YRI Mentor Matching: How We Pair You With the Right PhD Mentor

The right mentor makes or breaks a research project. That's why our matching process is one of the most important things we do at YRI Fellowship.

Here's exactly how it works.

After enrollment, you complete a detailed onboarding questionnaire covering:

• Research interests — What fields, topics, or problems fascinate you?
• Specific project ideas — Do you already have an idea, or do you need help finding one?
• Experience level — Beginner? Some coding? Prior research? We match accordingly
• Goals — Publication? Science fair? College application boost? ISEF?
• Schedule — Your availability for weekly mentor sessions

There are no wrong answers. Many of our best students started with "I'm interested in AI but don't know where to start."

This is where most programs fail. They match based on availability — whoever is free gets assigned to you. We match based on expertise alignment.

Examples of real matches:

We have 40+ PhD mentors across STEM, social sciences, and humanities. If your interest exists as a research field, we have a mentor for it.

The first mentor session is designed to:

1. Get to know each other — Your mentor learns about you as a person, not just your research interests
2. Brainstorm topics — Together, you explore potential research questions
3. Assess the fit — Both you and the mentor determine if the match works
4. Set expectations — Discuss the 10-week timeline, meeting schedule, and goals
5. Start the literature review — Begin exploring what research already exists in your area

This session is collaborative. Your mentor isn't lecturing — they're working WITH you.

We rematch. No questions asked, no extra cost.

If after the first session (or even after a few weeks) you feel the mentor isn't the right fit for your learning style, communication preferences, or research direction — tell us and we'll find a better match.

This almost never happens (our matching process is thorough), but the guarantee exists because we'd rather rematch than force a relationship that isn't productive.

YRI mentors actively conduct research in their field. They're not teaching from a textbook — they're guiding you through the same process they use for their own publications.

Our mentors have published in the same journals we target for students. They know what reviewers look for, how to structure a paper, and how to navigate the submission process.

Being a great researcher doesn't automatically make you a great mentor. We select for both. Every YRI mentor has demonstrated the ability to explain complex concepts to high school students.

YRI mentors don't disappear after 10 weeks. They stay with you through the peer review process, help you respond to reviewer comments, and support you until your paper is published.

Our mentor network spans:

STEM: AI/ML, Computer Science, Biomedical Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Environmental Science, Mathematics, Robotics, Biotechnology, Computational Biology

Social Sciences: Psychology, Economics, Political Science, Public Health, Sociology

Humanities: History, Philosophy, Literature, Linguistics

Interdisciplinary: Neuroethics, Medical Humanities, Science Policy, Data Science + Social Science

Every project is novel and student-driven. We never assign pre-selected topics.

Yes. You can specify preferences for research field, communication style, and even scheduling preferences.

We handle the matching based on your interests and our expertise assessment. You don't browse a catalog, but you do get a mentor specifically chosen for YOUR project.

If the pivot is within your mentor's expertise, you continue together. If it requires different expertise, we can rematch.

Weekly 1-on-1 sessions, typically 45-60 minutes. Additional communication via email or messaging as needed.

Apply to YRI Fellowship → | Learn About Our Mentors → | See Student Outcomes →