💻 How to Publish a Robotics Research Paper in High School and Impress College Admissions

​High Schoolers Are Publishing Robotics Research. Here's How.

In 2025, publishing a robotics paper isn't a flex. Instead, it's proof of curiosity, capability, and a real-world impact shaped by advanced technologies.

If you're a student, parent, or mentor wondering how to turn a robot project into a resume-worthy research paper, this guide breaks it down using practical applications and insights into computational thinking:

🧠 What counts as real research (hint: it's not just science fair builds)

📄 How to structure your paper (abstract → references)

🧰 Where to publish it (JEI, ISEF, arXiv + more)

📌 What makes it credible (benchmarks, GitHub, citations including Author et al)

Colleges don’t just want to see what you learned. They want to see what you built — and how well you can apply machine learning and explain it.

That’s where the robotics research paper comes in. It turns your code, your sensors, and your ROS2 stack into proof: of technical rigor, of intellectual growth, and of readiness for the next level, illustrating the positive effects of your learning journey.

What Counts as 'Robotics Research' in High School?

Real research doesn’t mean publishing in Nature or building GPT-5. It involves creating something original, documenting it rigorously, and contributing to the conversation about educational robotic applications.

Examples:

• Designing a novel robot subsystem
• Comparing algorithms (e.g., YOLOv5 vs. YOLOv8 on Jetson)
• Benchmarking a ROS2 stack
• Applying machine learning to real-world navigation tasks
• If you collected data, built a system, or debugged for performance, demonstrating application effects, that’s research.

How to Structure a Robotics Paper

Abstract: One paragraph: what you did, how, and why it matters, highlighting your contribution to high-quality STEM education.

Introduction: Define the problem. Explain its relevance. Reference similar work, e.g., Sapounidis et al and Mohamed et al.

Methods: Describe the setup, stack, hardware, code, versions, and any practical applications.

Results: Share metrics, tables, comparisons, and the overall effect size.

Discussion: Interpret results, reflect on trade-offs, and suggest next steps, considering possible moderator variables.

References: Use IEEE/APA style. Cite libraries, datasets, and papers, ensuring a collection of curated articles.

Checklist: What You Need to Publish

• Original project or comparison
• Measured outcomes (accuracy, latency, etc.)
• GitHub repo with documented code
• Images/videos of the system in action
• 3+ scholarly citations, including references like Evripidou et al
• Clear, LaTeX-formatted structure (Overleaf works great)

Where to Publish as a High Schooler:

• Journal of Emerging Investigators (JEI)
• International Journal of High School Research
• arXiv.org (mentor support helps)
• Competitions: ISEF, JSHS, Regeneron

Write with Credibility

Share your GitHub repo, showcasing your hands-on approach.

Use real metrics (not just "it worked").

Cite actual robotics papers (arXiv, IEEE, MDPI), emphasizing significant differences.

Mention your tools and test setup (ROS2, Gazebo, LiDAR, etc.), and discuss intervention duration and average effect sizes.

Let’s Talk About Your Work

At Rose City Robotics, we care deeply about bridging the gap between curiosity, practical experience, hands-on application, and integration into the greater world of robotics and emerging technologies.

We’d love to talk with you about how we can support your work as a student researcher, builder, and contributor to the robotics community. Reach out, share your project, and let’s explore the future of your innovation

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