“We’re purifying water with solar desalination through reverse osmosis,” Chen Liang, eighth grade John Adams student, describes his and Wilson Wang's entry for the Oraculi STEM fair.
The Oraculi STEM Mentorship program's mission is to “inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and scholars by lowering barriers to STEM through Science Fair participation, for all students in Rochester, MN.” In partnership with Rochester Public Schools (RPS), we can give students like Chen and Wilson the opportunity to take on ambitious projects such as turning salt water into purified water.
Joe Carey, a PhD student in Biochemistry at Mayo Clinic and an Oraculi mentor since 2023, helps middle schoolers navigate the complex world of scientific curiosity. Since his time at Oraculi, he has nurtured students’ curiosity through projects ranging from microbial discovery to soil health in agriculture. Perhaps most importantly, he sees this program providing the foundation necessary to launch the careers of young scientists.
"The program helps students hone their projects and ask: What would a real-life scientist be thinking about?" Joe explains. "It moves them from just playing with materials to actually collecting and presenting data."
The benefits of mentorship aren't a one-way street. Joe notes that he often learns as much from the students as they do from him. Because middle schoolers haven't yet been trained in the "rigid" ways of professional research, they often approach problems with a fresh perspective.
"They'll ask, 'Why don't we do this?' in a way I never would have thought of," Joe says. "They don't know what's not possible, so they just go at it."
Perhaps most surprising is the students' endurance. Despite a full day of classes, Joe observes that when students get "locked in" to a project they are genuinely interested in, their entire mood shifts. They power through the afternoon fatigue to ask high-level questions and engage deeply with their work.
Forget the classic vinegar-and-baking-soda experiments. Under the leadership of John Adams science teacher, Deb Las, recognized as a premier science education specialist who serves on national committees, students are tackling "real science,” where students are participating in projects that have professional work environment applications.
Deb and John Marshall physics teacher, Melissa Erickson are the only two official Science Coaches (trained and actively involved) in Minnesota through the Science Coach organization.
Deb's efforts to support students not only foster project innovation but also provide students with the materials necessary to build their projects through financial donations. Chen and Wilson's $1,000 apparatus, currently under construction, wouldn't be possible without these donations.
“Oraculi provides financial backing along with recruitment and training of mentors for the program. We wouldn't have a mentoring program without them. I simply cannot thank them enough,” said Deb.
The extended efforts by the Mayo Clinic, Oraculi, and Science Coach, have helped RPS support students who want to participate in STEM extracurricular activities. The RPS staff who work to support the whole student and provide the opportunities to succeed beyond the classroom demonstrate exceptional examples of what makes RPS a place where students are supported to challenge themselves.
Come see student projects on display at the Rochester Regional STEM Fair on Friday, February 27, 2026, at the Rochester Regional Sports Complex at RCTC.