From January 24 to February 4, 2026, a delegation of 23 high school students from Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School (SSBS) traveled to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, to participate in the High School Science Discovery Program (HSSDP) at the University of Chicago’s Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL). They undertook a systematic study of the "Anatomy & Development" course and jointly completed MBL’s first-ever independent research project designed specifically for high school students. As the first and only Chinese high school to have participated in this program for three consecutive years, SSBS students immersed themselves in a world-class life sciences research environment for nearly two weeks, experiencing the authentic mindset and workflow of real scientific inquiry—from foundational lab training to independent project design.

The course kicked off with the theme of "Water Quality." Dr. Abbo delivered a lecture on the key factors for maintaining aquatic ecological balance and then guided the students through hands-on setup: laying filter media, decorating with coral, introducing seawater, and finally welcoming their new "roommates"—starfish, sea cucumbers, and small fish. Each morning, testing parameters such as water temperature, pH, ammonia, nitrite, and dissolved oxygen became a ritual. Every fluctuation in the data curves captivated the group, offering a direct visualization of the microscopic nitrogen cycle within their tank. In their final presentations, students didn’t just report dry parameters; they included a resident list, daily casualty updates, and analyses of anomalous results. Dr. Abbo provided feedback for each group, pointing out areas for improvement, such as the need for repeated measurements to rule out operational errors and the importance of more robust explanations.

As the course progressed, exploration expanded to the broader frontiers of life sciences. Dr. Patel’s developmental biology lecture unfolded the mystery of how a single cell constructs a complex organism. In another session on butterfly wings, the nano-scale physical structures underlying their survival strategies revealed the beauty and wisdom bestowed by evolution. Under the microscope, students captured the heartbeat of zebrafish embryos and used fluorescent dyes to label neurons in fruit fly embryos, operating confocal microscopes to transform abstract principles into stunning scientific images on screen.

The pinnacle of the learning experience was the independent group research projects. Tailored specifically for high schoolers and based on their understanding of SSBS students, Dr. Patel and Dr. Echeverri designed two investigative topics: documenting fruit fly embryonic development and studying the effects of microplastic particles and alcohol on zebrafish embryonic development.

The fruit fly team spent hours sifting through transparent embryos to identify specific developmental stages, staining target proteins, and capturing confocal images. Long hours of comparison and waiting were dedicated to obtaining a single image that met rigorous research standards. Dr. Patel’s exacting requirements taught them the critical importance of the unseen, repetitive work that underpins fundamental science.

The zebrafish team faced continuous challenges in experimental design and execution. Errors in setting variable concentrations or minor mistakes during embryo counting and staining sometimes led to the loss of entire batches of samples. However, under Dr. Echeverri’s meticulous guidance over several consecutive days, they ultimately produced clear and scientifically meaningful imaging results. These experiences with "failure" made the rigor and inherent uncertainty of science feel real and concrete.

The magic of MBL extended beyond the laboratory. It was in the rare book room housing Darwin’s signed works, where the history of science felt tangible; it was in touching an actual Nobel Prize medal, making the belief in "science without borders" profoundly real. When an unusual cold snap froze Eel Pond into a mirror of ice, this scientific sanctuary revealed its serene and solemn side. On their final evening, the students visited the Woods Hole Lighthouse, built in 1828. Standing on the headland, overlooking golden shipping lanes traced by ice floes in the sunset, the rationality accumulated through scientific exploration resonated in a wondrous harmony with the vastness of nature before them. On a bench nearby, a line from poet E.E. Cummings—“for whatever we lose (like a you or a me) / it’s always ourselves we find in the sea”—provided the perfect epilogue to it all.