Hello guys! My name is Akemi and I am 17 years old. I live in Germany but my roots Lye in Italy, Germany, and Nigeria. I am part of the Lumiere Research program on a full scholarship and my goal is to inform young high school students about this amazing opportunity for academic growth.
What is the Lumiere Research Program?
People who intend to get a scholarship will have to apply for the Lumiere Research Scholar Individual Research and it should be mentioned that if you apply for a full scholarship you will be in a very competitive pool of applicants. Lumiere Education is a research program where students work 1-1 with a researcher from a top university to produce an independent research project.
Why did I apply
As a future academic I strive to get as much insight into my interested field as possible. Working with a professional in a field of my choice was going to give me a deeper understanding of my interests. Finally, I am able to specialize in a certain aspect of my field and become somewhat of a professional even for the small frame of time.
The application process
Firstly you write a written application with a broad overview of your fields of interest. In the interview round, you will have an interview with a Lumiere staff member and elaborate on your research interests and ideas (taken from the website).
After the interview, you will be informed of your application decision and finally be paired up with your mentor.
Here is what Lumiere is looking for (taken from the website):
The Lumiere Research Scholar Program is selective in its process. Here's what we look for in applicants:
Academic excellence
Curiosity about the world and a desire to answer big questions
Ability to work independently and diligently
Not-required: experience in the field of your interest
Financial Aid
The Lumiere Foundation provides scholarships for promising candidates that can cover all of the tuition. For that, you would have to fill out a form while you are applying. Beware the funds are limited which is why asking for a scholarship throws you into a competitive pool of applicants.
Tips for everyone thinking about applying
Pick a topic you really are passionate about and really try to indicate why said topic is important to you. Overall do not be discouraged if you have no prior research experience just think and write about the topic that interests you.
My experience
I am almost done with my Lumiere path and can tell you that it has been amazing getting to work with my mentor. I have had important first experiences in writing scientific research and my mentor is writing me a recommendation for university. Overall I think Lumiere throws you a little bit in the cold water and it was hard for me to fully get a grasp of how I should be writing a research paper. However, I think my research paper turned out to be beyond my expectations of what I thought I would be able to write. A little tip for people who got in: USE THE HELP OF THE WRITING CENTER! In my opinion, Lumiere Education is definitely worth sending an application to.
