Description

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Research to Empower is a vibrant, fun, and practical guide written for students who want to win the “game” of research by a student who’s figured it out.

With prevalent misinformation, the rise of social media, and artificial intelligence writing for us, we live in an era where learning research techniques and processes is needed more than ever to differentiate between true and false statements. Research also leads to new knowledge, creativity, and innovation. Most importantly, it empowers young people to pursue their interests, solve crucial problems, and master a set of essential, irreplaceable skills like critical reasoning, in-depth thinking, and communication.

Unsurprisingly, there is a huge demand for students to learn how to research. However, there is a lack of guidebooks with engaging and illuminating content that appropriately introduces research to young students. How can we help those with the potential to come up with amazing, possibly world-changing, ideas if they don’t know where, when, or how to start? How do we make sure they get the resources they need?

Grace Chenxin Liu shares her knowledge about conducting research as a student with step-by-step guidance, delivering honest and effective tips that empower young students to do excellent research.

Are you ready? Let’s begin–and don’t forget, if Grace can do it, everyone can do it too!

About the Author

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Grace Chenxin Liu is recognized globally as a top youth researcher, advocate, and changemaker for gender equality and sustainable development. She successfully worked on fourteen international research projects and had peer-reviewed journal publications before she turned fifteen. She has inspired students across six continents and from over one hundred countries as the highlighted speaker at many organizations including the UN SDG: Learn, the International Telecommunication Union, TEDx, Girls Leadership Academy Meetup, and more.

She is a WomenTech Global Rising Star of the Year Award winner, a Global Youth Challenge winner, and a member of the winning team of the global Fall 2022 Junior Academy Challenge. She is a 2022–2024 Youth Advisory Council member of the National Youth Leadership Council, part of the Davidson Institute’s Ambassador Program’s Class of 2024, the youngest member of the Global Conference on Women’s Studies Scientific Committee, and a 2022 Equality & Inclusion Working Group Leader at YOUNGA by BridgingTheGap Ventures. Grace is the founder of Sharing to Empower, an internationally recognized alliance for researching gender equality with global impact and local reach.

Praise For…

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“Grace C. Liu has written an impressive and inspiring book for younger and older readers alike. As the title, Research to Empower, suggests, the goal of research is not merely to accumulate knowledge, although that is clearly one important objective, but to empower researchers and society, in general, to make the world a better place. As Grace explains, empowering research topics are not confined to esoteric scientific questions. They include almost anything under the sun, ranging from such sociological issues as the role of mentorship in inspiring greater female participation in sports to finding the best way to bring affordable potable water to impoverished rural villages. This serious book, written in an engaging conversational style with occasional humorous asides, is for anyone who wants to understand the world in order to change it.”
— Dr. Alfred Watkins, Founder, and CEO, Global Solutions Summit

“I have always said that we cannot win a football match by leaving 50% of the team on the bench!  Women also contribute by bringing on board their hard work, intuition, solidarity, and perspective. Grace C. Liu belongs to this category of women who wants ‘to inspire, support, and empower the next generation of aspiring young researchers in a vibrant way’. She shows generosity of spirit and wants to empower others. A great sentiment indeed. I would recommend this book to those who are keen to learn and are on a journey of discovery. The book is well written and in a style which makes it highly readable."
— Dr. Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, President of the Republic of Mauritius (2015-2018) & Biodiversity Scientist

“Research to Empower is an extraordinary book that equips the next generation with essential tools to unlock the world of knowledge. Through its engaging and accessible approach, this guide offers invaluable guidance on conducting thorough research, critical thinking, and presenting findings effectively. It encourages curiosity, inspires creativity, and instills a passion for learning. It is an absolute must-read for anyone ready to make a positive change in the world.”
— Ms. Amy Meuers, CEO of National Youth Leadership Council, USA

"Grace C. Liu has written an extraordinary book that manages to show young people (like herself) how the often dreaded ‘research project’ can actually be simultaneously fun, interesting, educational, and even rewarding. Her friendly, practical writing style and the inclusion of plenty of appealing examples, illustrations, practical tips, and other elements make for an engaging and useful read.  Grace also pays special attention to making the book accessible and useful to students who may not typically think of themselves, or be thought of by others, as having the skills and interest to do meaningful and impactful research. I would strongly recommend this book for use by students, teachers, parents, or others who want to support young people in their learning adventures. Having taught research and writing at the college and graduate levels, I can say without hesitation that I wish all of my students had read this book while they were in high school or junior high and if they hadn't done so by then, they could still benefit from it in college or in career and technical school. This is a much-needed book for which there are few, if any others, that are as enjoyable, well-written, and practical."
— Dr. Brian Baird, Chair and Founder at National Museum and Center for Service, USA

“With her lively and engaging style, Grace C. Liu shows how doing one’s own research is the key to critical thinking, real knowledge, and understanding as well as acquiring practical skills for achieving career goals and human fulfillment. This wonderful, insightful, and inspiring book is a joy to read. It will captivate inquisitive students from grade school to high school as well as serve as a guide for teachers and parents to be better at motivating students for a lifetime of inquiry-based learning. As Grace states, we cannot rely on tools like ChatGPT to replace our precious intuition, creativity, innovation, and independent thinking.”
— Dr. E. William Colglazier, American physicist, the 4th Science and Technology Adviser to the U.S. Secretary of State

“Grace C. Liu's unwavering dedication to fostering curiosity and embracing intellectual exploration is truly inspiring. Through her words, she encourages young minds to unlock their innate inquisitiveness and seize the opportunities that research presents. Grace has artfully crafted a guidebook that will empower young students to navigate the realm of research with confidence and enthusiasm.”
— Dr. Giovanni Durante, Principal of Syosset High School, New York, USA

“The world of science is rapidly evolving and transforming in ways that make research and critical thinking more important than ever. Grace C. Liu eloquently and successfully breaks down concepts surrounding the process of scientific research, using engaging narratives and simple language to motivate younger minds toward research, investigation, and the pursuit of knowledge. I admire this effort by Grace to nurture ‘thinking and curious minds’ to fuel research in the modern world. I wholly recommend Research to Empower to anyone hoping to inspire the intellect of young people from all backgrounds.”
— Dr. Huadong Guo, Director General of the International Research Center of Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences

“In a world that needs science more than ever, Grace C. Liu brings inspiration and hope with a book that provides young people with the insight and the skills to explore and harness the transformative potential of research. She speaks with passion and the insight of personal experience to future change makers, and in ways that educators can and must take note of.”
— Dr. Heide Hackmann, Director of Future Africa, University of Pretoria, South Africa & Inaugural CEO of the International Science Council

“Grace C. Liu's book, Research to Empower accomplishes a difficult task: writing about the elements of conducting research without sounding like a stale university lecturer!  Her book, written primarily for a teenage audience, is filled with solid guidance on the hows and whys of various research methodologies, interspersed with personal anecdotes about her own experiences as a researcher, and a good dose of humor that her teen readers will appreciate.  In her book’s conclusion, Grace writes that she hopes her book ‘inspires, supports and empowers’ young researchers like herself.  Without a doubt, she succeeds on all three counts.”
— Dr. James R. Delisle, Professor of Education (retired), Kent State University and author of 26 books, including The Gifted Teen Survival Guide

“Against the backdrop of Grace C. Liu’s own journey into the world of research, Research to Empower provides insightful tips and practical techniques for young researchers in an engaging, encouraging, and empowering way.”
— Dr. Jayshree Seth, 3M Chief Science Advocate & Corporate Scientist