Scholar Launch-1

Irvine In-Person Webinar

sl 052426 webinar

Unlock the Secrets of College-Worthy Research Projects: In-Person Panel with a Former Admissions Officer, Duke Professor, and a UCSD Researcher

⏰ Sunday, May 24, 2 pm Pacific

📍 Location: 16480 Bake Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618

Webinar Highlights

You've heard research looks good on college applications. But what does it actually involve? How do you start? And how do admissions officers really evaluate it?

Join us for a rare in-person roundtable where three distinguished educators share insights on high school research and academic success.

What you'll learn:

  • What high school research actually looks like, and how it's different from what you might imagine

  • How to figure out what topic you want to explore, even if you have no idea yet

  • What admissions officers at top schools are really looking for when they see research on an application

  • How to get a strong, specific letter of recommendation from a professor

  • What it takes to produce work that's genuinely publishable

  • How to use AI tools as a learning aid without "losing" your critical think skills

  • What's your next step if you want to start a research project right now?


Seats are limited. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn from top educators and get actionable advice for your student’s research and academic planning.

  • Date: Sunday, May 24

  • Time: 2 pm Pacific

  • Location: 16480 Bake Parkway, Irvine, CA 92618

Please make sure you sign up before attending the event. Seats are limited so we may not accept walk-ins.

Sign Up for Our In-Person Event

Meet Our Panelists

Dr. Robin Bachelder spent over 17 years as an Associate Professor at Duke University School of Medicine, where she led a translational breast cancer research laboratory spanning virology, cancer biology, and machine learning. She has mentored multiple students who have gone on to become physicians, clinical scientists, and academic professors, and now serves as a faculty advisor at Scholar Launch.

Wesley Mills is a former Senior Admissions Officer at the University of Chicago, where he evaluated over 1,500 applications and served on the admissions committee. He has since worked with students as young as 13 on essay writing, extracurricular strategy, and building college profiles — and brings that insider perspective to his work at Scholar Launch.


Zach Merson is a PhD researcher at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego, where he studies the feeding behaviors and migration patterns of sharks using environmental DNA. At Scholar Launch, he has served as a research mentor, junior program lead, and teaching assistant, guiding students through every stage of the research process.