Two Scotia-Glenville High School seniors took first place honors at the Eastern Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium held on Saturday, Jan. 28.
Seniors Sarah Dean and Corey McKenna will represent Scotia-Glenville at the 27th Annual Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities Symposium held on March 19 and 20 at the University at Albany after receiving first place honors at the regional contest. JSHS is a national program promoting original research in the sciences, engineering and math for high school students, which is locally sponsored by UAlbany.
Dean won highest honors in biology for her research project “Dragonfly Neural Response to Approaching Objects.” McKenna also won highest honors in physical science for his research project “The Effects of Nanoparticle Size and Loading on the Efficiency of Organic Photovoltaics.”
Both students presented their science research projects and answered questions on their projects at the regional JSHS conference. Randy Jenkins, academic head for science at the district, commended the students for their projects and efforts at the competition.
“Corey and Sarah did an outstanding job presenting their work, and both endured a tough questioning session,” Jenkins said.
Dean and MacKenna have participated in the three-year college-level science research class through the UAlbany’s Science Research in the High School program, which is taught at the district by Chris Judd.
Students in the program develop and research topics and work with mentors in the fields they are studying. Mentors are drawn from a wide array of professional research institutions both domestic and worldwide.
Students in the course must have regular attendance, participate in the school’s annual symposium, commit at least 240 hours per school year to research work, complete 90 hours of summer research, maintain a laboratory notebook of all research work, maintain a comprehensive portfolio of all research work, present research at all stages of the work through available venues and competitions and maintain regular contact with a mentor once one is obtained.
UAlbany has sponsored the Science Research in the High School program since 1994. Schools in the program model their science research classes after the course developed by Dr. Robert Pavlica.
