Intel ISEF 2013: Student Observer Viewpoint, Part 4

Students from the Hudson County Science Fair in New Jersey are attending Intel ISEF 2013 as Observers with SSP Fellow, Marie Aloia. Below is their blog post about their experience on the fifth day of the event. Note: Post written by Chrystal Spencer and Habiba Bobboy.

 

Today was a very busy day for us. We had to help out with Public Day of the Intel ISEF 2013, during which the fair is open to students from all over Phoenix to spark a scientific interest in every one of them. Our assignment today was to facilitate a lab activity called the Forensic Science Challenge; students were given the opportunity to play the role of crime scene investigators by analyzing given pieces of evidence to determine the perpetrator(s) in a hypothetical homicide. In the lab, we were the “CSIs” assigned to help the students in their investigation, giving them relevant clues about the case.  

 

After our assignments were complete, we decided to grab some lunch and check out some of the finalists’ exhibits; this was the most amazing part of the day. Each and every project was a reflection of the hard work and dedication of students who were passionate about science. The Exhibit Hall represented a haven in which students from every region of the social spectrum could come together and share their scientific passion. Later on, we returned to the hotel to prepare ourselves for the Special Awards Ceremony. When we arrived back at the Convention Center, we decided to relax in the e-lounge since today was the last day that it would be open. The interior designer of the room gave us handfuls of special elastic wristbands inspired by the work of last year’s finalists and exclusively for this year’s Intel ISEF participants.

 

The students were not the only visitors on Public Day.  The Expo area also hosted several visitors from the animal kingdom, including rattlesnakes, lizards, tortoises, and a special little alligator named “Stubby.”  Stubby lost his tail in an accident and was fitted with an ergonomically correct replacement tail.

 

Soon after, we said our final goodbyes to the many friends we had made over the past week and made our way to the award ceremony. The award ceremony, though very long, was inspiring. It encouraged me (Chrystal) to work extremely hard next year on my science fair project in hopes of being a finalist at Intel ISEF 2014. Overall, we had a very eventful day. This week was most certainly one to remember, full of memories that will last a lifetime.

 

Note from Marie Aloia, SSP Fellow:

When I wasn’t attending all the cool events at Intel ISEF with my students, I was busy in my role as a member of the Intel ISEF Advisory Council helping run the many symposia that were offered for students, teachers, fair directors and judges. These are very informative sessions on a wide variety of topics covering everything from how to present your display and talk to a judge, to technical details about how to run a regional science fair, how to file a patent, become an entrepreneur, get accepted to MIT, and apply thermodynamic principles to economics. There were also “listening” sessions to help improve the Intel ISEF experience. For teachers it’s a huge opportunity for professional development and networking with the best.  I always come home with so much more to share with my students than I imagined.

 

For additional information about the Education Outreach program on Public Day or to register your school group to attend Intel ISEF 2014 in Los Angeles, please contact us at outreach@societyforscience.org.

Intel ISEF 2013: Student Observer Viewpoint, Part 3

Students from the Hudson County Science Fair in New Jersey are attending Intel ISEF 2013 as Observers with SSP Fellow, Marie Aloia. Below is their blog post about their experience on the fourth day of the event. Note: Post written by Abanoub Boules and Mina Henaen.

 

Today we attended Student Observer Day, which was no doubt our favorite day thus far in the week. What this day entailed was a variety of scientific activities that student observers engaged in. The goal of this day was to fuel the scientific interests of the observers and to possibly help them discover fields of study that they might consider pursuing. When we began this program, all the observers were split up into four separate teams: orange, green, pink, and blue. Although Abanoub was on the orange team and Mina was on the green team, we still participated in all of the activities of the day. The four major activities of Student Observer Day were the Science Relay/Science Stations, Forensic Science Challenge, When Invasives Attack, and Rube Goldberg. The different teams completed these activities in a different order.

 

In one activity, the Science Relay, we participated in three rounds, each made up of three science challenges. The team was split into groups and each group was required to complete all the challenges in all the rounds as quickly as possible. Abanoub greatly enjoyed the anatomy activity, in which a human body had to be assembled from plastic organs and bones. In another activity, the Science Stations, we crushed soda cans, made ice cream, extracted strawberry DNA, and made small motors. The Forensic Science Challenge was the most bizarre of the four activities. We investigated a murder mystery by analyzing fingerprints, footprints, blood splatters, DNA samples, and suspect records. The When Invasives Attack activity informed us of the increasing danger of mussels to bodies of water in the United States. We investigated samples of two bodies of water and watched for signs of mussel contamination. Lastly, the Rube Goldberg activity split the team into smaller groups that were each given an hour to create a machine. Mina used tubes, tape, pins, golf balls, and plastic rolls in his machine to get a single balloon to pop. Abanoub designed a machine with similar function, but instead used a hammer and a slingshot to pop the balloon.

 

The final activity of the day was the Student Mixer which lasted from 7 to 10pm. Dinner, snacks, drinks, and ice cream were served. Many students danced to DJ Quantum in the extremely large North Hall. The lights were flickering on and off in such a way that many students went to North Hall simply to observe the light show going on. Other students were playing a variety of games, including table tennis, chess, video games, and air hockey. This was an occasion where we were also able to meet many new international friends. The day was filled with laughter, excitement, and disbelief that it was already Wednesday!

Intel ISEF 2013: Student Observer Viewpoint, Part 2

Students from the Hudson County Science Fair in New Jersey are attending Intel ISEF 2013 as Observers with SSP Fellow, Marie Aloia. Below is their blog post about their experience on the third day of the event. Note: Post written by Charmaine Castro and Sharif Abdelbaky.

 

Early this morning, we all went to a symposium with Nobel Prize winner and experimental physicist, Douglas Osheroff. I came in knowing nothing about him or what he did. I came out being super fascinated with super liquids, super fluidity, and helium-3. One wouldn't expect a Nobel Prize winner to be treated like a rock star, but at Intel ISEF, it was different; before and after the session, crowds of people were around him, following his every move. Sharif was lucky enough to get the back of his ID signed while Alfred asked to get his stuffed “bunny suit” figure signed. 

 

Having a couple of hours to spare before our next session, we all decided to go to the e-Lounge. Once we walked in, Sharif was immediately drawn to the presentation by Brent Brushnell (co-founder of Two Bit Circus). The next presentation was given by Intel’s Futurist, Brian David Johnson; he talked about the [Tomorrow] project and [science fiction competition] for students from ages 13 to 25.

 

From the super fast computers to the awesome music, the highlight of that time was meeting people from other countries. Hearing words like "hyung" and "oppa," I turned around and asked if they were from South Korea. They smiled and cheered when I spoke a couple of Korean words. Later, Alfred joined Charmaine and Chrystal when they conversed with the Filipinos.  Right before leaving the e-Lounge, the group ran into some Italians. Claudio, Andrei, and Francesco were friendly and enthusiastic about their projects, and the New Jerseyians hit it off with them right away!

 

Around 2pm, at the Nobel Prize panel, the rock star treatment continued. The three-section hall was filled with people who wanted to hear J. Michael Bishop, H. Robert Horvitz, Sir Harold Kroto, and Douglas Osheroff talk. The whole session went well; the scientists garnered a great amount of cheers as they gave intellectual yet witty answers. After the panel, we were able to have a personal one-on-one with the scientists. Sharif met and conversed with J. Michael Bishop. I was fortunate enough to be the first in line to meet Sir Kroto with Mina and Jan-alfred.

 

To finish off the night, we all walked across the street to Chase Field to watch the Diamondbacks play the Braves. To our great surprise, we were seated in front of our new Italian friends. We had a blast cheering for the Diamondbacks, learning Italian sports chants, talking about school and future plans, and calling the Coldstone Creamery Ice Cream we were eating “diabetes in a cup” but enjoying it anyway. The D-backs won, 2-0.  It was a great night and we are definitely looking forward to what is ahead of us here at Intel ISEF.

Students Get an Opportunity for Q & A with Four Nobel Laureates at Intel ISEF 2013

Every year since 1997, finalists at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) have had the opportunity to submit questions and attend a panel presentation by Nobel Laureates, and Intel ISEF 2013 was no exception. The panelists: J. Michael Bishop (Physiology/Medicine, 1989), H. Robert Horvitz (Chemistry, 2002), Harold Kroto (Chemistry, 1996), and Douglas Osheroff (Physics, 1996) spent several hours with the finalists answering questions and then participating in an autograph and photo session. The panel was moderated by Joe Palca, Science Correspondent at NPR.

 

The Nobel Laureates started things off by each providing a 60-second synopsis of their research careers and then jumped into a Q & A session with students whose questions had been pre-selected. Students had the opportunity to ask:

• What one thing would you change about your research career?
• Where did you go to college and how did you know it was the right choice for you?
• What scientific problem do you find most personally intriguing and what do you predict will happen with research in the next 50 years?
• What was the moment of greatest influence in your life?
• What advice do you have for students and what was the best advice you have received?
• How do you see high school student research impacting research in general?
• What was an unexpected obstacle you encountered in your research?
• How are the sequester and budget cuts impacting STEM research, now and in the future?
• What bad or good research habits do you have?
• What was your most illuminating experience outside of the lab?
• What one question would you answer if you could?
• How do you balance your personal and professional lives?
• If you could do new research in a field different than your own, what field would you focus on?
• Does your standing as a Nobel Prize-winning scientist impact your responsibility as a citizen?
• Did you participate in science fairs when you were younger?

 

And finally- who would play you in a movie?

 

Harold Kroto spoke to finalists about his initial desire to be a graphic artist, the importance of having a teacher that understands you and can provide you with good advice, and advised students to work on topics they are passionate about, even if no one else thinks they are important. He also talked about how in his life he has felt he was surrounded with people that were smarter than him, but that “science is not about being the smartest guy on the block. It’s about diving in and trying something, and if that doesn’t work, diving in again.”

 

Douglas Osheroff encouraged finalists to challenge themselves and recognize that the value of high school research is in giving yourself tools for the future, hopefully which will lead you to a career. Osheroff added that “brilliance is nice, but creativity is what solves problems.” He said if he was starting out in research now, he would focus on environmental science and problems such as how to replace energy sources like fossil fuels.

 

J. Michael Bishop talked about the value of a liberal arts education, even if you are going to focus on and have a career in the sciences. He continues to work on his research into the causes of cancer, as he believes it is “much better to prevent disease than to have to treat and cure.” Bishop urged students to “read outside their textbooks.” He was inspired to go into molecular biology by an article he came across in a science magazine while in school.

 

H. Robert Horvitz went to MIT for undergraduate studies after a guidance counselor suggested he should apply to a school on the East Coast and he told them to pick one. He talked about how “those things we can’t predict are often the most exciting,” and mentioned his particular interest in the future of research into the brain. He encouraged students not to be afraid to switch to a different path from the one they are on if something interests them, as he decided to go to graduate school to study biology after receiving a degree in math and economics. He also urged students not to be afraid to fail.

Intel ISEF Night at Chase Field

On Tuesday night, finalists and the official party (student observers, fair directors, and volunteers) took over Chase Field for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) Night.

 

Attendees had the opportunity to relax at Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team. Everyone received a ticket including $25 to spend at concession stands and gift shops throughout the stadium. In addition, students received a white Intel ISEF t-shirt and markers were provided so they could autograph each other’s shirts.

 

Besides watching the baseball game (a first for some of the finalists!), attendees had the opportunity to take photos and play arcade games such as Rock Band and Dance Dance Revolution in a special section reserved for Intel ISEF. Those attendees rooting for the home team left happy; the Diamondbacks won 2-0.

 

For more photos of this and other moments at Intel ISEF 2013, visit SSP's Facebook page!

Intel ISEF 2013: Student Observer Viewpoint

High school students from the Hudson County Science Fair in New Jersey are attending the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) 2013 as Observers with SSP Fellow, Marie Aloia. Below is their blog post about their experience the first two days of the event. Note: Post written by Jan-alfred Aquino and Mina Shnoudah.

 

A group of student observers from Bayonne High School: Jan-alfred Aquino, Chrystal Spencer, Mina Henaen, Mina Shnoudah, Charmaine Castro, Habiba Bobboy, Abanoub Boules, and Sharif Abdelbaky, and their teacher advisor Marie Aloia are happy to share their adventures at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF).

 

We arrived on a hot, dry Saturday afternoon after two long plane rides from Newark to Phoenix. We spent the rest of Saturday relaxing at the hotel.

 

On Sunday, we went to the convention center, where we registered and checked out some of the nifty technology. Mina H., Mina S., and Jan-alfred played on the laptops in the lobby, and an unsuspecting SSP photographer caught them in the act. The picture was featured on SSP’s Facebook page!

 

The rest of Sunday afternoon was spent getting lunch, exploring the city, and meeting some of the finalists. We went to see the film, The Great Gatsby, in our spare time.

 

The highlight of Sunday night, however, was the Pin Exchange, an icebreaker event where all of the countries and states represented at the fair exchanged pins from their local fairs. Here, we met many people from all over the world and had a nice dinner with them. Charmaine and Jan-alfred met the Filipinos, and Mina S., Sharif, Abanoub, and Mina H. met the Egyptians, who we found out were staying in the same hotel as us! Jan-alfred also met Jack Andraka, the Gordon E. Moore Grand Prize Award winner at last year’s Intel ISEF! Some of us heading to college met some of our future classmates. Jan-alfred identified his classmates by their Yale t-shirts.

 

We woke up Monday morning with a nice hotel breakfast. We ventured off to the convention center using the light rail metro system; there, we sampled the many activities and exhibitions at the Intel E-Lounge, which is a futuristic hangout area. The Intel E-Lounge featured Intel Ultrabooks, Microsoft Surface tablets, a DJ, and a light graffiti station. Afterwards, Chrystal, Mina S., and Jan-alfred volunteered at the symposia, or informational lectures, by handing out papers and directing entries. The other observers sampled the numerous symposia, including “Telling Your Story” and “Raspberry Pi” (a small, high-tech computing system).

 

We were served a generous buffet for dinner. Shortly after, we headed off to the extravagant Opening Ceremonies, the highlight of the day. The ceremony featured colorful contortionists and acrobats (Mina S. and Sharif got a picture with them). Adam Steltzner from NASA/Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory gave an interesting keynote address on planetary exploration on Mars. Most exciting, however, was the parade of countries at the International Shoutout, where foreign countries and territories displayed their national pride through dress and art.

 

We are very happy and honored to be here at the Intel ISEF representing the Hudson County Science Fair, the Jersey Journal, and Bayonne High School.

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Writing the Future- Science Fiction Based on Fact at Intel ISEF 2013

Brian David Johnson, Intel Futurist, spoke to a crowd of approximately 100 students, teachers, and science fair directors yesterday during the “Writing the Future- Science Fiction Based on Science Fact” symposium at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) 2013. Johnson spoke about his role as a Futurist and how Intel ISEF finalists can help build the futures of their imaginations. Below is a recap of his remarks.

 

What does a futurist do?
Johnson described his job as looking 10-15 years into the future and modeling how people will interact with each other and technology. While it sounds very imaginative, it is actually a practical role since the chips that Intel creates take between 5 to 10 years to design and deploy. Johnson is a principal engineer with a design background who uses social science, computer science, trends, data, and conversations with people around the world to predict what the future may hold. He is a self-described geek, nerd, science fiction fan, and optimist who believes the future is created everyday by the actions of people.

 

Why is science fiction important for the future?
Science fiction is a tool that can be used to decide the kind of future we want to live in or want to avoid. With advances in technology, many people believe science is now limited only by the imagination. Science fiction gives us visions and a common language to use when having conversations about the future.

 

Johnson spoke about how science fiction is connected to science fact because it explores the human implications of science and technology, including cultural, moral, and legal implications. Science fiction can be an inspiration- Johnson described how when he has asked roboticists what made them choose the field; they have a formal answer but also frequently have an answer along the lines of, “I wanted to build C3PO” [from Star Wars]. He mentioned the impact of stories like Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, which explores the ethics of electricity and of life with the creation of Frankenstein’s monster and of I, Robot and the Three Laws of Robotics created by Isaac Asimov, which added logic to science fiction.

 

Why should Intel ISEF finalists write science fiction?
Science fiction is a way for Intel ISEF finalists to share their research in a way that is easier for the general public to understand. Johnson said “as finalists, you are the ones to build the future” and that we all need to have conversations about what that future could and should be. “Once imagined, the future can be created. You change the future by changing the story people tell themselves about their future.”

 

Johnson also told audience members the ingredients of a good story (person, place, and problem) and his blueprint for designing the future through science fiction in five steps. He said he is a “huge fan of Intel ISEF because he believes the future is built through the actions of people…and this is one of the few places on Earth that is all about the future.”His goal in this symposium was to get Intel ISEF finalists to be more active participants in building the future by using science fiction.

 

The Future- Powered by Fiction
Attendees at the session also got a chance to hear about the new science fiction competition for ages 13-25 that was announced at Monday night's Opening Ceremony. Additional information about the competition is available at isef.tomorrow-projects.com.  Science fiction anthologies, videos, and podcasts designed to inspire conversations about the future are also available on the Tomorrow Project website.

Students at Intel ISEF 2013 Learn Tips to Communicate Science Effectively

Jack Franchetti of Jack Franchetti Communications, Inc. has been conducting the “Talking Science” symposium at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) for 15 years. This session teaches principles and techniques for communicating the science behind finalist’s projects to judges, the media, and the general public.

 

To compete at Intel ISEF, finalists must qualify by participating in Society for Science & the Public-affiliated fairs around the world. Their winning projects have great ideas, but as Franchetti points out, “Great ideas can get lost due to poor communication.”

 

Franchetti discusses the different aspects to how communication is received- visually (body language, eye contact, facial expressions, etc), tonally (sounding positive and enthusiastic, avoiding verbal fillers) and content. He also talks about the importance of including what is unique and special about projects beginning with the first response and getting to the point quickly, especially in situations with time limitations. He provides the following guiding principles:

 

• Have a Primary/Core Message
• Pay attention to the Impression you are Creating
• Repetition is Important
• If you don’t want to see it or hear it, don’t say it
• Be brief and concise
• Reinforce assertions with facts and examples
• Personalize with quotes, analogies, experience, predictions, etc.
• Think about what your weak points are and where you might be challenged ahead of time
• Don’t be afraid of irrelevant questions- use them as a springboard to return to your core message
• Prepare and practice

 

He demonstrates these points by calling on students from the audience as volunteers to participate at the beginning and end of the session in a faux radio interview, showing multiple videos for the audience to critique and learn from, and providing students with worksheets to use in creating their core messages and supporting materials. Intel ISEF finalists will be interviewed by multiple Grand and Special Award Organization judges on Wednesday and may also receive requests for media interviews throughout the week and after they return home.

Finalists Arrive in Phoenix for Intel ISEF 2013!

Students from all over the world are arriving in Phoenix to compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2013, the world’s largest high school science research competition. This year’s 1,611 finalists (the most ever!) earned the trip to Intel ISEF through their hard work and dedication to hands-on independent scientific research. Projects are in 17 categories, ranging from Medicine and Health Sciences to Chemistry to Animal Sciences and Environmental Management.

 

This year’s finalists come from affiliate fairs in more than 70 countries, regions, and territories. Countries with students participating for the first time include Bulgaria, the Iraq Republic, Kenya, Luxembourg, Moldova, the Netherlands, and Switzerland.  In addition to the opportunity to compete for more than $4 million in awards and scholarships, including the Gordon E. Moore Award, a top prize of $75,000, the finalists have the unique chance to get ideas, suggestions, and support from hundreds of young innovators with a passion for science from around the globe.

 

Follow the action at the Intel ISEF 2013 through social media on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or Flickr.

Visit a Live Alligator at the Intel ISEF 2013 Expo Hall

The Phoenix Herpetological Society (PHS) will be exhibiting at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) 2013, being held May 12-17 in Phoenix, AZ. Herpetology is the branch of zoology which studies reptiles and amphibians. PHS’ exhibit will include Mr. Stubbs, an American alligator with a prosthetic tail, and other reptiles. Below Jonathan Grove discusses why PHS makes an effort to reach out to students.

 

The Phoenix Herpetological Society was formed in the early 2000’s and focuses on animal care, species conservation, animal rescue/sanctuary, and education. It is run and operated by a volunteer staff and operational funding comes from grants, donations, shows, educational demonstrations, and tours. While we do normal reptile care, like breeding rare and endangered species, or helping someone who has a rattlesnake in their bathroom, we also go far above that. We are one of few true herpetological rescues in the U.S. that can handle the full spectrum of housing needs, ranging from a tiny night snake to a full grown salt water crocodile.

 

We decided to exhibit at Intel ISEF because we want to keep the “fun” in science and learning. PHS believes that herpetology is a gateway science for the younger generation, education is the future, and conservation starts with students. This can only be accomplished by exposing the public and students, both big and small, to reptiles and showing that herpetology can be fun and educational.

 

One of our mascots, Mr. Stubbs, has quite the story. He is an 11 year old American alligator who lost his tail in an unfortunate attack from a fellow alligator. He survived, and by the time we received him, he had healed and learned how to deal with his disability. But due to his injury, he could not swim well, or even float in the water, as alligators need a tail for those actions. PHS was able to give him a secure home, food, and a small pool that he could wade in. Then one day a local doctor on a tour saw the injury and was intrigued by it. We did some preliminary tests and a team was formed to develop a tail for Mr. Stubbs. To do so, one doctor needed to learn how to care for an animal, an engineer needed to learn how to work with new molds and materials, and another doctor learned how to map Mr. Stubbs’ movements using photography, so the engineer could match his movements.

 

Mr. Stubbs is now finally able to float and even somewhat swim; we are still in the process of teaching him how to work with his new tail. But it has been a win/win situation. People learned science and compassion, and Mr. Stubbs has a better quality of life. PHS also has one of the largest collections of venomous snakes on this continent. You may see some of those snakes, all in enclosed cases, of course, at Intel ISEF. In addition, we will have a few more of our mascots available for interactive learning opportunities, so be sure to stop by and see us.

 

Herpetology is the zoology branch that studies reptiles and amphibians. The study of this class of animals contributes to a wide variety of science/engineering branches. A materials engineer could learn how a gecko optimally absorbs sunlight by manipulating their skin’s color, amount of expansion/ detraction, or scale angle. A pharmacist can delve into how a black mamba's venom functions as a powerful pain killer or what specific protein peptide signatures are inhibiting pain receptors. Gila monster venom has been studied in relation to diabetes, resulting in the drug, Byetta. PHS played a role in this research by providing animals to universities that had been seized by law enforcement or needed to be relocated due to human encroachment.

 

Herpetology is a great science for kids; it’s fun and interactive. Going out in the desert or forest or swamp to find animals allows students to interact with nature, teaches observation skills, and requires note taking, being open to random encounters, and following protocols, while encouraging exercise. Handling a rattlesnake or alligator can be dangerous, but so is mixing nitric acid, or hydrofluoric acid. These risks can be abated by safety protocols and general handling techniques.

 

In the end, PHS wants to convey that we are not just a sanctuary or rescue. We have a wide variety of relationships within the community: we provide opportunities for students to earn their  Eagle Scout badges, help students learn ethics, science, and experience through volunteerism, serve as a location for school field trips and family tours, and provide a safe location to surrender your animal for adoption or sanctuary.  We also have multiple opportunities to work jointly on research projects in solar power, water conservation, animal husbandry, climate change, biomass, etc.