WKU Honors College student Clarice Esch, a Gatton Academy graduate, has been awarded an EPA fellowship.
WKU student Clarice Esch, a rising junior in the Honors College at WKU and a recent graduate of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, has been awarded a Greater Research Opportunity Fellowship by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The daughter of Carol and Joseph Esch of Somerset, Esch is one of many successful scholars whose research at WKU has led to national recognition.
For the next two years Esch will receive nearly $50,000 in financial support, including a stipend, tuition payment, and an allowance for educational expenses, from the EPA as she completes her degree. As one of almost 40 students from around the country to receive this prestigious award, Esch will also receive funding for an internship between her junior and senior years. This fellowship, offered to promote careers in research, is open to undergraduate students who are pursuing degrees in an environmental field.
“I recognized that this was an excellent opportunity. I knew that if I received the fellowship it would fund my education, my research, and open many doors,” Esch said. “There was no reason for me not to apply.”
Research is central to Esch’s plans. An agriculture major with a concentration in horticulture, Esch plans to earn a Ph.D. and serve as a university faculty member or researcher in a government facility, like the EPA. This fellowship will allow her to travel to out-of-state conferences and meet other experts in her field across the country as she continues her research endeavors and begins to consider graduate programs.
While a student in the Gatton Academy, Esch began searching for a solution for the excess nitrogen from fertilizer that disrupts the flow of waterways. She is attempting to use nitrogen-fixing lichens as a solution.
“The lichens I work with are an excellent option because they are organic and potentially provide a sustainable supplemental source of fertilizer,” she said.
Even before her success in the EPA GRO competition, Esch’s research had received national recognition. This spring, she received an Honorable Mentionfrom the highly competitive and prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship Program.
Esch offers thanks to the staff of the Office of Scholar Development for their guidance, assistance and willingness to help. She is also grateful to her research mentor, Dr. Martin Stone, Leichardt Professor of Horticulture, for his support in the lab and classroom.
“Clarice Esch has distinguished herself academically, both in the classroom and in her research here at WKU,” Dr. Stone said. “Agriculture is at the center of sustainable food production and its impact on the environment. Clarice is passionate about the intersection of these two critical areas, and she represents the next generation of scientists that will tackle these important issues. We are proud of her and congratulate her on this most prestigious award. It is well deserved.”
Esch said she was “absolutely elated” when she heard the news that she had been selected as an EPA GRO Fellow. “Four walls could hardly contain me,” she said.
Six rising seniors recently participated in the NCSSSMST Student Research Conference in Maryland.At the Gatton Academy, students spend the months of the traditional academic year engaged in a variety of learning opportunities that both mirror and differ from traditional high school experiences.
Students at Western Kentucky University’s Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science find their academic year is often very different from that of traditional high school students. A full slate of college coursework, living away from home, and a host of research and non-traditional learning experiences fill the month of September to May. Perhaps even more unique, though, are the exploits of Academy students during the summer months in Kentucky and at locations across the globe.
Three out of five of the current Academy students and recent alumni have current plans to participate in an academic or career exploration during the months of June, July, and August that will take place across the world. More impressively, 85% of rising seniors are participating in a summer experience. Derick Strode, the Academy’s coordinator for research, internships, and scholarships expressed both the geography and educational experiences of these students will be wide-ranging.
“These summer experiences represent the broad scope of STEM interests that our students enjoy,” Strode said. “Gatton Academy students are performing research this summer in medical, chemical, national security, and computer science settings—just to name a few—that will shed positive effects on human lives in the not-so-distant future.”
A new emphasis of the summer learning experience, is a study abroad component. For the first time, seventeen Gatton Academy students will travel to the United Kingdom for an Honors English 200 course. The Introduction to Literature course, based at Harlaxton College in Grantham, will be taught by Dr. Alison Langdon of the WKU Department of English. The experiences do not stop there. Eight Gatton Academy students will participate in the Chinese Bridge Summer Camp sponsored by the Confucius Institute at WKU, Hanban, and the North China Electric Power University. This two week camp will give the following students a chance to visit China, learning the language and culture along the way:
“I am also happy to note the increase in Gatton Academy students learning abroad this summer,” Strode added. “Gatton Academy students will be on four continents for educational programs over these next few months.”
While some high school students may consider research, internships, or study abroad programs less preferable than time at the beach, Gatton Academy students see these opportunities as a way to build on their learning and interests.
“Flexibly structured so that students can remain learning over summer while exploring career and educational interests, our internship program offers options for the motivated Gatton Academy student body. We have students who have chosen to pursue advanced research or shadowing work in STEM fields of their interest right in their own backyards across the Commonwealth this summer. Other students are further investigating their interests across the United States and the globe,” Strode said.
Keep checking back with the Gatton Academy website this summer as we further spotlight these students explorations and adventures.
For more information, contact Derick Strode at (270) 745-6565.
Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs):
Three Gatton Academy students will be participating in the REU titled Mammoth Cave/Upper Green River Watershed Project at Western Kentucky University. REUs are funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and offer students full-summer research opportunity with travel, food, and lodging provided as well as a generous stipend. REUs are one of the most prestigious and selective of summertime opportunities.
Logan Eckler (’12) of Covington (Mentor: Dr. Matthew Nee)
Brandon Farmer (’12) of Lexington (Mentor: Dr. Matthew Nee)
Natalie Schieber (’11) of Elizabethtown (Mentor: Dr. Bangbo Yan)
International Research Experiences for Scientists:
Two students have been selected to participate in an NSF International Research Experiences for Scientists program at the National Chung Hsing University in Taichung, Taiwan. This program, on the same level as an REU, offers students fully paid travel to Taiwan, food, lodging, and a stipend.
Michael Crocker (’12) of Bowling Green (Mentors: Dr. Ru-Jong Jeng and Dr. Rong-Ho Lee)
Ellis Shelley (’12) of Albany (Mentor: Shing-Yi Suen)
Crocker will be studying dendrimer synthesis and immobilization onto a silica or membrane support and dendrimer membrane on ITO glass. Shelley will be studying protein purification by IMAM.
Research Science Institute (RSI) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Lukas Missik (’12) of Danville is one of only 80 rising high school seniors from across the globe to be admitted to this prestigious, cost-free high school STEM program to conduct research at MIT for six weeks. Lukas will be conducting research in Artificial Intelligence or Game Theory.
Undergraduate Research Program in Molecular Biology at Princeton University
Sarah Schrader (’11) of Bowling Green has been admitted from a nationwide pool into the Undergraduate Research Program in Molecular Biology at Princeton University. In this nine week program, Schrader will be studying in Molecular and Quantitative & Computational Biology. Travel, housing, and a generous stipend are provided.
EarthWatch Student Challenge Awards Program:
Erin Walch (’12) of Alexandria has been accepted into the prestigious EarthWatch Institute’s Student Challenge Awards Program. She will be a part of a research team traveling to the San Jacinto and Santa Rosa Mountains in Riverside California to study Plant Life of California’s Mountains for two and a half weeks. Walch’s award includes full travel expenses, food, and lodging for her trip to California.
Kentucky Professional Education Preparation Program (PEPP)
Three Gatton Academy students will participate this summer in the Commonwealth’s PEPP programs. Lori Lovell (’12) of Florence and Erin Walch (’12) of Alexandria have been admitted to the Pikeville College School of Osteopathic Medicine’s PEPP program. Shelby Martin (’11) of Mt. Washington has been admitted to the University of Kentucky’s PEPP Step II. These residential programs offer a variety of educational experiences targeted to enhance students’ personal interest in a medical or dental career, add to their understanding of the elements of a medical/dental education, and expand their awareness of how medicine/dentistry is practiced in a rural setting.
Gatton Academy Research Internship Grant recipients:
Twelve rising seniors were chosen to receive Gatton Academy Research Internship Grants (RIG) from the Gatton Academy to support research work this summer. The 2011 RIG recipients, their research locations, mentors, and projects are listed below:
William Bickett (’12) of Owensboro will conduct research with Dr. Phillip Womble at WKU’s Applied Physics Institute. His study is on Gamma-ray Spectra in Neutron-Based Explosives Detection Systems.
Rebecca Brown (’12) of Boston will be working with Dr. Michael Carini of the WKU Department of Physics and Astronomy. Brown will study Optical Monitoring of TeV Candidate Blazars.
John “Jack” Ferguson (’12) of Union will be working with Dr. Hemali Rathnayake of the WKU Department of Chemistry on his project titled Fluorescein and FITC Derivatives Functionalized Silsesquioxane/Bridged Silsesquioxane Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Particle Morphology.
Alex Gutierrez (’12) of Mt. Washington will be doing research with Dr. Kathryn Saatman at the University of Kentucky’s Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center. Gutierrez will be researching mild (concussive) brain injuries.
Anthony Gutierrez (’12) of Mount Washington will perform research with Dr. Alexander Rabchevsk of the University of Kentucky’s Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center, studying locomotor dysfunction after spinal cord injuries.
Charlotte Humes (’12) of Bardstown will conduct research Dr. Matthew Nee of the WKU Department of Chemistry where she will design, construct, and use a time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectrometer for the purpose of measuring energy and charge transfer in alternative energy materials.
Christian Jolly (’12) of Henderson will be working on research with Dr. Steven Gibson of the WKU Department of Physics and Astronomy to analyze radio telescope data to investigate galaxy structure.
Tennessee “Tucker” Joyce (’12) of Harrodsburg will be working with Dr. Richard Schugart of the WKU Department of Mathematics and Computer Science to continue his mathematical analysis of wound healing models.
Benjamin Rice (’12) of Somerset will be developing a gamma ray spectroscopy system to estimate elemental intensities of neutron interrogated samples under the direction of Dr. Phillip Womble of the WKU Applied Physics Institute.
David Sekora (’12) of Franklin is researching in knot theory to study DNA with Dr. Claus Ernst of the WKU Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
Keaton Smith (’12) of Alexandria will be doing computer science research with Drs. Richard Fox and Jeff Ward of the Northern Kentucky University Department of Computer Science. Smith will be using artificial intelligence to plan algorithms and genetic algorithms to produce computer-generated music.
Nicholas Zolman (’12) of Mount Sterling is working with Dr. Tim Gorringe of the University of Kentucky’s Department of Physic and Astronomy to analyze periodic and chaotic motion using a double pendulum.
NCSSSMST Student Research Conference:
Six Gatton Academy students will be presenting research this summer at the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Math, Science, and Technology (NCSSSMST) Student Research Conference at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD. From June 1-4, these students will join 109 other students from across the country to share their research work through oral and poster presentations. Gatton Academy representatives and their presentation titles are:
Andrea Eastes (’12) of Mayfield will give an oral presentation titled “Isolation of the Bacteriophage Liberi”
Jack Ferguson (’12) of Union will present a poster titled “Synthesis of Fluorescein Isothiocyanate Functionalized Nanoparticles”
Samantha Hawtrey (’12) of Union will present a poster titled “Isolation, Characterization, and Annotation: the Acquisition of a Novel Bacteriophage Genome”
Lori Lovell (’12) of Florence will do an oral presentation titled “Isolation of Novus, a Novel Bacteriophage Isolated from Florence, Kentucky”
Benjamin Rice (’12) of Somerset will present a poster titled “Gamma-ray Spectra in Neutron-Based Explosives Detection Systems”
Nicholas Zolman (’12) of Mount Sterling will give an oral presentation titled “A Light in the Darkness: Finding Type Ia Supernovae in the CANDELS Hubble Space Telescope Survey”
National Youth Policy Summit:
Four Gatton Academy students will be participating in the National Youth Policy Summit at the Keystone Science Center in Keystone, CO. This year’s summit on Energy Innovation will take place from June 11 – 18 and will bring together 40 of the brightest students from across the nation to come up with a proposal of policy solutions to the world’s energy needs. The following Gatton Academy students will participate:
Laura Claytor (’11) of Berea
Melanie Hurst (’11) of Bronston
Samantha McKean (’11) of Cecilia
Rachel Metcalfe (’11) of Eminence
Experiences Abroad:
This summer, 28 Gatton Academy students will travel internationally for research, language acquisition, credit-based study abroad, and education and cultural travel. Students will be in China, England, Morocco, Switzerland, and Taiwan. International research experiences are listed in the former section; other international experiences are:
National Security Language Initiative-for Youth (NSLI-Y):
Two Gatton Academy students have accepted an NSLI-Y scholarship which covers all program costs, travel to the student’s destination, tuition, housing, activities, and more for six weeks. These merit-based scholarships are for high school students studying less commonly taught languages.
Charlotte Humes (’12) of Bardstown
Brandon Kerr (’11) of Edmonton
England
For the first time, the Gatton Academy has partnered with Harlaxton College in Grantham, England to offer a three week study abroad course. The following students will study Introduction to Literature under the direction of Dr. Alison Langdon of the WKU Department of English. The following students will study romantic poets in the Lake District, Dracula in Whitby, the Brontës on the famed moors near Haworth, and Shakespeare in London’s Globe Theatre, just to name a few of many stops:
Daylynn Allison (’12) of Mayfield
William Bickett (’12) of Owensboro
Lydia Brothers (’12) of Madisonville
Andrea Eastes (’12) of Mayfield
Nathan Lasley (’12) of Owensboro
Taylor Leet (’12) of Louisville
Lori Lovell (’12) of Florence
David Sekora (’12) of Franklin
Keaton Smith (’12) of Alexandria
Caroline Stivers (’12) of Berea
Aaron Stolze (’12) of Somerset
Erin Walch (’12) of Alexandria
Layne Webb (’12) of Shepherdsville
Nicholas Zolman (’12) of Mt. Sterling
China
Eight Gatton Academy students will participate in the Chinese Bridge Summer Camp sponsored by the Confucius Institute at WKU, Hanban, and the North China Electric Power University. This two week camp will give the following students a chance to visit China, learning the language and culture along the way:
William “Christopher” Brown (’12) of Russell Springs
Curtlyn Kramer (’12) of Ashland
Matthew “Stephen” Mattingly (’12) of Elizabethtown
Samantha McKean (’12) of Cecilia
Rachel Metcalfe (’12) of Eminence
Holly Morris (’12) of Bowling Green
Tyler Parke (’11) of Henderson
Makka “Annie” Wheeler (’12) of Guthrie
Switzerland
Alexandra DeCarlo (’12) of London and Luke Yap (’12) of Carrolton will be studying literature abroad in Switzerland with Dr. Lloyd Davies of the WKU Department of English.
Other Notable Individual Experiences:
Kia Allen, a graduating senior from Georgetown, will be volunteering at Saint Joseph Health System in Lexington.
Claci Ayers, a graduating senior from Bowling Green, will be shadowing pediatrician Dr. Kelly Kriess and volunteering at the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital.
Anthony Bombik, a graduating senior from Union, will be a Teacher’s Assistant in the Center for Gifted Studies’ camp for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY) at WKU.
Madeline Buhr, a graduating senior from Cecilia, will participate in the Teenage Volunteer Program at Hardin Memorial Hospital in Elizabethtown.
Clarice Esch, a graduating senior from Somerset, is interning at the Baker Arboretum in Bowling Green.
Sean Freeman, a graduating senior from Hebron, is programming iPhone apps.
Katherine Goebel, a graduating senior from Simpsonville, will be shadowing veterinarian Dr. Rocky Oliver of the Shelby Veterinary Clinic.
Madeline Lauzon, a graduating senior from Owensboro, will be volunteering with the Theatre Workshop of Owensboro.
Jae Lee, a graduating senior from Hopkinsville, will be volunteering at a local nursing home in Hopkinsville and shadowing various health care professionals.
Justine Missik, a graduating senior from Danville, is volunteering with the Sierra Club.
Jake Moore, a graduating senior from Crittenden, has been admitted to the highly competitive Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Summer Internship Program for Science Students. Moore will be interning under Dr. John Bissler, studying Nephrology and Biomedical Engineering.
Michael Phillips, a graduating senior from Benton, is conducting research under the direction of Dr. Edward Kintzel at the WKU NOVA Center and will be a teaching assistant at VAMPY.
Tejas Sangoi, a graduating senior from Owensboro, will be volunteering in the Owensboro Medical Health Systems. He will also be attending national conferences for FBLA and HOSA.
Chandler Santos, a graduating senior from LaGrange, will be tutoring with VAMPY.
Suzanne VanArsdall, a graduating senior from Frankfort, will be returning to Cape Town, South Africa to help with the reconstruction of a safe house for women and children.
Paras Vora, a graduating senior from Owensboro will be shadowing cardiologist Dr. Kishor Vora.
Celia Whelan, a graduating senior from Bardstown, will perform in The Stephen Foster Story and The Wizard of Oz with Stephen Foster Productions.
Lydia Brothers, a first-year student from Madisonville, has been admitted to the seven-week Summer Research Program for High School and Undergraduate Students at the University of Tennessee Space Institute in Tullahoma, TN. Brothers will receive travel expenses, room and board, and a stipend.
Jordan Currie, a first-year student from Rockfield, will participate in the Music City Drum Corps.
Daniel Dilger, a first-year student from Union, will be developing a cryptographic analysis infrastructure under Dr. Bruce Kessler of WKU to attempt to decrypt the recently released notes from the Ricky McCormick murder investigation.
Andrea Eastes, a first-year student from Mayfield, will be assisting Dr. Michelle Monje of the Stanford University School of Medicine in a research study on Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG), a lethal pediatric brain tumor.
Samantha Hawtrey, a first-year student of Union, will represent the 2010-11 WKU Genome Discovery and Exploration Program when she presents research findings at the 3rd Annual Science Education Alliance Symposium at the Janelia Farm campus of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute in Ashburn, VA.
Nathan Lasley, a first-year student from Owensboro, will be attending a Boy Scout Summer Camp at Roy C. Manchester Boy Scout Camp.
Jesse Matherly, a first-year student from Nicholasville, will be conducing Alzheimer’s research under the direction of Dr. Linda Van Eldik at the University of Kentucky Sanders-Brown Center on Aging.
Benjamin Rice, a first-year student from Somerset, will be participating in the Naval Academy Summer Seminar in Annapolis, MD.
Aaron Stolze, a first-year student from Somerset, will be participating in the Naval Academy Summer Seminar in Annapolis, MD. He will also be participating in the Christian Leadership Institute in Danville.
Joseph “Joey” Tutor, a first-year student from Franklin, will be interning at Electronic Warfare Associates in Bowling Green.
Layne Webb, a first-year student from Shepherdsville, will be doing astrophysics research under the mentorship of Dr. Lutz Haberzettl of the University of Louisville’s Department of Physic and Astronomy.
The 41st Annual WKU Student Research Conference was the biggest in the eventʼs history with 135 paper presentations and performances as well as 80 poster presentations and exhibits March 26 at Gary A. Ransdell Hall.
A total of 149 undergraduate students and 66 graduate students were primary authors this year and an additional 112 students were co-authors. The undergraduate participants included 61 Honors College students and 29 students from the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky.
A total of 124 faculty members served as mentors, and 33 departments from all colleges were represented among the conference participants.
Madalyn Schreiner, a junior from Alvaton, Exposing the Cracks in the Masks, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 1
Matthew Vaughan, a senior from Wayne, Pa., Fair Trade Education and Awareness at WKU, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Social Sciences, Session 2
Maggie Wilder, a senior from Berea, Prescribed Fire Effects on Summer and Fall Herbs in Eastern Mesic Forests, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 3
David Evans, a senior from Somerset, Analysis of Vegetation Health and Density within the Makalu Barun National Park, Nepal Using Supervised Classification of Remotely Sensed Data, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 4
Sarah Schrader, a Gatton Academy student from Bowling Green, Genomic Analysis of TT9, a Novel Mycobacteriophage, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 5
Daniel Hinson, a senior from Greenbrier, Tenn., Synthesis of Some Group VII Pyridazine Complexes, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Social Sciences, Session 6
Colleen Wynn, a senior from Louisville, Hopelessly Disadvantaged Like You: A Comparative Study of Disadvantaged Youth in Mobile and Medellin, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Social Sciences, Session 7
John Jennings, a senior from Bowling Green, Ortho-Metalation of Para-Bromo and Para-Iodoanisole Utilizing Ortho-Lithiodimethylben-zylamine, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 8
Kayla Herchenrader, a senior from Louisville, Barren River Sports Center, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 9
Mark Bailey, a senior from Cold Spring, The Coney Island Mall, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 10
Amar Patel, a senior from Russellville, Poly(3-hexyl thiophene) and Perylenediimide Functionalized Siloxane and Bridged-Siloxane Nanoparticles, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 11
Whitney Tyree, a senior from Smiths Grove, A.R.T.E.M.I.S Double Prime, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Natural Sciences, Session 12
Kasey Vaught, a senior from Versailles, The Moral Lapses of Men: Justice Defined byWatchmen, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 13
Leigh Gaskin, a senior from Bowling Green, Gales Point Cemetery Restoration, Best Undergraduate Paper in the Humanities, Session 14
Undergraduate Posters
Wren Burnett, a senior from Bowling Green, Contemporary Design Collaborations, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Humanities, Session 1
Rachael Baumgardner, a senior from Bonnieville, Art Deco Jewelry, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Humanities, Session 2
Chasen Igleheart, a senior from Central City, Salo, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Humanities, Session 3
Sean Shannon, a senior from Beavercreek, Ohio, Identification of Candidate Basement Membrane Degraders Using Drosophila Genetics, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 4
Owen Gaulle, a sophomore from Nashville, Tenn., Evaluating the Lyrid Stream from a High Altitude Balloon Experiment, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 5
Virginia Martin, a senior from Bardstown, Synthesis and Characterization of Analogs of the Anticancer Drug Oxaliplatin, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 6
Shelby Rader, a Gatton Academy alumna and senior from Irvine, Synthesized Crystalline Materials and Ion Exchange, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 7
John Wilson, a senior from Hickman, Predictability Time of an Einstein Klein-Gordon Cosmology, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Natural Sciences, Session 8
Kathryn Carpenter, a senior from Owensboro, SKy Teach vs. the Traditional Teacher Education Program: Why Is the Quality of Learning of Educational Psychology Content Different?, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Social Sciences, Session 9
Curtlyn Kramer, a Gatton Academy student from Ashland, The Effect of Sexual Context on Moral Decision Making in Men and Women, Best Undergraduate Poster in the Social Sciences, Session 10
The group’s 96th annual meeting broke a record with 775 registered attendees. This year’s meeting focused on Careers in Science — what students need to know to be prepared and how faculty can help with the preparation.
Derick Strode, the Academy’s coordinator for research, internships, and scholarships, explained that Academy students shared their findings alongside other undergraduate students, graduate students, and professionals from across the Commonwealth.
“These students have taken on the additional challenge of research out of their passion for mathematics and science,” Strode noted. “To be honored among the best undergraduate scientists in the state of Kentucky is a true compliment to the level of commitment and hard work that these young students put forth in their research projects.”
Research, Strode explained, is a central component of the Gatton Academy experience. In all, three-out-of-every-four Academy students participate in a sponsored research project. Students are encouraged to share their findings at student and professional conferences.
“By sharing their research work at academic conferences and meetings such as the Kentucky Academy of Sciences, our students have a chance not only to share their findings but they also get to see and learn from other students and professional scientists from around the state,” Strode said. “These meetings give our students a chance to see the larger world of science and mathematics research and make valuable connections in the state’s STEM community.”
The following Gatton Academy students received awards for their paper and poster presentations:
2010 Undergraduate Paper Presentation Competition
Agricultural Sciences: Clarice Esch of Somerset, third
Ecology and Environmental Science: Victoria Gilkison of Lawrenceburg, second;
Geography: David Evans of London, England, first; Lee Campbell of Paducah, second
Mathematics: Anthony Bombik of Louisville, second; Justine Missik of Danville, third
Physics and Astronomy: John M. Wilson (Academy alumnus) of Hickman, third
For more information, contact Derick Strode at (270) 745-6565.
Maggie Matheny, a 2010 graduate of the Gatton Academy, is leaning more toward research in graduate school after a 10-week summer program at WKU. (WKU photo by Bryan Lemon)
Nine students from across the United States have been conducting research and preparing for graduate school as part of a National Science Foundation program this summer at WKU.
Maggie Matheny of Lincoln County, a 2010 graduate of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, said the 10-week summer experience has helped her determine the direction she wants to take for graduate school. “Before I was between research or med school but now I’m definitely leaning more toward research,” Matheny said.
Getting students excited about research and providing hands-on laboratory experience is one of the goals of the NSF-REU program, according to Dr. King, associate professor of biology. “We want to encourage them and get them excited about graduate school,” Dr. King said.
Matheny also has enjoyed the freedom in the program. “I like the fact that the project really is your own,” she said. “If there is a mistake or something doesn’t come out right, it’s your fault and I like the responsibility.” Matheny has been working with Dr. Sigrid Jacobshagen on a project to see which photoreceptor starts the domino effect that resets the circadian clock.
Amanda Nolan, a student from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, also has used the experience to prepare for graduate school. “ I’m coming away from this with knowledge that I probably wouldn’t have until graduate school, so I’ll have a heads up on people going into grad school,” said Nolan, who has been working with Dr. King on two projects that deal with bacteriophages.
Other students participating in the June 1-Aug. 6 program are: Melena Agyemang, Norfolk State University in Virginia (Mentor: Dr. Rajalingam Dakshinamurthy); Mark Callaghan, California State University Monterey Bay (Mentor: Dr. Keith Philips); James Forshee, a Gatton Academy graduate from Simpson County (Mentor: Dr. Claire Rinehart); Alexander Hare, a Gatton Academy graduate from Rowan County (Mentor: Dr. Richard Schugart); Hillary Jones, Georgetown College (Mentor: Dr. Carl Dick); Stephanie Robey, Kentucky Community and Technical College System (Mentor: Dr. Kevin Williams); and Shandrea Stallworth, Fort Valley State University in Georgia (Mentor: Dr. Shiv Sahi).
Students were assigned to a research project based on their interests. The projects have been directed by WKU faculty mentors from Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics and the research topics encompassed broad areas of biotechnology, including animal physiology, plant gene expression, microbiology, virology, biochemistry, protein structure and modeling, bioinformatics, neurophysiology and mathematical biology.
In addition to working closely with faculty mentors and interacting with graduate students, fellow undergraduates and research technicians, students have participated in a series of Office of Scholar Development-sponsored workshops that provided guidance on graduate school applications and grant writing and in a series of faculty-led seminars on reading professional literature and giving scientific presentations.
For more information, contact Rodney King at (270) 745-6910.
Both a Gatton Academy alumnus and incoming student were honored as national finalists at the 2010 Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) National Leadership Conference held July 14-17, 2010, in Nashville, Tenn.
Rohith Palli (Fayette, ’10) placed third in the Business Calculations category.
David Sekora (Simpson, ’12) placed fourth in the Business Math category.
Thomas Choate (Warren, ’10) and Stephen King (Carlisle, ’10) also represented the Academy at the National Conference.
In order to qualify for the conference, students competed in over 50 different business related events at the state level and the top winners were chosen to represent their states at the National Conference. With nearly 8,000 FBLA members from across the country in attendance, delegates faced off against some of nation’s most promising future leaders.
FBLA-PBL is the largest business career student organization in the world. The high school division has 215,000 members, while the postsecondary division reaches over 11,000 college students. Over 11,000 advisers round out the group. Exclusive membership and career recognition programs are designed for each division to provide additional personal and chapter development opportunities.
Stephanie Davis, a former Academy residential counselor and current WKU graduate student, serves as the chapter’s sponsor. Davis was pleased with the chapter’s commitment throughout the past year.
“Our students continue to show that hard work pays off,” Davis said. “Rohith’s placement at Nationals sets a new record for Academy FBLA achievement. We have had an excellent year and I’m continually proud of our Academy FBLA.”
Part of the Gatton Academy’s mission is to train students to think entrepreneurially while becoming the Commonwealth’s future leader. Davis believes those skills contribute their future roles in STEM fields. Palli explained that the two fields of study are extremely complimentary.
“The Academy emphasizes STEM fields, in which many students are among the best at what they do,” he said. “In order to promote real growth and change in a field, business acumen and entrepreneurship are necessary.”
Next year, Palli will study mathematics as well as the history and philosophy of science at the University of Pittsburgh. Palli plans to pursue a future career in medicine.
“I’m very excited for all the research and growth opportunities there,” Palli said.
The FBLA concept was developed in 1937 by Dr. Hamden L. Forkner of Columbia University. The first high school chapter was chartered in Johnson City, Tennessee on February 3, 1942. In 1958, the first PBL collegiate chapter was chartered in Iowa. The Professional Division, originally the Alumni Division, began in 1979. Joining FBLA-PBL in 1994 was the FBLA-Middle Level for students in grades 5-9.
For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-6565.
Even though the Gatton Academy will enter its fourth year this fall, the advanced high school continues to celebrate a series of firsts. This spring, four former students became the program’s first alumni to earn bachelor’s degrees.
Through a combination of Advanced Placement courses in high school, diligence in their time at the Gatton Academy, and hard work (including summer classes) as they continued their undergraduate studies, these individuals finished their undergraduate experience in a total of three years. All four will enter graduate or professional programs this fall.
Ellen Boswell Duke (’08) earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Studies from WKU, where she also minored in Mathematics. Duke will attend Case Western Law School this fall. She married fellow Academy alumnus Seth Duke this summer – the first marriage of two Gatton graduates.
Tyler Clark (’08) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from WKU. Tyler also minored in Religious Studies. Tyler will begin a Master’s program in Mathematics at WKU, with plans to pursue doctoral study thereafter.
Emily Peeler (’08) earned a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Louisville. Emily has deferred admission to the University of Louisville’s Brandeis Law School and will complete a Master’s of Social Work at Boston University.
Christopher Obermeyer (’09) earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and a Bachelor’s of Arts in Religious Studies from WKU. Chris will begin work toward a Ph.D. in Biological Sciences at the George Washington University this fall.
The time since graduating from the Academy has been filled with a variety of academic and social pursuits. Even amid busy academic schedules, students sought involvement in their campus communities.
Clark encouraged students to continue their involvement in research and make presentations at state and national conferences. His work with two WKU professors prepared him to study uncommon topics for his honor’s thesis. “My thesis, titled Counting Locally Convex Topologies on a Totally Ordered Finite Set allowed me to do different research involving point-set topology, set theory, combinatorics, and various other mathematical topics that are not normally covered at the undergraduate level,” he said.
As students begin to explore their post-Academy and undergraduate options, Obermeyer encourages them to aim high and stay off the beaten path. “Be different!” he said. “I have no doubt that I would not have been accepted into graduate school had I just majored in Biology. Picking up a major like Religious Studies in the fine arts made me stick out. If you want to go into medicine, don’t just major in Chemistry and Biology. Everyone has those degrees, and you want to be different to avoid being looked over.” Obermeyer’s unique experiences earned him a graduate assistantship valued at over $300,000.
Looking back on her Academy experience, Peeler noted the program provided her with a strong foundation not only for academic success but also personal growth. “The Academy prepared me academically, in that I knew what to expect in my college classes not only content level but also the structure of them,” she said. “I also knew how far I could push myself, which after the Academy I knew was quite a bit.”
The Fijis Across America cross country bike ride for Alzheimer’s research concluded Friday afternoon (June 16) in Yorktown, Va.
The group, which includes five WKU students, began their 3,200-mile journey through nine states May 25 in Oceanside, Calif. Riders from WKU are Tyler Jury of Elizabethtown, Chaz Vittitow of Louisville, Mitchell White of Bowling Green, Justin Cave of Glendale and Wade Haga of Lexington.
“It’s been a great adventure,” Jury said Friday afternoon. “We were doing it for a cause that is close to our hearts and one that’s close to the hearts of many people we’ve met along the way who gave us great motivation to get through the journey.
“We’ve inspired people and we’ve been inspired by many others as well.”
Jury organized the ride and fundraiser in memory of his grandfather, Barrett Cummings who died in July 2009. The group has raised nearly $40,000 toward a goal of $75,000 to benefit the Greater Kentucky/Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association.
“Our ride is over but the fight against this disease isn’t so we’ll continue our efforts to raise funds and awareness,” he said.
Along the way through California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Virginia, the riders participated in numerous fundraising events and were interviewed by various media outlets to increase local, state and national awareness about Alzheimer’s.
The group collected stories of Alzheimer’s impact on families and dedicated each day’s ride to a family. They posted those videos and others on the Fijis Across America website as well as on YouTube and Facebook.
Additional information about the trip is available on the Fijis Across America website and Facebook page.
The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU is currently hosting the 27th annual installment of the Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth, better known as VAMPY. Students spend three weeks during the summer taking one of sixteen in-depth courses on campus. 10 of the incoming members of the Gatton Academy’s Class of 2012 are among the nearly 240 students attending VAMPY. In this video blog, alumni George Johnson, Alex Boswell, and John Max Wilson share their thoughts on camp, the Academy experience, and working alongside students who are gifted and talented.
More information about VAMPY can be found online at VAMPYblog.org.
Three students in WKU’s Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) program earned honors at the 2010 HOSA National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Fla.
WKU students Matthew Kirk (’09) of Livermore and Victoria Bertke (’09) of Reynolds Station finished first in the nation in Post-Secondary CPR/First Aid. DeAnn Wright of Franklin placed in the top 10 in Post-Secondary Nutrition.
Emily Hall (’10) of Nicholasville was also a participant.
HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. The purpose of HOSA is to promote career opportunities in health care and to prepare students to successfully pursue a health career.
Since its inception in 1976, HOSA has grown steadily reaching nearly 107,000 members through 47 chartered HOSA State Associations and approximately 3,000 secondary and postsecondary/collegiate chapters in 2008-2009.
The HOSA National Leadership Conference includes educational and social learning activities, the national competitive events program, and an opportunity to meet people from across the U.S. and Puerto Rico with similar career goals.
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