自2016年以来，明尼通卡研究项目一直为学生提供无与伦比的机会，让他们能够深入开展高级研究，探索与自身热情和兴趣相关的问题。其中一名学生——2026届大三学生米兰·达尔吉——通过该项目经历了一次“完整的体验”。 

达吉从小学起就一直参加明尼通卡研究研讨会。上图中，达吉（左）正在与帕尔蒂夫·克里希纳（2019届，右）交谈，后者是明尼通卡的校友，曾连续三年参加该项目。 

在活动中，当高年级研究项目学生们介绍自己的项目时，达吉与他们产生的共鸣，激励他决定追随他们的脚步。“帕尔蒂夫·克里希纳是第一批研究项目学生之一，当我达到年龄要求时，他真的鼓励我加入，”达吉说道。 

Krishna was one of the first Minnetonka Research students to become an International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalist and the first to place at ISEF, earning the 4th Grand Award for the Robotics and Intelligent Machines category. He joined Minnetonka Research in 2016, seeking an opportunity to explore self-directed project. “I found the possibility exciting and decided to work on projects that involved my budding interest in embedded computing and robotics,” said Krishna. “Over my three years in the program, it grew significantly in both membership and the breadth of projects [that students were working on].” 

In Krishna’s first year, he developed a dashboard-mounted eye tracking device to predict distracted driving. His second and third year were spend building autonomous drones to navigate and map indoor environments. During the Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair, a judge encouraged him to pursue a patent for aspects of his work, which “led to a whole different area of learning,” Krishna shared. “I worked with a patent attorney and agent to draft a patent application, file it, and prosecute it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It’s yet another opportunity that I would never have had without Minnetonka Research. Plus, it’s pretty cool to be able to say that I’ve had a patent granted!” After graduating from MHS, Krishna attended Stanford, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Computer Science. He currently works as a system architect with NVIDIA. 

Now a second-year Research student himself, Darji’s current project is building on the research he conducted last year, when he focused on protein design. “I’m working on engineering specificity into enzymes using some new methodologies I’ve developed using computational techniques and building on my discoveries in protein design from last year,” said Darji. “I think it’s a really fascinating problem that has been one of the top unsolved problems in chemistry. If it’s successful it could allow us to design new drugs at a much faster rate than before. Who knows, it could even make the day when we can create personalized medicines closer.”

In Darji’s experience, the most surprising thing about his field of study is how quickly it is evolving. “Just in the time I’ve been working on it, there have been huge advances that have completely reshaped the field,” he shared. “The most rewarding part about the protein design is when you can see it all come together. You can literally see the proteins getting shaped and binding the way you want. It’s so cool to see something you’ve just created from scratch work.”

从最初作为嘉宾参加研究研讨会，到去年在会上发表演讲，再到在明尼通卡研究公司工作的第二年进一步深化研究成果，米兰一直深度参与该项目。 

“我参加过每一届研究研讨会，所以去年能有机会在会上做报告，对我来说意义非凡，”他说道，“这就像角色互换一样——从过去一味了解高中研究项目学生们那些精彩的项目，到如今能够分享自己的研究成果，并希望能以此激励他人。”

The community of curiosity fostered within the Minnetonka Research program is one of its unique strengths. “Everyone is doing such cool work, [and it is awesome] how much our research teachers are able to help us,” said Darji. “Even though each of us is doing a detailed project in several different fields, the teachers help us whenever we need it. They are dedicated and super amazing.” 

“I’ve really gotten to grow in Minnetonka Research and really appreciate the teachers and the school for making this opportunity available,” he concluded. “I’m a junior now, and I’m really looking forward to being one of the few students next year who do research three years in a row, like Parthiv, and hopefully inspire some younger students to be the next generation of Minnetonka Research!”

“Minnetonka Research was the starting point where my research interests began,” said Krishna. He encourages students to work on ideas that excite them and to be willing to change directions when motivations change. “Your work may take longer than you expect to reach the state that you hoped for, but as long as you have that drive to keep going, you’ll do great things,” he shared. “The world is changing faster than ever, and the more you can learn, the more you can do. Staying curious and up-to-date on the latest developments, both inside and outside of your direct fields of interest, will help you think about new problems to solve and new ways to solve them.”

Students interested in learning more about Minnetonka Research can visit the program’s website at minnetonkaschools.org/Minnetonka-Research or attend the program’s Open House on Wednesday, February 12 from 6-7 p.m.