CAST Rewards Originality and Innovation at Intel ISEF

The China Association for Science and Technology (CAST) is the largest national non-governmental organization of scientific and technological workers in China. Through its member societies, the organization maintains close ties with millions of Chinese scientists, engineers and other people working in the fields of science and technology. CAST provides five awards of $3,000 to the projects that best reflect originality and innovation in all scientific disciplines at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF).

 

Why does the China Association for Science and Technology sponsor an award at Intel ISEF?

As part of our mission to boost the development of science and technology and enhance science literacy, CAST hosts educational programs for pre-college students, including science contests. Over years of operating these contests, we have been amazed by the incredibly innovative ideas of young people and want to see their creativity last for a lifetime. We saw the same innovation and creativity in Intel ISEF contestants. Because of this, we feel it is our responsibility to support their gift and passion for science and inspire the next generation of scientists. Sponsoring young students conducting scientific research is an investment that can result in immense rewards for generations.

 

What made specific projects stand out at Intel ISEF?
What struck our special award organization judges the most about successful projects was the intelligence, persistence, and desire of the student to investigate the unknown world. Students who provide new ideas for real-world projects such as environmental protection, prevention of global warming, and advanced agriculture really have the ability to change the world.

 

Most recent winners:

The 2011 winners of CAST awards were Heitor Geraldo da Cruz Santos from Brazil for “Problematizing Pedagogy as a Nutritional Education Strategy: A Social Constructivist Approach,” Akash Krishnan from Oregon for “The Multimodal Real-Time Recognition of Emotion in Human Speech,” Yan Restu Freski and Darmadi Darmadi from Indonesia for “Opak River Mouth: A Unique Deflection,” Jan Kaeberich of Germany for “Ball Robot - An Instable System in Balance,” and Jonathon Li from California for “Effects of Cell Compressibility, Motility, and Contact Inhibition on the Growth of Tumor Cell Clusters.” Also pictured is Mr. Xiaoliang Li from CAST.

 

“I was honored to receive the China Association special award, and even more so knowing that the award was coming from another country. This is an example of international scientific cooperation, and I hope that this award spreads our research even further into the scientific community and into other countries.” -Akash Krisnan, 2011 Awardee

 

“Being selected as a recipient of the CAST award was an amazing experience. I remember the judge from CAST visiting my project; she really seemed to have understood, not only the main ideas of my project, but mostly the intensity with which my passion for science moves me.” -Heitor Santos, 2011 Awardee

 

CAST will be selecting its’2012 awardees May 13-18 at Intel ISEF 2012 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Intel ISEF, a program of Society for Science & the Public, is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition and annually provides a forum for more than 1,500 high school students from more than 70 countries, regions, and territories to showcase their independent research.

Q & A with SSP Fellow Kathryn Hedges

Kathryn Hedges, a 2011 SSP Fellow, is a pre-college teacher at Lew Wallace STEM Academy in Gary, IN. Students from her school recently won a regional robotics competition. Each year, ten top U.S. high school science and math teachers are selected by SSP as Fellows based on their unique plans to reach students in underserved communities and inspire excellence in independent scientific research. Funded by Intel, the program includes a stipend, ongoing training and resources, and attendance at the Fellows Institute in Washington, DC.

 

What made you decide to apply to be a SSP Fellow?
I have been helping students throughout Lake County conduct research for many years, but it is difficult to help many of the less fortunate kids without funding. The stipend from the SSP Fellowship allowed me to purchase project boards, art materials, rice and arsenic testing kits, solar panels, and other assorted materials for kids to use to do experiments. It also provided materials for robotics and funds for students to attend the robotics contest.

 

What is your background in science and research?

I have loved science for as long as I can remember. As a teen in New Zealand, I went to the beach and caught an octopus in a large glass. I filled my beach bag with water and took it home on the bus.  I also had an albatross that was injured.  I splinted its wing and bought fish to feed it for a month before releasing it.  When I came to the U.S., I was fascinated with the roaches that lived in the trees in the area of Texas that we moved to.  I captured and kept them in a shed because my mother wouldn’t let me bring them inside. 

 

I participated in the science fair while living in New Zealand, and as a freshman in college got more involved with research- I actually worked on the Apollo Program in Houston.  I grew the plant tissue cultures and tested moon dust on them to be sure that they didn’t carry viruses that might destroy the earth. I graduated and continued doing research at the University of Illinois, Naylor Dana Institute, Sloan Kettering Institute, Purdue, and Indiana University. 

 

About 15 years ago, I took over joint leadership of the Calumet Regional Fair.  We have one of the most ethnically diverse science fairs in the state and generally are the only fair that sends minority students to the state fair.

 

How has being a Fellow impacted your ability to develop a research program?

Being an SSP Fellow has enabled me to convince school officials to allow me to work with students that I would not normally have access to.  I am trying to plan a summer research program and the money will help buy materials to get more kids started on research. In addition, I am trying to find a permanent place to set up a research lab for students in our area.

 

Can you describe the progress you have made at your school and in your community?

We formed a robotics and science club for middle school students and a robotics club for high school students.  This group won first place in the first outside science competition the school had ever participated in. Multiple students entered projects into the Calumet Regional Science Fair, and they won an assortment of awards. Three students were able to attend the state science fair, and were the only African-American competitors. Two students from Lake Central High School that I have advised will be attending the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF) this May. In addition, I will be bringing another teacher and two of my current advisees as student observers so they can learn more about competing in science fairs.

 

What advice would you have for other individuals attempting to increase interest in science in their communities and nurture students through the research process?

It is difficult working with some groups of students, because they can be transient and have little support from home, community, or school but even a small win- a couple of interesting experiments- can change a child’s life.  To maintain a strong program, I need to find more mentors, additional commitments from local businesses, and more teachers to support students who would like to compete in science fairs.  In our area, there are few schools supporting science fairs and I am working with parents to form science clubs that offer support to local students. 

 

Why do you think it’s important for students to participate in scientific research?

I tell students and others that doing a science fair is a great training ground for almost any career.  Students learn technology, networking, and organizational and presentation skills.  These are all skills needed for any career. Students are better citizens and are able to make better informed decisions as a result of these skills. In a few cases, the results have been life changing- students stayed in school and went on to college as a result of science fair participation and changed the paradigm of a community.  They discovered that they could do what many had told them they couldn’t, and that changed their lives.

 

Your students recently competed in a regional robotics competition. Can you describe that experience?

I formed a robotics club as an after school activity. My students learned to build and operate a robot and then we entered this competition. Brenda Thomas, a teacher I partnered on robotics with, said that she would be happy if the students learned what the competition was about – and truthfully so would I, but I told the kids that I didn’t come to competitions to just play, I expect to win- and that is what they did.  I think the kids were particularly good at reacting quickly to figure out strategies of the game. Next year, I hope to have one robot for every two to three students, instead of the one to ten ratio I had this year.

 

Final thoughts?

If you are a scientist, please consider giving of your time to help a child who needs support.  Consider giving a poor student the opportunity to work in your lab for a few weeks in the summer.  If you work for a company who hires scientists, promote mentorships and donate funds to those who might help a child learn to love science by participating in research.  

 

 

STS 2012 Finalist Rachel Davis Describes Her Experience

Rachel Davis, Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) 2012 Finalist, discusses her research, experience at the Intel STS, and more.

 

What was your experience being an Intel STS finalist like? 

The week I spent in Washington D.C. for Intel STS was the best experience of my life.  I was so honored to have been chosen as an Intel STS Finalist, and then the opportunity to fly to Washington D.C. and meet so many brilliant people was just incredible.  My teacher kept telling me that I would never be the same afterwards, and she was completely right.  All the finalists were treated like celebrities, followed around by cameras and given gourmet meals.  The judges were really fun to hang out with, and on the last morning I ate breakfast with two Nobel Laureates.  The best part was definitely the people; the other finalists were so smart and fun to be around, and I miss them so much.

 

Can you provide a short description of your research and how you initially became interested in this topic? 

Five years ago, my house burned down.  It was a traumatizing experience, and I lost absolutely everything that I owned.  However, I stuck to my studies, and I really wanted to help people and prevent what happened to me from happening to other people in the future.  I joined my local fire department as a volunteer, and became the first nationally certified firefighter in my department.  During my fire training, I saw that a lot more gas tanks are being made of plastics that burn quickly in car fires.  This facilitates a need for flame retardant plastics, and I decided to look for labs that would allow me to research how I could create these.

 

What makes your research different from what has been done with flame retardants in the past? 

Traditionally, halogenated substances, or those containing elements like bromine, have been added to materials to improve their flame retardancy.  However, these materials have been found to release really dark, dense smoke when they are on fire, and even when they are not on fire they are releasing harmful materials that we are inhaling every day.  I used a phosphate-based substance as an alternative to these harmful materials, and it worked as a great flame retardant additive to plastics!  Not only could these substances be added to biodegradable plastics, but I’m finding now that they work as great additives to non-biodegradable plastics for uses in electronics.

 

How has doing original research and participating in programs like the Intel STS affected you? 

Performing research in a distinguished science research laboratory was such an honor, and being recognized for this research was an even greater honor.  It really means a lot to me that my research was labeled as important and relevant to society; I want to make a difference, and getting recognized for what I have done really means a lot.  Intel STS taught me that I am important and that my research wasn’t just like everyone else’s.  I have made a difference and discoveries unlike any others, and I hope to inspire others to pursue such goals as mine in the future.

 

What are your future plans? 

This summer, I will continue my research with biodegradable flame retardant materials at Stony Brook University at the GARCIA MRSEC program, where I will also be supervising high school students who would like to compete in competitions like Intel STS and ISEF.  I’m really excited to teach students all about my research and how to use the equipment, and I can’t wait to show them how much fun working in a laboratory can be! In the fall, I will attend MIT majoring in materials science and engineering, where I hope to continue my research with polymers.  I’m so excited!

  

Do you have any advice for young students interested in science? 

Get involved early!!  I think that a lot of students don’t understand that science isn’t just studying from a book – it is all around you.  Science is the computer in front of you; looking at how the speaker vibrates to produce a sound and how it was told to speak in the first place.  Science is studying bird migration patterns and detecting land mines.  Asking questions about how things work is the first step to finding answers, and making great discoveries.  If a particular question intrigues you, go and look for the answer, no matter how difficult the journey to the answer might be. 

 

Q&A with SSP Alumna Meredith MacGregor

Meredith MacGregor

Meredith MacGregor, the Intel Science Talent Search 2007 Ninth Place Winner and one of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 2006 top award winners, discusses the Brazil Nut Effect, research at Harvard, inspiring girls to do science, and more.

 

What are your memories of Intel STS and Intel ISEF? What was it like to win the top award at Intel ISEF?
It is very difficult to distill all of my memories from Intel STS and Intel ISEF into a short enough response to fit into this interview.  While it may sound cheesy, some of my favorite memories from high school are from Intel STS and Intel ISEF.  Beyond that, some of my best friends are from Intel STS and Intel ISEF and I still keep in touch with many people from my year at Intel STS on a regular basis. It is truly a gift to know and have connections with such a talented group of scientists.

 

Winning the top award at Intel ISEF was an amazing experience.  I was absolutely floored when I heard my named called, so it took me a second to realize that I had to walk up to the stage. Given the incredible talent and competition at Intel ISEF, I think it is impossible to expect winning such an award.  I remember just being stunned and overjoyed at the same time. And, I definitely remember the confetti! (I saved some of it afterwards.)

 

What exactly is the Brazil Nut Effect?
The Brazil Nut Effect (BNE) is a phenomenon that occurs in granular materials.  Essentially, vigorous shaking of a container holding a granular material will cause the components to separate by size, the largest particles rising to the top and the smallest sinking to the bottom.  The name was coined because when you first open a can of mixed nuts, all of the large Brazil Nuts are on the top with all of the smaller nuts underneath, but you can also observe this effect in your morning breakfast cereal.  For my Intel ISEF and Intel STS project, I conducted a series of experiments to study the convective flow that gets set up in a shaken container of granular material and to track how larger “intruder” particles of different densities are carried in that flow.  As it turned out, air pressure plays a critical role in determining how quickly the larger particles rise to the surface.

 

How has doing research when you were young affected your career trajectory?
Doing research when I was young had a definite impact on my career trajectory.  My early research projects gave me my first tastes of the thrill of finding something new out on my own and observing something that nobody else had seen before. By the time I began college, I could not imagine doing anything else but scientific research for the rest of my life and I am still following that goal today.

 

What are you up to now?
I just graduated from Harvard College in May of 2011 and I decided to jump right into graduate school afterwards.  Currently, I am studying as a first year graduate student in Astronomy and Astrophysics at Harvard University.  It was just too difficult to leave Cambridge and all of the amazing research opportunities here. For my current research project, I am studying the disks of dust and debris that exist around young, recently formed stars. By performing observations with submillimeter interferometers like the SMA and ALMA, we hope to be able to probe the process of planet formation within these disks.

 

What got you involved with Harvard Science Club for Girls?
Science Club for Girls (SCFG) is a larger organization in the Boston and Cambridge area that aims to provide mentorship for young girls who are interested in science by running afterschool programs in science for girls in kindergarten through 6th grade.  Undergraduate and graduate women go once a week and teach an experiment-based curriculum on topics that range from Oceans to the Human Body to Rockets.  I heard about SCFG over an email list when I was a junior in college and I knew that I wanted to get involved.  I remember how much my mentors meant to me when I was first beginning my path towards a career in science and I love having the opportunity to fill that role for today’s aspiring scientists.  Most physical sciences are still vastly male-dominated fields and I think that it is critical that we continue to encourage and inspire young girls and women to pursue careers in these fields.

 

After I had been involved with SCFG for two years, we began the process of forming a Harvard Science Club for Girls student organization.  Having this new organization makes it much easier to reach out to other Harvard undergraduate and graduate students and get them involved in the program as well.  The more mentors we have, the more girls we can reach!

 

Do you have any advice for young students who are interested in science?
First, I would say that it is important to have a goal.  Think of what you ultimately want to be doing (and, don’t worry about the fact that it might change in the future) and then go for it! Having a target in mind makes dealing with the day-to-day challenges a little easier.  Second, jump into research.  Sitting in a classroom is one thing, but there is no better way to get excited about science than to start getting your hands dirty.  It is also a really good way to figure what areas of science you are particularly excited about.

• Visit the Intel STS 2007 Alumni Page
• Volunteer at the Intel ISEF 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA

 

 

 

A Letter from an ISEF 1956 Alumnus

 SSP recently received this letter from Donald W. Linzey (ISEF 1956) on his recollections of the science fair and how it has impacted his life since.

 

I currently receive the Newsletter with information about SSP alumni.  Most of the articles are about much younger winners and their early careers.  I thought that you might like to know how my participation with then-Science Service has affected my career.

 

I won the very first Baltimore City Science Fair in 1956 – some 55 years ago.   It was sponsored by Johns Hopkins University and the North Baltimore Kiwanis Club.  The sponsors paid for my family and me to travel to the 7th National Science Fair in Oklahoma City where I won a 4th Place Award with my exhibit entitled “Herpetology”.  We have many photos, but I am sure that you have some in your archives.  We travelled by train, and it was a trip that my entire family has never forgotten.  My Mom prepared an entire scrapbook of the trip which I now have.

 

It is amazing to compare the competition in 1956 with that of recent years. In 2006, the current sponsors of the Baltimore Science Fair (Towson University) invited me back to be the Keynote speaker and to help present the Grand Awards at their Awards Ceremony.  I found it hard to believe that 50 years had passed since I had received my award.

 

I continued my education at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in Westminster, Maryland and then did my graduate work at Cornell University (MS, 1963; Ph.D, 1966).  I taught at Cornell for one year, then taught at the University of South Alabama, Virginia Tech, and for the last 22 years at Wytheville Community College in Wytheville,Virginia.

 

When I began teaching at Wytheville, I realized that the students in this entire region of Virginia could never progress any farther than their high school fair (and most of the schools did not even have a science fair at that time).  I felt a responsibility to give back to the community some of what I had gained by being a Science Fair winner.  Thus, in 1991, we (my wife and I) organized the first Blue Ridge Highlands Regional Science Fair that encompassed 7 counties in rural southwestern Virginia.  Little did we know how our Fair would grow over the years.  We directed the Fair for 18 years.  During this time, our fair’s territory grew to encompass 16 counties and 3 cities.  We stimulated science fairs in many schools over the years.  Our Regional Science Fair would have students from approximately 15-20 high schools and 15-20 middle schools.  We averaged about 125-150 students each year, but had 225 one year.  We generated a great deal of support from the educational, business, and medical communities.  We invited Don Harless and Carrie to our Fair one year (he said that it was the only invitation he had ever received to attend a regional fair).  Every year, my wife and I would chaperone our two Grand Award winners and their teachers to the ISEF – Biloxi, Phoenix, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Diego, Reno, San Jose, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, Philadelphia, Louisville, and many others.

 

The trips were very rewarding for the students, their teachers, and for us.  We learned a great deal on these trips and, as a result, made many improvements to our Fair.  On our trip to Biloxi, one of our students told us that he had never been out of the state of Virginia.  To see our students win awards at ISEF and to know that we made a positive difference in their lives made all of our yearlong work worthwhile.

 

I was both fortunate and priviledged to serve as a member of the Intel ISEF Advisory Council for a two-year term from 1995 to 1997.

 

In 1999 at Philadelphia, one of our students, Nisha Nagarkatti, was one of the two top award winners at ISEF.  Accompanied by Don Harless and Carrie, she and the other winner went to the Nobel Prize ceremonies.  Nisha has since gone on to achieve her MD degree.  We have had many First, Second, and Third Place winners at ISEF over the years as well as many winners of special awards and scholarships.  Many of our Grand Award winners have been quite successful in their careers.  Our very first winner in 1992 is now a practicing nephrologist in Maryland.

 

In 2009, my wife and I decided that it was time to turn our fair over to some younger folks.  I am now 72; she is 70.  We are both still teaching and enjoy working with students, but running a Fair as large as ours was extremely time-consuming.  I am happy to say that our Fair is in good hands with Dr. Christine Hermann of Radford University.  My wife and I are continuing to help and advise Chris with the logistics, fund raising, etc.

 

Little did I know how my participation in the Baltimore City Science Fair 55 years ago would affect my life and career.  My graduate degrees are in the fields of vertebrate zoology and ecology.  My participation in the Science Fair is still on my CV.      

 

My graduate degrees are in the fields of vertebrate zoology and ecology.  My interest in herpetology has continued, and I have written two books – “Snakes of Alabama” and “Snakes of Virginia” (3 printings).  I have worked as a Park Ranger-Naturalist in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and have conducted wildlife research there for the past 46 years.  I have written two books on the mammals of GSMNP plus a major book entitled “The Mammals of Virginia”.  In 1998, I authored a textbook which is being used worldwide entitled “Vertebrate Biology” for McGraw-Hill Publishers.  The Second Edition is being published by the Johns Hopkins University Press and is due to be on bookshelves in January, 2012.  What goes around comes around.  Johns Hopkins University was one of the major sponsors that helped me begin my career and now they are publishing my textbook which they will be distributing worldwide.

 

The science fair experience has been a major part of our lives.  We have provided a means for over 2,500 middle and high school students to showcase their scientific talents.   We have provided a conduit into the Virginia State Fair as well as to ISEF – opportunities that were nonexistent prior to 1992.

 

Don and Carrie became good friends.  We have also enjoyed working with all of the other members of Science Service and SSP who work so very hard to put on this annual event.

 

Just thought you might like to know how being a National Science Fair winner 55 years ago has impacted my life and the lives of over 2,500 students.

 

Sincerely,

Dr. Donald W. Linzey, Ph.D.

 

SSP Alumni, tell us what you have been up to by completing an SSP Alumnus Profile

 

GE Energy Sparks Students’ Innovation with Intel ISEF Special Awards

Intel ISEF 2011 GE Energy winners

 “GE is very interested in promoting science and engineering to the students of the world because we need innovative and imaginative scientists to sustain our company,” says David O’Connor, Principal Engineer at GE Energy, who has been working with SSP to provide special awards at Intel ISEF for the past three years.

 

GE Energy awards are presented to projects that best display creative or efficient generation or usage of energy with special consideration of the GE Ecomagination commitment. “We are looking for imaginative, impactful ideas that affect the use, generation, and storage of energy,” David says, adding that GE judges especially look for projects that can make business sense.

 

David, who serves as a special awards judge for GE Energy, says he has enjoyed going to Intel ISEF and seeing that much excitement for science and engineering among youth.  “I am often surprised at how young some of the people are,” he says. When he started judging, he figured it would be all high school seniors, ready to go off to college.  But this year, their top winner was a 15-year-old freshman, which the judges were surprised to learn after picking her as the winner because her project was so impressive.

 

David also values the judging experience because students are “always full of enthusiasm, excitement, and ideas,” and they are eager to learn from the judges how they can improve their project.  He has also enjoyed seeing the innovative ways some students get around their lack of technical resources. “We are very supportive of the mission of Intel ISEF,” David says. “It’s an amazing collection of talent in one spot.” 

 

Intel ISEF 2011 GE Energy Awards

 

First Award of $2,500
Reducing the Cut-In Wind Speed of Wind Turbine Blades by Redirecting
the Boundary Layer Airflows
Lauren Heather Reid, 15, O'Neill Collegiate and Vocational Institute, Oshawa,
Ontario, Canada

 

Second Award of $1,500
Modeling Wind Power Generation Using Polynomial Chaos Expansion
Ryan Thomas Baker, 17, Hillcrest High School, Midvale, Utah

 

Third Award of $1,000
Increasing the Efficiency of Solar Tracking Systems
Michael Anthony Cerabona, 17, Yorktown High School, Yorktown Heights, New York

 

SSP Alumnus and Science Fair Judge Todd Rider Gives Advice

Todd Rider in the lab

By Caitlin Jennings, Communications Specialst, Society for Science & the Public

When Todd Rider (SSP Alumnus: Science Talent Search 1986; International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) 1983, 84, 85, 86) made it to his first ISEF as a freshman, he had such a rewarding experience and was so impressed with the other projects, he rededicated his efforts to his research to make sure he could successfully compete and come back every year. “It was very influential to be able to conduct research at that young age and go from having an idea to doing literature research on something, doing experiments on it, writing it all up, and presenting it,” he says.

 

Years later, he’s still impressed with the projects he’s seen at the Massachusetts State Science Fair, where he has been judging for 15 years, and now with Broadcom MASTERS 2011, where he judged projects at a national level for the first time this Fall and really enjoyed it. “The caliber of the students is just so impressive,” Todd says, and he is also impressed by their enthusiasm for science.
What exactly makes a good science fair project though? “It’s very important, especially from my perspective as a judge, for it to be student led, student driven,” Todd says, adding that he is especially impressed with students who build their own tools. “I think that really shows much more initiative and helps the student gain a much better understanding of the science.”

 

 Todd also emphasizes the importance of original research. “It doesn’t have to be earth shattering; you don’t have to really come up with the cure for cancer or something. But I think it’s really important for students to do something that’s at least somewhat different than what people have done before,” Todd says. “It might come out of their own interests, maybe they see some sci-fi movie that features something in it and they want to try to do a much simpler version of that, or maybe it’s a student who just loves gardening and wants to do something with plants.”

 

Todd knows firsthand that somewhat simple high school research can lead to big advances down the road. He recently invented the “CANARY” (Cellular Analysis and Notification of Antigen Risks and Yields), which serves as a canary in the coal mine for pathogens by detecting bacteria. It has many possible applications, Todd says. “Ultimately, you might imagine walking into a doctor’s office and, if you’re sick, you just cough on this thing and within a minute it would tell you exactly what you have.”

 

The CANARY spurred another project when he considered the different ways in which bacteria and viruses are treated. “I wanted something that would be as broad spectrum for viruses as antibiotics are for bacteria,” he says. That’s where DRACOs (Double-stranded RNA Activated Caspase Oligomerizers) came in, and early testing is promising.

 

Perhaps someday soon the CANARY and DRACOs will be staples in medicine.  For now, it is interesting to wonder if they would have ever come to fruition had a high school freshman in 1983 not been so inspired by the ISEF projects he saw.

• • Read about Todd’s work on CANARY and DRACO
• • Ask Todd to give a presentation in your classroom
• • Learn about the SSP Alumni Program

 

Zipangani M. Vokhiwa: Why I Joined

As a young boy in Malawi, I remember loving the nature studies class, where we would do simple experiments such as placing a bean in a container with water. Three days later, we’d come back to examine what had happened to the bean. My fascination with science only grew as I continued my education in Malawi and then in America, where I earned a Ph.D. in Range Ecology from Colorado State University.

 

But, despite my own interest in science, I am often reminded that all the scientific theories and practical implications in the world won’t do any good unless one can convince people to use and apply that information. I learned the value of engaging the public first-hand when I worked with local farmers in Malawi on a Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) project. The program allowed members of the public, even those who did not have a college degree, to be part of science, to understand how science affects them and their community. The farmers were able to make selections of sorghum and cowpea varieties that had characteristics that were suited to their taste and local environments. The varieties were adopted by the Government of Malawi as a result of this research project.

 

As a judge at Intel ISEF, I also had my eyes opened to the reminder that the next generation of scientists is already contributing to the scientific community. As a member of the Council for Undergraduate Research (CUR), I am a strong advocate of incorporating scientific research activities into science classes.

 

This is why I joined Society for Science & the Public earlier this year. I am proud to be a member of an organization that not only advocates for scientific research, but for the engagement of the public. We need everyone to help move scientific solutions beyond the lab and into the world.

 

• Learn how you can join SSP

Jeanne Waggener: Why I Volunteer

When my son was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) in 1985, there was not a lot of information available about the learning disability, and my son’s curiosity eventually drove him to research the disorder beginning in 1992. He was not a stellar student, but he pursued his research with a natural enthusiasm he often didn’t have for school work, which lead to success. He went to ISEF for the first time in 1994, and the experience changed him forever. The recognition he received and the skills he learned gave him a new self-confidence, resulting in positive attention from his teachers. He witnessed the difference hard work and dedication could make in his life, and the difference he could make in other people’s lives by helping to answer questions about ADD. Science fair was also a great bonding experience. Being a supportive advocate in his research quest was a positive thing for the two of us.

I knew that, despite the average grades, my son had the potential to achieve great things. He just needed the right thing to stimulate his interest. Hands-on, inquiry-based scientific research was that thing, and science fairs and Intel ISEF gave him the inspiration and encouragement he needed to pursue his research.

My son, Jay Sartain (ISEF 1994, 1995, 1996) went on to earn his B.S. in Psychology and an MBA, and he now enjoys a successful career with the Royal Bank of Canada. While he may not be a professional scientist, Jay says the skills he learned with science fair and the confidence he gained propelled his career.

That’s why, since he graduated, I have devoted my free time and even vacation time to help organize and manage the Central Texas Science and Engineering Fair and to volunteer at Intel ISEF. I continue volunteering because I realize the difference science fair made in my son’s life, and I want to make that opportunity available in other students’ lives. As a pharmacist at Wal-Mart and president of the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, I also see it as an important way for me to contribute to the scientific world. I also know that helping these students is really two-fold. By showing them how valuable their thoughts, innovations, and work can be to society, we are giving them the confidence and resources they need to change the world.

• Learn how you can get involved

SSP Fellow Valdine McLean Helps both Students and Farmers with a New Nonprofit

Valdine McLean

 By Caitlin Jennings, Communications Specialist, Society for Science & the Public

 

Valdine McLean, who was selected from a national pool of entrants as an SSP Fellow in 2009, recently established the Great Basin Coop Testing Laboratory. The laboratory will serve as both a community and education resource to residents of Northern Nevada, and Valdine is in the process of getting funding to support building the facility.

 

The new lab will help students in the area, who currently have  limited access to research facilities 90 miles away in Reno, conduct their own research projects.  “Students will have access to local state of the art instrumentation for any analysis of anything that they would like to do,” Valdine says.  “Research can be done at any level of sophistication, but if students want to be competitive and/or make breakthrough discoveries – they need to have access to the technologies to help them do their analysis.”

 

Valdine’s work will also help the local farmers and, as revenue is generated by the students’ research, they will receive scholarships to help them gain additional science training.   “The laboratory will be completely set up to serve students meeting this rural valley, and basically all of northern and central Nevada’s, farming needs.  The students will be able to analyze their crops to make economical and sustainable decisions: such as when to cut their hay versus quality and market, or which crops to plant for diversification as climate and soil conditions change,” Valdine says.  Right now, farmers must send their samples to California and wait 5-10 days before making educated decisions.  “I have farmers come to me daily saying they wish we were [already] up and going.”

 

Valdine started her journey to create this resource with her application to become an SSP Fellow. While at the Fellows Institute in Washington, DC, in 2009, SSP helped connect Valdine with meetings in Senator Harry Reid’s (D-NV) office and at the National Science Foundation. “In addition to these very informative and encouraging meetings, the SSP Fellows Institute also provided us training, development, and advice on our Program Management Plans (PMPs).  This instrument proved to be critical in developing a community interest meeting, the filings for local, state, and federal paperwork, and the by-laws adopted by my board of directors,” Valdine says, adding that the PMP is also helping in the grant writing process.

 

Valdine hopes her nonprofit will bolster science and math education locally, regionally, and maybe even nationally. “We aren’t active in pursuing individuals who are curious, problem solvers, who have imagination and creativity.  I truly believe if we want to do things better, we have to do it different. The laboratory will provide service to the community [and] at the same time foster students to pursue scientific endeavors, majors, and/or careers by allowing those with the desire to create, explore, and imagine the ability to use real tools and financially support them in their efforts.  We could be a working model that makes a difference.”

• Visit the Great Basin Coop Testing Laboratory website
• Learn more about Valdine McLean and her program
• Learn more about the SSP Fellowship