STUDENT ACTIVITIES The educational program at Oak Crest is experientially based, with a goal of providing scientists and science students at all levels access to research opportunities at the forefront of environmental and medical sciences. Unlike in traditional laboratory courses in classroom settings, Oak Crest students do not recreate experiments that have been previously performed by others.  Rather, they conduct exciting cutting edge research projects in the environmental and medical sciences, each project new, unique and relevant to societal well being.  In doing so, students remain motivated as they develop confidence, patience, discipline, problem-solving skills, independent decision-making skills, an appreciation of the inter-relatedness of various aspects of scientific research, and a variety of laboratory skills based on a combination of traditional and the most up-to-date technologies. The open physical layout of Oak Crest's work area encourages frequent interactions and collaborations, both between students themselves and between students and mentors. A strong, supportive and positive sense of community is a hallmark benefit of the Oak Crest culture. Students not only conduct research in the laboratory, but also develop their oral and written communication skills by writing research proposals, presenting at weekly group meetings and journal clubs, writing scientific papers, and presenting posters at American Chemical Society Annual Meetings and other national scientific meetings. Participating in all aspects of the research process from beginning to end gives students a crucial, realistic sense of how exciting a career in the sciences can be.
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