analyze the data. Leading research means you create an environment where others feel empowered to do all that - by asking the right questions, identifying resources, and keeping projects moving.
Leading real science projects means combining planning, management, people skills, communication, decision-making under uncertainty, and entrepreneurship.
What You Will Do
Build Your Group
Design onboarding and accountability structures
Research Direction
Define research questions to address
Guide Projects
Allocate resources and recognize when to pivot
Run Operations
Establish feedback culture and quality standards
Balance commitment levels and handle team dynamics
Find Resources
Build relationships with universities, labs, mentors
Plan Strategically
Plan for leadership succession
Format
- Two semesters
- Biweekly sessions with SoTS founders over Zoom
- 1-5 participants per group
- You create and lead a research group within an existing or new Local SoTS club
This is not a lecture series. You bring real situations. We work through them.
Certificate
Graduates receive SoTS Research Leadership Certificate documenting completion of the program.
Prerequisite
Intention and commitment to build and lead a research group - either within an existing Local SoTS club or by starting a new one. Guidance on recruiting members is included.
Leadership teams welcome - 2-3 leaders from the same club may enroll together.
Expectations
This program requires work. You build a real research group within a club, lead real members, solve real problems. We provide guidance and support. You provide the effort.
Investment
Two semesters required for certification.
Apply
Email team@teenscientists.org
Include in your email:
- Your name and school
- Club name and current membership count (if you have an existing club)
- Why you want to join this program
Research Leadership Program is part of the SoTS Club Network.