Since 2016, Minnetonka Research has provided unparalleled opportunities for students to dive deeper into advanced studies, following questions connected to their passions and interests. One student, junior Milan Darji ‘26, has had a “full circle experience” with the program. 

Darji has attended the Minnetonka Research Symposium since he was an elementary student. In the photo above, Darji (left) can be seen talking to Parthiv Krishna ‘19 (right), a Minnetonka alumnus who participated in the program for three years. 

The moment of connection with older Research students while they explained their projects at the event inspired Darji to follow in their footsteps. “Parthiv Krishna, who was in the first group of Research students, really encouraged me to join when I was old enough,” shared Darji. 

Krishna was one of the first Minnetonka Research students to become an International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) finalist and the first to place at ISEF, earning the 4th Grand Award for the Robotics and Intelligent Machines category. He joined Minnetonka Research in 2016, seeking an opportunity to explore self-directed project. “I found the possibility exciting and decided to work on projects that involved my budding interest in embedded computing and robotics,” said Krishna. “Over my three years in the program, it grew significantly in both membership and the breadth of projects [that students were working on].” 

In Krishna’s first year, he developed a dashboard-mounted eye tracking device to predict distracted driving. His second and third year were spend building autonomous drones to navigate and map indoor environments. During the Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair, a judge encouraged him to pursue a patent for aspects of his work, which “led to a whole different area of learning,” Krishna shared. “I worked with a patent attorney and agent to draft a patent application, file it, and prosecute it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). It’s yet another opportunity that I would never have had without Minnetonka Research. Plus, it’s pretty cool to be able to say that I’ve had a patent granted!” After graduating from MHS, Krishna attended Stanford, where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Computer Science. He currently works as a system architect with NVIDIA. 

Now a second-year Research student himself, Darji’s current project is building on the research he conducted last year, when he focused on protein design. “I’m working on engineering specificity into enzymes using some new methodologies I’ve developed using computational techniques and building on my discoveries in protein design from last year,” said Darji. “I think it’s a really fascinating problem that has been one of the top unsolved problems in chemistry. If it’s successful it could allow us to design new drugs at a much faster rate than before. Who knows, it could even make the day when we can create personalized medicines closer.”

In Darji’s experience, the most surprising thing about his field of study is how quickly it is evolving. “Just in the time I’ve been working on it, there have been huge advances that have completely reshaped the field,” he shared. “The most rewarding part about the protein design is when you can see it all come together. You can literally see the proteins getting shaped and binding the way you want. It’s so cool to see something you’ve just created from scratch work.”

From attending the Research Symposium as a guest to presenting at it last year and building on his findings in a second year with Minnetonka Research, Milan has been thoroughly involved in the program. 

“I've been to every Research Symposium, so being able to present at it last year was very special for me,” he shared. “It was kind of a reversal of roles, going from learning about all of the amazing projects the high school Research students were doing to being able to share the work I’m doing and hopefully inspire others.”

The community of curiosity fostered within the Minnetonka Research program is one of its unique strengths. “Everyone is doing such cool work, [and it is awesome] how much our research teachers are able to help us,” said Darji. “Even though each of us is doing a detailed project in several different fields, the teachers help us whenever we need it. They are dedicated and super amazing.” 

“I’ve really gotten to grow in Minnetonka Research and really appreciate the teachers and the school for making this opportunity available,” he concluded. “I’m a junior now, and I’m really looking forward to being one of the few students next year who do research three years in a row, like Parthiv, and hopefully inspire some younger students to be the next generation of Minnetonka Research!”

“Minnetonka Research was the starting point where my research interests began,” said Krishna. He encourages students to work on ideas that excite them and to be willing to change directions when motivations change. “Your work may take longer than you expect to reach the state that you hoped for, but as long as you have that drive to keep going, you’ll do great things,” he shared. “The world is changing faster than ever, and the more you can learn, the more you can do. Staying curious and up-to-date on the latest developments, both inside and outside of your direct fields of interest, will help you think about new problems to solve and new ways to solve them.”

Students interested in learning more about Minnetonka Research can visit the program’s website at minnetonkaschools.org/Minnetonka-Research or attend the program’s Open House on Wednesday, February 12 from 6-7 p.m.