2,893 Inspirational Passion Project Ideas
Turn inspirations into your passion project.
This collection of project ideas, shared by Polygence mentors, is meant to help inspire student thinking about their own project. Students are in the driver seat of their research and are free to use any or none of the ideas shared by their mentors.
- AI/ML
- Animation
- Arts
- Biology
- Biotech
- Business
- Cancer
- Chemistry
- Cognitive
- Computer Science
- Creative Writing
- Dance
- Dentistry
- Economics
- Engineering
- Entomology
- Environmental Science
- Ethics
- Fashion
- Finance
- Game Design
- Healthcare
- History
- Illustration
- Languages
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Math
- Medicine
- Music
- Neuroscience
- Nutrition
- Organizational Leadership
- Philanthropy
- Philosophy
- Photography
- Physics
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Quantitative
- Social
- Social Science
- Sports Analytics
- Statistics
- Surgery
Has Economic Inequality Transformed Innovation?
Historically, innovation in the consumer goods space has led to two beneficial outcomes for consumers: (1) an improvement in product features and (2) a reduction in product prices. In this paper, we argue that the increased concentration of wealth over the last 50 years in the US has shifted the benefits of innovation away from (2) by disincentivizing firms from focusing on price reductions as a means to achieve growth. To support this argument, we use the profit pool model and analyze the available profit pool by price point for a selection of consumer goods and electronics.
History, Languages, Sports Analytics, Economics, Business
Historical Overview on American Schools
Did you know that America’s education system is not an accident? It was purposefully structured to succeed specific groups of people. In this project you will research the origins of US schools leading to its current situation. Drawing upon politics including landmark court cases and foreign policy, you will investigate how education has changed throughout history and what inequalities persist. You will read academic articles and journals to assess how education today is set in place by structures and systems.
Psychology, History, Literature, Languages
Robotics and Society
The student will investigate a topic in robotics such as home-care robotics. Research on the current obstacle and investigate/design solutions for it. Open to more discussion with the student and based on their interest with the topic.
Psychology, Languages, Social Science
Writing Tragedy
In this project, we'll discuss Greek tragedy in its historical context. We'll read select plays of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides and explore what made their plays so enticing to ancient and modern audiences. Then, you will write your own version of a Greek tragedy. This project can be done by reading the Odyssey entirely in English translation, or, if you have prior knowledge of Ancient Greek, can be done by incorporating select key passages of the original Greek into our weekly readings. If you have prior experience in Greek composition, your own version of a Greek tragedy can be done in Greek. The final project for this could take the form of your written tragedy or a video or podcast performance of your written work.
Literature, Languages
The Applications of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Imaging
Computer science and technology have a ubiquitous influence in modern society. Artificial intelligence, particularly, appears to have an ever-increasing impact in the healthcare field. In this project, students could investigate the numerous ways in which artificial intelligence constitutes a valuable tool to further the progress of medicine and increase healthcare quality. They could focus their research around the applications of AI in terms of medical prevention, medical diagnosis, medical treatment or even medical research. This would involve extensive literature review and could result in a publication in a scientific journal.
Engineering, Computer Science, Languages, AI/ML
Leadership Model and Multilingual Education
I am also developing a Leadership Model on how Multilingual Acquisition in early age improves classroom results in collaboration with other university in Europe, Scandinavia, North Africa and Middle East.
Languages
Spanish and How it Got that Way
In 711 C.E. the Arabic-speaking Umayyad dynasty began their conquest of the Iberian peninsula, now present-day Spain and Portugal. During this time, there was over 800 years of Arab cultural and linguistic influence on the region. Today, over 4,000 Spanish words derive their origins from Arabic. Students can explore the influence of Arabic on Spanish through the lens of historical linguistics.
Literature, Languages, Creative Writing, Linguistics, Social Science
Studying Peace and Violence
For this project, we'd read and discuss topics about peace and violence from a theoretical standpoint, lived experiences of conflict from different parts of the world, and why do different types of conflicts continue to happen? Depending on your individual interests, this could culminate in traditional research paper or Op-ed, or alternatively in a more creative endeavor like an educational video or a podcast.
History, Literature, Languages, Social Science
AI Ethics/Algorithmic Fairness Analysis
Algorithms, particularly those driven by AI, are increasingly affecting our daily lives. Unfortunately, these algorithms sometimes perpetuate existing discrimination. You don't need to look far for examples; in the last few years, there have been exposes on everything from racially discriminatory models used by courts to assign parole, to resume reading models that place a lower value on degrees earned at women's colleges. Are you interested in exposing and fighting against this new frontier of discrimination? In this project, you will conduct research in AI ethics. Depending on your interests, we can focus on a particular model that has shown up in the news, research new examples of algorithmic discrimination, build data visualizations, and research the philosophical underpinnings of AI ethics.
Languages, Economics, Social Science
Designing and completing a research project
In this project, you will be a scientist and go through the entire process of a research project. You will craft a research question, write an introduction and background section by gathering scientific journal articles related to your topic, design a research method, collect data, complete statistical analyses, and interpret your results and their significance to the related field of research. This project will provide insight into the career of a scientist and a research student studying science. The final outcome of this project could be a poster presentation or a final written product such as a scientific journal article or report.
Biology, Languages, Chemistry, Public Health
Arabian Nights
Students can choose from any of the “Arabian Nights” tales, and depending on language expertise, we will work through it reading in either English or Arabic (or a mix of the two). We will explore, analyze, and attempt to define some of the most common themes in the text: the power of storytelling, magic, adventure, fate, etc.
Literature, Languages, Creative Writing, Linguistics, Social Science
Religious Pluralism Blog
Curious about how religions are formed, how the grow, and how they influence cultures, start wars, change history? Dive into the background and theory behind a variety of religions and create a multimedia blog to help educate others.
Arts, History, Languages, Social Science
Building Food Justice
This research will focus on the concept of food justice in a theoretical and practical sense. This could involve a gender or racial justice focus, for example. We could focus on a specific area or type of producer.and will then examine how different policy or political changes can improve the nutritional security of households.
History, Languages, Environmental Science, Social Science, Nutrition
Research Proposal
Looking to get approval or even some funding towards a project you're passionate about? Together, we will work through the steps to developing a strong proposal, including researching existing literature, developing research questions or project goals, and devising a timeline and/or budget. We will also discuss persuasive writing strategies and adapting writing to institutional contexts.
Languages, Linguistics
Design a Treatment Intervention
Given my background in delivering and designing interventions for clinical research projects, I could help students to develop psychoeducational materials, a workshop, a brochure, or a program of some sort that would hypothetically be given to a sample of participants as a treatment for a psychological and/or behavioral problem.
Psychology, Arts, Languages
Personal is Political- Pop Culture and Politics
We could explore the relationship between popular culture and politics, including representations in pop culture and how they intersect with issues of race and gender, for example. This idea comes from the feminist concept that the personal is political! What we consume, or what is presented to us, impacts the way we live our lives. After choosing the particular topic, we will read and discuss the relevant literature then develop a research question, choose the methodology, and conduct research that culminates in a conference paper, academic journal article, podcast, or think piece.
History, Literature, Languages, Social Science
Pharmacogenomics 101
Doctors prescribe drugs to treat a variety of health conditions. However, people can vary in how well they respond to the drug, and whether they experience adverse side effects from taking it. In some cases, this is due to genetic variation - i.e., differences in individuals' DNA sequence - and this is called Pharmacogenomics. In this project, you will use the database PharmGKB to identify genetic variants that impact response to commonly prescribed drugs, and evaluate how they impact the drug's biological actions at the molecular level. Through examining biochemical pathways involved in the drug's metabolism, you will gain a deeper understanding of the field of pharmacogenomics, and how genetic knowledge can help inform medical care.
Biology, Surgery, History, Literature, Languages
How can we help farmers adapt to climate change?
A project focused on the policy, structural, and technological changes that could help farmers prepare for climate change. This could involve a nutrition, gender, or racial justice focus, and could focus on a specific area or type of producer. Based on your interest this project could look at fisherman, smallholder farmers, urban farms, large food producers, or sustainable aquaculture/kelp producers.
History, Languages, Environmental Science, Social Science, Nutrition
Who Wants to Work? Analyzing Unemployment, Social Welfare, and Wages across Economies
"No one wants to work anymore" has recently become a common refrain for US hiring managers. How true is this sentiment though? This research aims to compare economies similar to the US and find the factors that contribute the most to America's "Labor Shortage".
Psychology, History, Languages
Criminal/Legal Case Study
Are you fascinated by crime? Pick a particular court case and dive into the evidence, trial transcripts, and case law. Or, pick a certain kind of crime and review the range of cases that fall under that verdict. You can share your findings in an investigative report or in a true crime podcast. You will gain experience reading legal texts, sorting through different kinds of information, checking the validity of sources, and learning about crime, law, and the justice system.
Languages, Linguistics, Cognitive
