Sophie’s AI Research Journey: From Passion Project to Florida Science and Engineering Fair
Exploring the Power of AI
Finding the Next Habitable Planet: Novel Machine Learning Approaches for Exoplanet Discovery and Habitability
When Sophie joined the Inspirit AI + X 1:1 Mentorship Program, she was eager to dive deep into the intersection of artificial intelligence and astronomy. After exploring several ideas with their mentor, she landed on a project titled Finding the Next Habitable Planet: Novel Machine Learning Approaches for Exoplanet Discovery and Habitability.
Sophie chose this topic because of her long-standing interest in life beyond earth, and wanted to explore how AI could drive real-world impact in this field.
“I am working on detecting exoplanets, specifically using ML to detect white dwarf stars with exoplanetary debris around them. I’ve always been intrigued by exoplanets and the possibility of life beyond Earth, so I knew I wanted my topic to be around exoplanets and habitability. My project had 2 parts because my first part was more general where I was analyzing the relationship between the exoplanet and its host star using confirmed exoplanet data, while the 2nd part I was actually making my own discoveries around a certain type of extreme star: white dwarves. My topic got more nuanced as I gained more experience.”
One-on-One Mentorship That Makes a Difference
For Sophie, the most valuable part of the 1:1 Mentorship Program was building a relationship with her mentor.
Working closely with a PhD mentor from Caltech, Sophie gained not only technical knowledge but also the confidence to ask bold questions, iterate on ideas, and learn from failures. The structured yet flexible nature of the program helped her go from concept to publication-ready research in just a few months.
“The most valuable part of the 1:1 mentorship program was definitely the time with my mentor, where he would explain new concepts or ideas to me or we would write/debug code together. My knowledge of astronomy and programming has definitely increased significantly because of him. It’s hard to find someone as experienced and knowledgeable as Tony in astronomy, and I’m very happy I was able to work with him through this program.”
From Research to Recognition: Sophie’s Awards and Achievements
The project Finding the Next Habitable Planet: Novel Machine Learning Approaches for Exoplanet Discovery and Habitability has since earned Sophie recognition in several prestigious venues. Her work was accepted into her state’s ISEF competition, showcasing her contribution to cutting-edge high school research.
Beyond the accolades, the experience gave Sophie a major confidence boost in her academic journey.
About the Inspirit AI 1:1 AI + X Mentorship Program
The Inspirit AI 1:1 AI + X Mentorship Program is a personalized research experience designed for ambitious high school students interested in exploring the intersection of artificial intelligence and their unique areas of interest—ranging from medicine and neuroscience to climate science, economics, and beyond.
Students are paired with expert mentors from top institutions like Stanford, MIT, and Harvard, who guide them step-by-step through the process of designing, developing, and writing a publication-ready AI research project. The program equips students with both the technical skills and research mindset needed to produce original work, with the ultimate goal of submitting their projects to top high school journals, science fairs, and competitions.
The Value of Building an AI Research Project as a High Schooler
Publishing a research project as a high school student offers a powerful opportunity to stand out academically, demonstrate initiative, and showcase a deep commitment to learning beyond the classroom. It not only strengthens college applications by highlighting intellectual curiosity and advanced problem-solving skills, but also gives students experience with real-world scientific communication and academic rigor.
Whether submitted to a peer-reviewed journal or a high school research publication, having published work signals to universities and scholarship committees that a student is capable of producing meaningful, original contributions to their field of interest—something few high schoolers can claim.
Ready to turn your passion into a published AI research project? Apply to the Inspirit AI 1:1 AI + X Mentorship Program today and work one-on-one with expert mentors from top universities to bring your ideas to life. Spots are limited—take the first step toward making your mark in the world of AI research!
