RIO RANCHO, New Mexico—Helping high school students decide what kind of technology to use in a science research project can be a tricky proposition. Just ask Russ Fisher-Ives, director of a booming student research program at Rio Rancho High School. With students engaged in independent research in everything from aeronautics to the biomechanics of dance, the teacher's job isn't to be an expert in every subject and understand all the technology that supports it. "You're there to teach students the research process," Fisher-Ives explains, so that students can pose questions and design projects that will lead them to valid answers.

Recently, for instance, a student with an interest in dance told him that she wanted to find out which muscles are used when a dancer performs a pirouette. Then, she would design an exercise program to strengthen those muscles. But how could she identify which muscles are most active? Fisher-Ives explains: "She had the idea that those muscles would get warm when they were in use, and that would increase the skin temperature. She needed to find a way to measure skin temperature quickly. We found her a laser tag thermometer that she could point and click, and get a reading." The student's results surprised her; subjects' skin temperature dropped instead of rising. That discovery prompted her to ask new questions and take her research deeper.

Encouraging curiosity is the goal behind the student research program that Fisher-Ives has been building since the school opened six years ago. But the program didn't really take off until the 2000-2001 school year. That's when Fisher-Ives encouraged his colleagues to redesign the program so that projects would be based on student interest rather than tied to course requirements. At the same time, a "critical mass" of the faculty participated in professional development about teaching through inquiry.

By the 2002-2003 school year, some 780 students participated in research projects. Rio Rancho now sends about 100 students on to regional science fairs. Many qualify for state competitions, and two students made it all the way to the Intel International Science and Engineering (ISEF) fair in 2003. In recognition of this success, Fisher-Ives was honored as a finalist in the Intel ISEF Excellence in Teaching awards for 2003, presented at the international fair in Cleveland, Ohio.

Also in Cleveland this year, Fisher-Ives told other educators from around the world how he decided to revamp the Rio Rancho student research program after attending Intel ISEF in 1999 and talking with the grand prize winner. Jennifer Lynn Pelka's project involved discrete mathematics, a subject not covered in her high school math class. She was simply following her interest, which had taken her deep into an exploration of mathematics. Fisher-Ives found her enthusiasm infectious. That's when he became an advocate for projects that are grounded in student interest rather than tied to course content.

Rio Rancho High School serves about 2,400 students in grades 10-12. Rio Rancho Mid-High serves 1,800 students in grades 8-9. On both campuses, inquiry is taking a central role in teaching and learning, and technology is readily available to support student researchers. Mid-High students start learning how to pose a research question in eighth grade algebra. They study statistics as part of enriched math classes in ninth grade. Students who decide to pursue research projects are matched with mentors who are experts in their fields. Mentors often provide students with access to high-powered technical equipment in laboratories and other settings.

In a relatively short time, student research has become part of the school culture. Twice each year, the gym is taken over for the Student Research Expo where students present their research projects to judges. Prizes include cash awards and a chance to take a project to the regional science fair. Parents and members of the public are invited to attend. "It's building a community of science researchers," says Fisher-Ives. Although the logistics of staging the Expo are challenging, he welcomes the steady growth in student participation. "We might have 1,000 projects by next year," he says, which may mean finding a larger venue. "That's an awesome problem." Indeed, he'd be happy to see every student deciding to invest the time and energy to develop a research project.

For Fisher-Ives, the success of the program has been especially satisfying, given his own experience as a learner. "I was a student who struggled in high school," he admits. When he signed up for an earth science class in college, a counselor asked "what I thought I was doing, taking science. He said I had no business there." Fisher-Ives dropped out of college the first time around and wound up working as a technician for an engineering firm. He later worked for the U.S. Geological Service as a well site geologist. By the time he made his way back to college, he had gained some practical understanding of scientific concepts. "I was sitting in a geology class and, this time, understood what they were talking about. I had seen it myself. I had the practical experience to go with the academics."

Although it took a while for Fisher-Ives to find his way to teaching high school, he soon discovered it was a good fit and just completed his nineteenth year. Early in his career, he began designing classroom activities in physics to engage students in active learning, and has continued finding new ways to "sell students on the excitement of science and technology. You learn by doing," he insists. "That's how you help students rekindle their curiosity."