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Gatton Academy Student Named SMART Scholarship Winner for Second Consecutive Year

May 12, 2010 | Academics, News, People, Research, Student Success, WKU | No Comments

Jacob Haven
Jacob Haven

For the second consecutive year, Western Kentucky University students are being honored with SMART Scholarships from the United States Department of Defense (DoD).  Two WKU students are receiving scholarships which represent a combined value of more than $500,000 of funding over the course of the next four years.

Jacob Haven of Paris, a second-year student in the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU, and Brittany Logan, a sophomore from Englewood, Ohio, have accepted scholarships from the Science, Mathematics And Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship for Service Program.

The SMART Scholarship funds tuition and provides a living stipend, books, health insurance reimbursement, and paid summer internships for recipients of the prestigious award.  Students are also promised employment placement with a DoD laboratory upon the completion of their studies and internships. This year, 298 scholarships were awarded nationwide out of more than 3,400 applications.

Logan and Haven are the second and third students at WKU to be awarded SMART Scholarships. Rachel Bowman of Murray was the first WKU student to receive the scholarship in 2009 while attending the Gatton Academy.  She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Dr. Audra Jennings with the Office of Scholar Development (OSD) noted the process begins when students engage with faculty in research projects. The scholarship provides the students with a unique opportunity by “freeing them to do research, publish articles and focus on school,” she said.

The OSD and the Gatton Academy hosted a representative of the SMART Scholarship to campus to speak with applicants to encourage students to pursue the opportunity. Moreover, OSD and Academy staff helped students to develop and polish their applications, even hosting an intensive essay review workshop.
Haven, the son of Roy and Karen Haven, graduates from the Gatton Academy Saturday. He will use his scholarship to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree program in computer science at Stanford University in California. He will be spending his summers at the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base for his paid internships.

Haven hopes to continue the mathematics research he has been conducting at WKU when he moves to Stanford.  Haven’s research started his first semester at the Gatton Academy as a group effort with Dr. Attila Por in WKU’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science and developed into a one-on-one mentorship where Dr. Por assisted him in a study on algorithms to find the unit element of the Bak–Tang–Wiesenfeld Sandpile model.

“Dr. Por has taught me about a lot of new concepts that I never would have had exposure to otherwise if it weren’t for my research project,” Haven said.
Haven’s research project stemmed from an after-class conversation with Dr. Por and a passion for discrete mathematics that they both share.  “Jacob approaches questions and problems with an open mind and creativity,” Dr. Por said. “As a researcher, he shows determination and picks up new concepts fast.”

Logan, the daughter of Kent and Deborah Logan, will use her scholarship to complete her electrical engineering and physics degree at WKU—she will be the first WKU student to complete these two majors simultaneously.  Logan will spend her summers interning at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico where her focus will be on global positioning systems.

Logan has been working with WKU’s Applied Physics Institute with Dr. Doug Harper and is a member of WKU’s team in the Lunabotics Mining Competition sponsored by NASA. The Lunabotics team, directed by Dr. Stacy Wilson, Dr. Kevin Schmaltz, and Dr. Julie Ellis, is developing a robot that can move moon regolith and will compete in Cocoa Beach, Fla.

Dr. Walter Collett of the Department of Engineering said: “Brittany is an academically talented and extremely conscientious student. She consistently demonstrates a strong commitment to excellence, and has the requisite curiosity and intellectual ability for a very successful career in science and engineering. She is an asset to the engineering program at WKU.”

Logan wants to conduct research in alternative energy fields, such as hybrid vehicles, nuclear energy or updating the current electrical power grid. She said she originally planned to apply for another national scholarship that offered only a two-year scholarship, but was guided to the SMART Scholarship program which will allow her to complete her degree and work on cutting-edge research in some of the most sophisticated, state-of-the-art facilities in the world.   She stated that the scholarship and internships were a “great opportunity, and having a job when I finish my degree is a great relief.”
Both students say they plan to continue their education beyond the program and earn doctorates.

“Amy Eckhardt (OSD director) was very helpful through the entire process,” she said.

About the Office of Scholar Development:
The Office of Scholar Development is committed to helping students on all campuses and in all majors and degree programs develop the vision, experience and skills to be independent, engaged scholars. Students interested in investigating undergraduate research scholarships such as the National Science Foundation scholarships, or postgraduate funding opportunities, including the Fulbright or Rotary International Scholarships, should call to schedule an appointment with the Office of Scholar Development at (270) 745-2081.

About the Carol Martin Gatton Academy:
The Gatton Academy offers a residential program for bright, highly motivated Kentucky high school students who have demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Sixty students each year are admitted to the program through a competitive process. Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, students enroll in the Gatton Academy and live in a uniquely dedicated residence hall. The goals of the Gatton Academy are to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities and to prepare them for leadership roles in Kentucky.  At the end of two years, Gatton Academy students will have earned at least 60 college credit hours in addition to completing high school.

About the SMART Scholarship:
The SMART Scholarship was established by the Department of Defense (DoD) in 2006 to support undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The program aims to increase the number of civilian scientists and engineers working at DoD laboratories. The DoD offers this scholarship for service to individuals who demonstrate outstanding ability and special aptitude for a career in scientific and engineering research and product development, express interest in career opportunities at DoD laboratories and are pursuing a degree in, or closely related to one of the STEM disciplines.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact the Office of Scholar Development at (270) 745-2081.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Selects Class of 2012, Expands Total Enrollment to 128 Students

March 31, 2010 | Admissions, News, WKU | No Comments

Geographic distribution for students applying to the Gatton Academy Class of 2012.
Geographic distribution for students applying to the Gatton Academy Class of 2012.

The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University has selected 61 students for its Class of 2012.

The students in this year’s class span 38 counties from across the Commonwealth. This gifted group of high school sophomores brings with them to the Gatton Academy an average ACT score almost 10 points higher than the statewide average for graduating seniors.

Last fall, 275 students began the admissions process with 125 students qualifying for review. Students were reviewed based on ACT/SAT scores, high school grades, awards, extracurricular activities, responses to essay questions, and letters of recommendation. Earlier this month, 85 candidates were invited for interviews with Academy staff members and representatives from across Kentucky. In the end, 61 dynamic applicants emerged from the review process.

When faced with the talented pool of applicants, Tim Gott, the Academy’s director, knew the program needed to find a way to meet the needs of a greater number of students. Consulting with Academy staff members, a decision was made to expand the student body to 128 students beginning in fall 2010, an increase of nearly 7 percent.

Gott expects these students to continue the level of academic and personal engagement Academy students have demonstrated over the last three years.

“As we begin planning for our fourth year at the Gatton Academy, I am amazed and honored to work with such outstanding students,” Gott said. “The incoming Class of 2012 once again demonstrates the incredible caliber of students from across the Commonwealth. The depth of academic strength and emerging leadership among this group reveals that the state is making a major contribution toward meeting the demand for more professionals in the STEM fields.”

The selected students scored an average composite of 29.2 on the ACT and 29.5 on the math portion of the exam. The highest possible score is 36. The 2009 state average ACT score for graduating Kentucky high school seniors was a composite of 19.4.

“The members of the Gatton Academy’s Class of 2012 have demonstrated they are ready for a greater academic challenge,” said Corey Alderdice, the Academy assistant director for admissions and public relations. “They will bring to WKU a variety of passions and abilities. Our goal will be to sharpen those skills as they grow and mature both academically and socially. Their experiences will be the flagstone in their pursuit to lead Kentucky in the 21st century.”

The incoming class includes students from the following counties: Boone, Bourbon, Boyd, Boyle, Breathitt, Bullitt, Calloway, Campbell, Carroll, Carter, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Daviess, Graves, Hancock, Hardin, Henderson, Henry, Jefferson, Jessamine, Kenton, Larue, Laurel, Logan, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Nelson, Oldham, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Russell, Simpson, Todd, Warren, Wayne and Whitley.

Students from eight new counties were admitted to the Gatton Academy this year.
Students from eight new counties were admitted to the Gatton Academy this year.

This year, eight counties had students admitted to the Gatton Academy for the first time: Breathitt, Carroll, Clay, Clinton, Montgomery, Rockcastle, Russell and Todd.

To date, the Gatton Academy has admitted students from 95 of Kentucky’s 120 counties.

The goals of the Gatton Academy are to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky. Moreover, the Gatton Academy assists in preparing Kentucky to compete in a knowledge-based economy by increasing the number of scientists and engineers who live and work in the state.

Students will finish their junior and senior years of high school living in Schneider Hall and taking courses offered by WKU. At the end of their two-year course of study, they will graduate from high school and have earned at least 60 college credit hours.

The Academy provides a rich living/learning environment designed specifically for academically talented adolescent students that features clubs, organizations and community service. Additionally students are able to participate in advanced research with WKU faculty members. Research conducted during students’ time at the Gatton Academy has been honored in the nationally competitive Siemens Competition, Intel Science Talent Search, Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program, and the Department of Defense Science, Math, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Scholarship Program.

The Gatton Academy is Kentucky’s only state-supported, residential program for high school students with interests in advanced science and math careers and one of sixteen such programs in the nation. In 2009, Newsweek magazine honored the Academy as one of 16 “Public Elite” American high schools.
More information about the Gatton Academy is available online at http://www.wku.edu/academy/.

Students selected for the Gatton Academy Class of 2012

From Boone County: John Ferguson, a student at Cooper High School whose parents are Martha Ferguson and Philip Ferguson; Samantha Hawtrey, a student at Ryle High School whose parents are Claire Hawtrey and Thomas Hawtrey; Lori Lovell, a student at Boone County High School whose parents are Sarah Lovell and Joseph Lovell; and Daniel Dilger, a student at Ryle High School whose parents are Tonya Dilger and Johannes Dilger.

From Bourbon County: Brandon Farmer, a student at Bourbon County High School whose parents are Lisa Farmer and Charles Farmer.

From Boyd County: Curtlyn Kramer, a student at Paul G. Blazer High School whose parents are Betty Rice-Kramer and Curtis Kramer; and Jessica Farrell, a student at Boyd County High School whose parents are Annette Farrell and David Farrell.

From Boyle County: Lukas Missik, a student at Boyle County High School whose parents are Christine Missik and John Missik.

From Breathitt County: Hunter Noble, a student at Breathitt County High School whose parents are Cindy Noble and Gregory Noble.

From Bullitt County: Layne Webb, a student at Bullitt East High School whose parents are Judith Webb and Kevin Webb; Alex Gutierrez, a student at Bullitt East High School whose parents are Bobbi Gutierrez and Leroy Gutierrez; and Anthony Gutierrez, a student at Bullitt East High School whose parents are Bobbi Gutierrez and Leroy Gutierrez.

From Calloway County: Hannah Miller, a student at Murray High School whose parents are Diane Miller and Jeff Miller; and Hannalore Clause, a student at Calloway County High School whose parents are Joyce Clause and Robert Clause.

From Campbell County: Lydia Clark, a student at Campbell County High School whose parents are Dawn Clark and Troy Clark.

From Carroll County: Luke Yap, a student at Carroll County High School whose parents are Tracey Yap and Winston Yap.

From Carter County: Jaymi Porter, a student at West Carter High School whose parent is Jay Porter.

From Christian County: Breck Turner, a student at Hopkinsville High School whose parents are Wendy Turner and William Turner; and Amelia Winters, a student at Christian County High School whose parents are Patrice Johnson-Winters and Tommy Winters.

From Clay County: Caroline Stivers, a student at Clay County High School whose parents are Nancy Stivers and Robert Stivers.

From Clinton County: Ellis Shelley; a student at Clinton County High School whose parent is Charlotte Shelley Bernard.

From Daviess County: William Bickett, a student at Owensboro Catholic High School whose parents are Karen Bickett and Gary Bickett; Leah Wilson, a student at Daviess County High School whose parents are Jean Wilson and Jeff Wilson; and Gabrielle Canant, a student at Daviess County High School whose parents are Paula Canant and Kenneth Canant.

From Graves County: Andrea Eastes, a student at Paducah-Tilghman High School whose parents are Chrissy Eastes and Jeff Eastes; and Daylynn Allison, a student from Graves County High School whose parents are Carrie Burnett and Douglas Allison.

From Hancock County: Jon Warren, a student at Hancock County High School whose parent is DiAnn Warren.

From Hardin County: Matthew Mattingly, a student from Elizabethtown High School whose parents are Jennifer Mattingly and James Mattingly; Samantha McKean, a student at Central Hardin High School whose parents are Julie McKean and John McKean; Landon Wilcox, a student from Elizabethtown High School whose parents are Angela Wilcox and Dale Wilcox; and Cameron Kispert, a student from John Hardin High School whose parents are Jeanine and Kenneth Kispert.

From Henderson County: Christian Jolly, a student from Henderson County High School whose parents are Michelle Jolly and Scott Jolly.

From Henry County: Rachel Metcalfe, a student from Eminence High School whose parents are Tina Stambaugh and Steve Metcalfe.

From Jefferson County: Taylor Leet, a student from Louisville Male High School whose parents are Tila Leet and Allen Leet.

From Jessamine County: Jesse Matherly, a student from West Jessamine High School whose parents are Cindy Matherly and Steve Matherly.

From Kenton County: Logan Eckler, a student from Ludlow High School whose parent is Donna Eckler.

From Larue County: Mary Greenwell, a student from Central Hardin High School whose parents are Neda Greenwell and Paul Greenwell.

From Laurel County: Alexandra DeCarlo, a student from South Laurel High School whose parents are Karen DeCarlo and Anthony DeCarlo.

From Logan County: Victoria Allen, a student from Logan County High School whose parent is Jennifer Allen.

From Madison County: Laura Claytor, a student from Berea Community High School whose parents are Kim Claytor and Joe Claytor.

From Mercer County: Tennesse Joyce, a student from Mercer County High School whose parents are Chantal Joyce and Tim Joyce.

From Montgomery County: Nicholas Zolman, a student from Montgomery County High School whose parents are Katherine Zolman and Mitchell Zolman.

From Nelson County: Rebecca Brown, a student at Nelson County High School whose parents are Susan Brown and Brian Brown; Charlotte Humes, a student at Nelson County High School whose parents are Suzanne Coombs and Louis Humes; and Barbara Still, a student at Nelson County High School whose parent is Arneida Harrise.

From Oldham County: Paul Fleischmann, a student at South Oldham High School whose parents are Maria Fleischmann and Randall Fleischmann.

From Pulaski County: Benjamin Rice, a student at Somerset Christian School whose parents are Jessie Rice and Richard Rice; Melanie Hurst, a student at Southwestern High School whose parents are Treba Hurst and David Hurst; and Aaron Stolze, a student Southwestern High School whose parents are Lisa Stolze and Jason Stolze.

From Rockcastle County: Caroline Green, a student at Rockcastle County High School whose parent is Christie Green.

From Russell County: William Brown, a student at Russell County High School whose parents are Karen Brown and James Brown.

From Simpson County: David Sekora, a student at Franklin-Simpson High School whose parents are Marschelle Sekora and Peter Sekora; and Joseph Tutor, a student at Franklin-Simpson High School whose parents are Tiffany Wilson and Scott Wilson.

From Todd County: Annie Wheeler, a student at Todd County Central High School whose parents are Makka Wheeler and Gerald Wheeler, III.

From Warren County: Michael Crocker, a student at Bowling Green High School whose parents are Patricia Crocker and Scott Crocker; Austin Taing, a student at Greenwood High School whose parent is Yong Taing; Markus Ernst, a student at Bowling Green High School whose parents are Uta Ziegler and Claus Ernst; Jordan Currie, a student at Warren Central High School whose parents are Tamara O’Nan and Christopher Currie; and Holly Morris, a student at Bowling Green High School whose parents are Cindy Morris and Tim Morris.

From Wayne County: Victoria Pulsifer, a student at Monticello High School whose parent is Kathleen Martin.

From Whitley County: Emily Croley, a student at Williamsburg High School whose parent is Debra Croley.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Student, Alumni Honored at State HOSA Conference

March 30, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, Student Success, WKU | No Comments

WKU students have qualified for national competition by placing at the Kentucky Health Occupations Students of America (HOSA) State Leadership Conference.

Victoria Bertke, a senior pre-med major from Reynolds Station and Gatton Academy alumna, and Matthew Kirk, a junior biology major from Livermore and Gatton Academy alumnus, won the post-secondary division for CPR/first aid.

Emily Hall, a Nicholasville student in the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU, won the post-secondary division in medical math.

The state competition was March 9-13 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Louisville and gave students the opportunity to participate in health-related competitions and educational symposiums. Students finishing first, second or third in each competition qualify to compete at the national HOSA conference in Orlando June 22-26.

HOSA is a national student organization endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education. Established in 1976, its mission is to enhance the delivery of compassionate, quality health care by providing opportunities for knowledge, skill and leadership development of all health science technology education students and helping students meet the needs of the health care community.

WKU’s HOSA chapter is sponsored by the South Central Area Health Education Center in WKU’s College of Health and Human Services.

For more information, contact Amy Wininger at (270) 745-6265.

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By Corey Alderdice

[Corey’s Comments] Celebrating the Legacy of Ada Lovelace through the Work of Today’s Women in STEM

March 24, 2010 | News, People, Staff, WKU | No Comments

Ada Lovelace
Ada Lovelace

Today marks a unique celebration for a little known figure in history and science: Ada Lovelace.

Ada Lovelace was born in 1815. Lovelace was one of the world’s first computer programmers, and one of the first people to see computers as more than just a machine for doing sums. She wrote programs for Charles Babbage’s Analytical Engine, a general-purpose computing machine, despite the fact that it was never built. She also wrote the very first description of a computer and of software.

You can read more on the Finding Ada website’s About page or Wikipedia.

Even though her accomplishments are almost two centuries old, history has often lost sight of the countless women who have contributed to the discoveries and discourse that mark some of the greatest achievements in human thought.

Somewhere around fifty years ago, the closest relationship many people observed between women and technology was the vacuum cleaner. It has often been lamented that STEM subjects (science, technology, mathematics, and engineering) are male-dominated fields that are unwelcoming to women. When talking about the Academy to people across the state, I often hear the assumption that we have more male students in our program than females or that there must be way more young men who apply to the program than women. Of course our program is home to sixty female and female students each year.

Perhaps more interesting is the fact that our applicant pool is extremely balanced in terms of male and female applicants, with each previous year fielding applications from more young women than men.

Those 120 students selected to attend the Gatton Academy are pretty lucky to study under and learn from outstanding female educators and professionals. In preparation for writing this article, Tim and I sat in his office listing off the female faculty members who daily deliver engaging lectures, sponsor students in their labs, involve them in their own pursuits, and serve as mentors for our developing young scholars.

Today, we celebrate the legacy of Ada Lovelace by showing our appreciation for women in STEM and the young women who will one day lead in those fields.  Ada Lovelace Day is an international day of blogging to draw attention to the achievements of women in technology and science. Over the last fifty hours, over 2000 individuals from across the world have shared stories about their favorite heroines, mentors, and pioneers. In celebration of Ada Lovelace Day, I asked several female faculty members to weigh in on the role of women in STEM.

Certainly one of the greatest challenges ahead is getting more young women interested in math and science from an early age. This past weekend, Ogden College hosted it’s Girls in Science Day, an event that was featured on the front page of the Sunday edition of the Bowling Green Daily News.

Dr. Uda Ziegler, a professor of computer science at WKU, related some of the major issues that face educators and professionals in cultivating interest in these fields: the examples of STEM (robots, the moon landing, Star Wars, etc.) are geared toward stereotypical male interests; the lack of portrayal of successful women in media in STEM fields; that young women are often more critical of their accomplishments and, as a consequence, often decide they are not “cut out” for STEM; and a substantial attrition of female interest in STEM between grades five and twelve. As these young women enter college and are on the cusp of professional life, they have to juggle the concept of family and perceived social norms.

As Dr. Ziegler so keenly notes, the challenges are many. Dr. Stacy Wilson, a professor of engineering at WKU, added that generating interest requires a balance to “help young women understand that there is great potential for them to have meaningful careers in the STEM disciplines. However, it is also important to equip them with the skills they need to be successful.”

In many ways, though, the key to increasing female interest in STEM is to cultivate an interest in these subjects in all students, noted Dr. Cheryl Davis, a professor of biology. “We must do a better job of teaching science and math to all children,” she said, “especially at the elementary and middle school levels.”

Some of the greatest examples of high-level learning in math and science are found each year in the Intel Science Talent Search. High school students from across the country demonstrate that innovation is not constrained to the future or advanced degrees. Young women and men are already shaping the discourse that will be important in fashioning the role of America in STEM this century.

In Saturday’s New York Times, columnist Thomas Friedman, a friend of STEM and author of such books as The World is Flat, shared his experiences at this year’s awards ceremony. His passion for these subjects is clear. One passage from the column struck me as quite powerful:

Seriously, ESPN or MTV should broadcast the Intel finals live. All of the 40 finalists are introduced, with little stories about their lives and aspirations. Then the winners of the nine best projects are announced. And finally, with great drama, the overall winner of the $100,000 award for the best project of the 40 is identified. This year it was Erika Alden DeBenedictis of New Mexico for developing a software navigation system that would enable spacecraft to more efficiently “travel through the solar system.” After her name was called, she was swarmed by her fellow competitor-geeks.

Young women like Erika are the future of STEM. At the Gatton Academy, we’re happy to help provide female and male students with the experiences and momentum to change the world through research, inquiry, and innovation in science and math.

I think Ada would be proud of the work we’re doing, our outstanding mentors, and the infinite possibilities ahead.

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By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy to Sponsor Chess Grandmaster Lecture, Demonstration at WKU Open

March 23, 2010 | News, Student Life, WKU | No Comments

Photo Illustration
Photo Illustration

The WKU Knights Chess Club will host the second annual WKU Open on April 10.

Tournament play will begin at 10 a.m. at Garrett Conference Center. On-site registration will begin at 8 a.m.

The WKU Open will include an adult section as well as college team and scholastic (K-12) individual/team tournaments.

Tournament information, including fees and other registration details, is available online at http://www.hilltopperchess.net.

In addition, the first 35 children who register will have a chance to meet Grandmaster and world-class chess player Jaan Ehlvest at 6 p.m. April 9. Ehlvest will present a lecture then play the 35 children simultaneously. His visit is sponsored by the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky.

World-class chess player and International Master Todd Andrews also will be participating in the event. Both Ehlvest and Andrews are members from the Nashville Chess Center and supportive of the WKU initiative to expand scholastic and community chess programs throughout the region.

For information about the WKU Open, contact Samuel J. Hunt at (918) 809-6278 or email hilltopperchess@live.com.

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By Corey Alderdice

WKU to Host Girls in Science Day on March 20

March 17, 2010 | News, WKU | No Comments

girls in science logoWKU’s annual Girls in Science Day will be held Saturday (March 20).

The event is an opportunity for girls in grades 4-7 to meet with leading scientists at WKU, ask questions and participate in activities involving science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The all-day event begins at 8 a.m. with registration in the Thompson Complex Central Wing lobby followed at 8:30 with an introduction by Observatory Education Scientist Rachel Campbell in Snell Hall Auditorium.

Between 9 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., girls will participate in three classes at various locations in Ogden College of Science and Engineering. They can choose from 12 classes including the life of a bee keeper, volcanoes, seeing the tricks behind optical illusions and building your own lunar rover.

The lunar rover class will include an interactive demonstration of a lunar excavator being constructed for a NASA robot competition by the WKU Department of Engineering’s “Lunabotics” Team.

The students will have lunch at noon in Snell Hall Auditorium. A Chemistry Magic Show (which is open to the students’ parents) will begin at 1:15 in Snell Hall Auditorium to conclude the day’s events.

For more information, contact Rachel Campbell at (270) 745-5940.

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By Corey Alderdice

Former Academy RC, WKU Graduate Traveling To Argentina On Fulbright Grant

March 11, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, WKU | No Comments

Katherine Hale, a 2007 Western Kentucky University graduate and former Academy Residential Counselor, will leave fulbrightSaturday to spend eight months in Argentina as a recipient of a 2009-2010 Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) grant.

Hale, an Honors College graduate who majored in Spanish, German and Religious Studies, received one of 15 Fulbright grants available to teach English in Argentina.

Hale plans to apply for graduate school at the end of her Fulbright year and begin studies in the fall of 2011, but she hasn’t determined a specific degree program to pursue.

“ETAs in Argentina instruct at Teacher Training Institutes, a fact that was particularly appealing to Katherine, as she is considering a career teaching at the university level,” said Jeanne Sokolowski, Fulbright application coordinator for WKU’s Office of Scholar Development. “Though there are ETA grants available to teach in more than 40 countries, Katherine chose wisely in applying to Argentina, as the program there fits with her long-term goals.”

Hale hopes that the Fulbright experience will help her determine her career path. “I plan to work either as a college professor or an international programs administrator,” Hale said. “I am excited about the opportunity to gain experience teaching at the college level.”

From March to November, Hale will be working as a language assistant at the Universidad Nacional de Villa María (National University of Villa María) in Villa María, Córdoba, Argentina.

“My work will consist of giving presentations on cultural and historical topics relating to the United States in English classes and otherwise providing assistance to faculty and students within the English department,” Hale said.

Since the teaching load is not full-time, ETAs also propose a supplementary project or suggest activities that will help involve them in their local communities. “In continuation of my most recent work as a Preschool ESL Assistant in Warren County Schools,” Hale said, “I plan to volunteer at an orphanage, working in small groups with the young, preschool-aged children with the goal of developing their pre-literacy skills. I will do this primarily through reading, word games and conversations. I plan to track their progress in letter recognition and phonological awareness over the months that I spend working with them.”

Hale said another goal during her Fulbright experience in Argentina is to improve her Spanish to a level that will give her the confidence to work as a part-time interpreter she returns to the United States.

This will not be Hale’s first experience living abroad. She spent a semester in Morelia, Mexico, studying Spanish with the Kentucky Institute for International Studies. As part of her undergraduate studies in German, she spent a semester at the University of Education Vienna in Austria.

“I am excited to see that Katherine will spend time in Argentina, where she can immerse herself in the Argentine culture and continue her study of Spanish,” said Dr. Laura McGee, WKU German professor and Interim Head of Modern Languages. “No doubt the year will be very productive for her future.”

Sokolowski noted that the 2009-2010 Fulbright cycle was the second time Hale had applied for the ETA grant. “Students sometimes think you apply once and if you don’t get something, that’s it,” she said. “However, in Katherine’s case, her decision to apply again was a testament to her perseverance, and it paid off.”

While students like Hale work closely with the Office of Scholar Development on Fulbright applications, Sokolowski noted that “faculty are a key element in recruiting and encouraging students in applying for this, one of the most prestigious scholarships.”

“I am particularly grateful for the guidance Amy Eckhardt of the Honors College at WKU provided throughout my Fulbright application process,” Hale said. “And four other professors who have been mentors and were instrumental in helping me receive the grant: Dr. Lawrence Snyder, Dr. Laura McGee and Dr. Sonia Lenk of WKU and Dr. Fred de Rosset of Berea College.”

The Fulbright Program, America’s flagship international educational exchange program, is sponsored by the United States Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

Six WKU students applied for the 2010-2011 Fulbright application cycle, with four advancing to the final round review. The next application cycle opens in May; students interested in applying are encouraged to contact Jeanne Sokolowski at jeanne.sokolowski@wku.edu at the Office of Scholar Development to start the process.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Jeanne Sokolowski at (270) 745-2081.

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By Corey Alderdice

Wilcutt Urges Gatton Academy, WKU Students to Keep Dreaming of Space

February 19, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, Student Life, WKU | No Comments

Academy Student and Staff had the opportunity to discuss space, STEM, and innovation in a small-group setting.
Academy Student and Staff had the opportunity to discuss space, STEM, and innovation in a small-group setting.

Even though the space shuttle program has only four missions left and the U.S. space program is facing an uncertain budgetary future, NASA astronaut Terry Wilcutt urged students at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky to keep reaching for the stars.

The seemingly impossible challenge of missions to the moon or Mars “takes the best the country has to offer,” Wilcutt said. “That’s you.”

Wilcutt visited with Gatton students Anthony Bombik (Boone ’11), Kaitlyn Oliver (Muhlenberg ’10), Tejas Sangoi (Daviess ’11), and Michael Phillips (Marshall ’11).

In the morning session with Gatton students and an afternoon session with WKU students, Wilcutt said one key to working for NASA or becoming an astronaut is an undergraduate degree in math, science, engineering or other technical fields. But the most important thing is simply to fill out the NASA job application.

“The number one reason qualified people don’t make it is they don’t apply,” said Wilcutt, a Russellville native and 1974 WKU graduate. “Most people in the astronaut office applied more than once. They had a dream and refused to let go of it.”

Wilcutt taught high school math in Louisville before joining the U.S. Marine Corps in 1976 and earning his wings in 1978. In 1986, Wilcutt was selected to attend the U.S Naval Test Pilot School and was selected by NASA in 1990 and became an astronaut in 1991.

“For all means, have the nerve to apply,” he said. “If this is your dream, you’ve got to give NASA a chance to say yes.”

Wilcutt was the pilot on two space shuttle flights in 1994 and 1996 and the mission commander on flights in 1998 and 2000. The retired Marine Corps colonel now serves as director of Safety & Mission Assurance at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Wilcutt has “mixed feelings” as the space shuttle program winds down. “They’re going to miss it,” he said.

Astronaut Col. Terry Wilcutt is a native of Russelville and a 19XX graduate of WKU.
Astronaut Col. Terry Wilcutt is a native of Russelville and a 1974 graduate of WKU.

Next up for the space program is “game-changing technology” that would take humans back to the moon or to Mars, he said. But President Obama and Congress must agree on the NASA budget and other space program issues, Wilcutt said.

“Now that the president has laid out his vision, it’s up to us at NASA to go out and do it,” he said.

The NASA budget is just one-half of 1 percent of the U.S. budget and has shown its benefits in medical, environmental and scientific research, exploration, international cooperation and STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education among others, Wilcutt said.

“We’re not really an expense,” he said. “We’re an investment.”

Wilcutt said the best part of working for NASA is “the people you work with and the access to information” on topics like black holes, dark energy, cancer research, astrophysics and more.

“Every single day there something interesting coming through our office,” he said. “It’s like being a kid in the candy store if you have intellectual curiosity. No matter what you’re interested in, at NASA you’ll find the latest and greatest.”

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By Corey Alderdice

Video Blog: Sydney Blasts Off With WKU Alum, NASA Astronaut Terry Wilcutt

February 18, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, Research, Video, WKU | No Comments

[Video Blog] Sydney Blasts Off With WKU Alum, NASA Astronaut Terry Wilcutt from Gatton Academy on Vimeo.

Even though the space shuttle program has only four missions left and the U.S. space program is facing an uncertain budgetary future, NASA astronaut Terry Wilcutt urged students at WKU to keep reaching for the stars.

The seemingly impossible challenge of missions to the moon or Mars “takes the best the country has to offer,” Wilcutt told a group of students at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky. “That’s you.”

Later that afternoon, first-year student Syndey Combs has the opportunity to chat one-on-one with Col. Wilcutt about STEM, NASA, and making a difference.

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By Corey Alderdice