We've done what we call parallel brews.
- Pick a style and brew it extract, partial mash, and all grain.
- Pick the same exact recipe and give it to three or four different brewers.
- Pick the same exact all grain recipe and mash it three different ways.
- Make 15 gallons of the same base beer and use three different yeasts or age with 3 different wood types. See Zymurgy September/October 2012 issue.
Also the September 2012 issue of BYO has a great article on open air fermentation.
Basically take good notes during these experiments, discuss/compare/contrast the results, and dig deeper into the findings. Can be as super technical or high level as you want.