Third Author

Welcome to thirdauthor!

thirdauthor is a free, student-led organization started by Sean Lee, a high school student. We connect teens with local professionals who suggest small projects to help their communities, and we help fund those projects through sponsors and donations.

You might ask “but what do I actually do here?”

Well, let’s find out!

Hang out on Discord!

Discord is where the community hangs out. It’s a free chat app that works on your phone or computer.

You can join the Discord now, or later from the Discord link at the bottom of any page.

“but what happens on Discord?”, you ask. Well, we have…

Help when you’re stuck

Can’t follow a paper, or don’t know who to email? Ask in #guide-help and other students will help you figure it out.

Feedback on your emails

Post your cold email draft in #share-your-work and get it read by other students before you send it.

Opportunities

Research programs and contests that other students find get shared in #opportunities.

Other teens like you

Meet teens from everywhere who want to help and make a real impact right now.

Use free tools!

Not every teen has connections or money, so everything on thirdauthor is free, with nothing to buy.

Student path

Six steps from your first question to your first email. Mark each one done as you go.

Interviews

Professors and local professionals on the real problems in their fields. People from NASA, MD Anderson and Baylor College of Medicine have said yes.

Chapters

Start a group at your school. Every chapter gets a starter kit with a playbook and meeting slides.

Your account

Free. See local opportunities in your state and save your progress on any device.

Ready to start?

thirdauthor is for teenagers

thirdauthor has a few safety rules

Next, you’ll make a free account to save your progress. Rather skip it? Go to the homepage.