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WKU Receives $500K Challenge Grant for i4 Initiative

January 30, 2012 | Academics, Gifted Ed, News, People, STEM Discussions, WKU | No Comments

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WKU has received a $500,000 challenge grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation in support of the i⁴ Initiative, a new campus project emphasizing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in Kentucky. Sue and Brown Badgett Jr. of Madisonville, Ky., have made a lead gift of $150,000 to support the program.

“The Center for Gifted Studies, the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and the Honors College at WKU are collaborating on this project,” said Amanda Lich, the Director of Development for the three related areas. “The i⁴ Initiative seeks to promote a culture of innovation through a series of outreach and programming opportunities that instill a sense of the importance of STEM exploration, inspire Kentuckians to foster excellence and growth in STEM, and increase the capacity of high-ability students from middle, secondary and postsecondary populations to engage in these fields.”

The i⁴ Initiative comprises three main components. First, the i⁴ Initiative will launch a statewide public relations campaign showing the power of STEM, the possible career options within STEM disciplines and the course to achievement. An interactive website with STEM content, social media, a billboard campaign, and other vehicles of community outreach will be utilized throughout the Commonwealth.

Pathways to Innovation, the second element of the project, offers a three-part strategy to engage high-ability middle grades, high school and college students through existing and new WKU programs. The Summer Program for Verbally and Mathematically Precocious Youth (VAMPY) will add three new Seminars in Innovation that focus on mobile applications development, invention and sustainability. A Winter Colloquium in Innovation will be added to the WKU class schedule to take advantage of the three-week open period on campus where students from the Gatton Academy, the Honors College and other disciplines can focus on the start-up phase of innovative projects. A lecture series featuring state and national STEM leaders and entrepreneurial thinkers will be held on campus.

The third facet of the i⁴Initiative is the WKU Innovation Incubator that will serve the same role as a business startup accelerator, but will instead focus on students. Access to the Incubator will be by competition, with students receiving a grant toward materials needed to produce a proof-of-concept. The Incubator also will serve as a conversion point and outreach tool for younger students, with visits by elementary, middle and high school students for demonstrations and engagement. The Center for Research and Development, home to the WKU Small Business Accelerator, will be hosting the WKU Innovation Incubator.

“The i⁴Initiative is designed around the concept that students should be mentored to take charge of their future,” said Dr. Gordon Baylis, Vice President for Research and President of the WKU Research Foundation. “As the late Steve Jobs pointed out, the only way to predict the future is to invent it yourself. The i⁴Initiative prepares our students for a life of inquiry, inspiration, innovation and invention: it is a path to a bright future for us all. I am delighted that the Student Business Accelerator is an integral part of this initiative.”

WKU is in the process of hiring an individual to oversee the implementation of the i⁴ Initiative. This individual will coordinate the public relations campaign and outreach activities of the program and will work to ensure that all facets of the i⁴ Initiative are effectively implemented.

Dr. Julia Roberts, Executive Director of The Center for Gifted Studies and the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, said she is thrilled with the opportunities this grant offers.

“A culture that fosters and values innovation drives the economy forward and improves so many aspects of our lives,” Dr. Roberts said. “We are eager to embark on the i⁴Initiative and to explore ways to make innovation important in Kentucky schools and communities as well as at The Center for Gifted Studies, the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, the Honors College at WKU and Western Kentucky University.”

The James Graham Brown Foundation was established in 1943. The Foundation, based in Louisville, was created by Brown to “promote the well-being of the citizens of Louisville and Kentucky.” Since its incorporation in 1954, the Foundation has awarded more than 2,700 grants totaling nearly $463 million. In early 2011, the Foundation announced it had allocated $2 million for its first-ever Higher Education Competitive Grant Program. WKU was one of four higher education entities in Kentucky to receive funding.

The James Graham Brown Foundation will match $1 for every $1 raised up to $500,000 until Dec.1, 2013.

“We are so pleased to partner with WKU and the Brown Foundation to invest in the next generation of innovators in Kentucky,” lead donor Brown Badgett said. “Sue and I feel strongly that nurturing and supporting the creativity of university scholars will reap benefits for the entire Commonwealth. We look forward to what the future holds.”

Lich said WKU is excited for the opportunity to leverage the remarkable human and intellectual resources of The Center for Gifted Studies, the Gatton Academy and the Honors College in implementing the i⁴ Initiative through the support of the James Graham Brown Foundation, Sue and Brown Badgett and others. In addition to the Badgetts’ lead gift, an additional $34,000 has been raised for the project.

The National Center for Educational Statistics (2009) reports that only 12 percent of bachelor’s degrees conferred in Kentucky are in STEM fields. The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation and The Kauffman Foundation found in The 2010 State New Economy Index: Benchmarking Economic Transformation in the States that Kentucky ranks 46th in the number of inventor patents issues, 43rd in the number of scientists and engineers, 43rd in the number of high tech jobs, 42nd in alternative energy and 42nd in venture capital. In order for the Commonwealth to be competitive in this century, more engagement in the STEM fields must take place.

Contact: Rick DuBose, (270) 745-5404.

By Corey Alderdice

Joyce Presents Research at World’s Largest Mathematics Meeting

January 19, 2012 | News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments

What began as an independent research project for a student at WKU’s Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky recently led to a presentation at the largest annual mathematics meeting in the world.

Tennesse “Tucker” Joyce, a second-year Gatton Academy student from Harrodsburg, delivered an oral presentation titledUsing a Mathematical Model to Analyze the Treatment of a Wound Infection with Oxygen Therapy at the Mathematical Association of America and the American Mathematical Society’s 2012 Joint Mathematics Meeting on Jan. 6. The conference brought nearly 7,200 mathematicians from around the world together for four-days in Boston.

While Joyce has previously presented his research findings at student conferences, the Joint Mathematics Meeting put him on-stage in front of a different kind of audience.

Second-year Gatton Academy student Tennesse “Tucker” Joyce of Harrodsburg presented his mathematical modeling research at the 2012 Joint Mathematics Meeting in Boston on Jan. 6.

“It was a different experience than previous conferences I’ve been to,” Joyce said. “Though the audience was not much larger, the people watching were experts in my field. I received some great questions and input after the talk, and I got to focus more on the results and significance than I usually do because I did not have to explain the technical mathematics as much.”

Joyce’s research is directed by Dr. Richard Schugart, assistant professor inWKU’s Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. “Tucker is the most gifted student that I have worked with. A professor at another university described his work at the level of a master’s project. I believe Tucker has the potential to be a research mathematician should he choose that as a career path,” Schugart said.

The project uses mathematics to investigate what is an estimated $5 billion to $10 billion problem a year in the medical treatment community. “My research involves analyzing a mathematical model, developed by Dr. Schugart, to describe the interaction of different cell types in a chronic wound. I presented analytic and qualitative results as well as several numerically generated diagrams,” Joyce said.

Schugart added: “Ideally, we would like to use the model and the mathematics behind the model to identify the amount of supplemental oxygen needed to eliminate a bacterial infection from a chronic wound.”

WKU faculty such as Dr. Schugart mentor Gatton Academy students in independent, extra-curricular research projects each semester; 85 percent of Gatton Academy students participate in independent research before their graduation from the Academy.

For Joyce, his research experience is helping develop his plans. “Research sounded cool to apply my knowledge to a problem with direct real-world significance,” he said. “My work on this project has shown me that I am interested in applied math, and I have recently been looking into that as a possible major in college and possibly a career.”

About the 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 that 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. In 2011, Newsweek magazine ranked the Gatton Academy fifth nationally among all public high schools as part of their annual “America’s Best High Schools” listing.

Contact: Corey Alderdice, (270) 745-2971.

By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy among 21 Kentucky High Schools Selected for “Poetry Out Loud”

November 4, 2011 | Academics, News, People, Students | No Comments

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The Kentucky Arts Council has selected 21 high schools to participate in the state competition for the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. This is the seventh year of the program, which encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation.

The selected schools are:

School	City	County

Allen Co./Scottsville High School	Scottsville	Allen
Ballard High School	Louisville	Jefferson
Beechwood High School	Ft Mitchell	Kenton
Boyd Co. High School	Ashland	Boyd
Carroll Co. High School	Carrollton	Carroll
Fairview High School	Ashland	Boyd
Franklin Co. High School	Frankfort	Franklin
Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky	Bowling Green	Warren
Grant Co. High School	Dry Ridge	Grant
Greenwood High School	Bowling Green	Warren
Harlan Co. High School	Baxter	Harlan
Hart Co. High School	Munfordville	Hart
Hazard High School	Hazard	Perry
Heath High School	West Paducah	McCracken
Leslie Co. High School	Hyden	Leslie
Lone Oak High School	Paducah	McCracken
Mercer Co. High School	Harrodsburg	Mercer
Ohio Co. High School	Hartford	Ohio
Reidland High School	Paducah	McCracken
Russell Co. High School	Russell Springs	Russell
Western Hills High School	Frankfort	Franklin

Poetry Out Loud begins at the classroom level. Winners advance to a school-wide competition, then to the state competition and ultimately to the national finals. Last year, more than 300,000 students participated in the Poetry Out Loud program in 50 states, five U.S. territories and the District of Columbia.

The winner of the Kentucky state finals, to be held in March 2012 in Frankfort, will receive $200 and an all-expenses-paid trip with an adult chaperone to Washington, D.C., to compete for the national championship. The state winner’s school will receive a $500 stipend for the purchase of poetry books. The first runner-up will receive $100, with $200 going to his or her school library. The program culminates with the national finals in Washington, D.C., May 13–15, 2012. A total of $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be awarded at the national finals.

“We are very pleased to be able to continue this program. Our Kentucky champions have been finalists in the national competition in five of the six years of Poetry Out Loud,” said Lori Meadows, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council. “Maybe the 2012 national champion will be a student from one of these 21 Kentucky schools.”

For additional information about Poetry Out Loud in Kentucky, contact Rachel Allen at rachel.allen@ky.gov or 502-564-3757, ext. 486. For a general overview of the Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest, go towww.poetryoutloud.org.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, creates opportunities for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

By Corey Alderdice

Five Gatton Academy Seniors Recognized as National Semifinalists in 2011 Siemens Competition

November 1, 2011 | Academics, News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments

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Five second-year students at WKU’s Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky have been recognized by the Siemens Foundation as national semifinalists in the 2011 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology.

Five second-year students at the Gatton Academy have been recognized as national semifinalists in the 2011 Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology. (WKU photos by Clinton Lewis)

Keaton Smith, a senior from Alexandria, was recognized in the individual competition. Andrea Eastes, a senior from Mayfield, and Lydia Brothers, a senior from Madisonville, along with Lori Lovell, a senior from Florence, and Samantha Hawtrey, a senior from Union, were honored in the team category.

As the nation’s leading original research competition in math, science and technology for high school students, the Siemens Competition is administered annually by the College Board, and awards scholarships to students in both individual and team categories.

An all-time record 2,436 students nationwide registered to enter the 2011-12 Siemens Competition for an unprecedented 1,541 projects submitted. Approximately 300 semifinalists were recognized.

Reaching the semifinalist stage of this competition puts any student into an elite crowd of the nation’s top high school-aged researchers. To achieve this accolade, students each committed hundreds of hours outside their course schedules researching, writing their reports and refining drafts with their mentors.

Derick Strode, the Gatton Academy’s coordinator for research, internships and scholarships, said research not only serves as an important part of the Academy experience, but also is the springboard to future pursuits.

“Independent research allows motivated high school students a chance to explore a passion and try out a possible career path,” Strode said. “While young, these students are also proving they are ready to make serious contribution to research questions that affect our society.”

(more…)

By Corey Alderdice

Students Shift Gears in Transitioning to Life at the Academy

October 27, 2011 | News, People, Student Life, Students | No Comments

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by Rachel Metcalfe, Academy Avatar

Unlike any other high school experience, moving into a residence hall and taking challenging classes is what all the juniors and seniors at the Gatton Academy are asked to take on–two years earlier than expected. Along with this huge responsibility comes major change and some of the students share just what the transition means to them.

In terms of academics, the rigor of college classes seems to be at the top of everyone’s major transition list.

“I really like the challenging, unique, and different environment,” reports Hannah Pennington, a member of the Class of 2013.

Alonna Ballinger, who has been at the Academy only a couple of months, reflects on her time at the academy so far. Ballinger explained the support systems in place for students are extremely beneficial.

“I like that people are always around me that can help me with my work,” Ballinger said. “If I am ever in need of assistance, I can just ask any of my friends that I now live with, as opposed to having to wait until I got back to school to ask the teacher.”

Other major transitions that students noted include living with new friends, having a roommate, and managing their time effectively.

Cecily Allen, who is also a first-year student, said she really enjoys having complete independence to make her own schedule and figure out what works best for her. “Not having class from the normal eight to three every day is really nice,” Allen said.

Similar to the juniors, some seniors discussed how, although they are already accustomed to the academic lifestyle of the Academy, there are still transitions they are making.

Allie DeCarlo remarked that her biggest change has been both and mental and role shift in becoming a senior member of the student body. “I was really good friends with some of the seniors last year, and now that they have graduated and I am a senior,” she said. “I have had to transition into meeting and making friends with the new juniors.”

Overall, the students at the Gatton Academy are finding their own ways of adjusting to their new lifestyle, whether it be seeking out tutors for academic help, talking to Pokey if they are stressed, or making new friends to take a break and play Ping-Pong with. Each new school year brings new challenges, and the Gatton Academy students are stepping up to the plate, taking on those transitions as if they were simple derivatives.

By Corey Alderdice

Academy Alumni Co-Author Findings in Journal of Chromatography B

October 24, 2011 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, WKU | No Comments

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Congrats to alumni Camille Turner and Zach Laux on having their research findings they co-authored with faculty at WKU published in the Journal of Chromatography B. This journal publishes papers on developments in separation science relevant to biology and biomedical research including both fundamental advances and applications.

By Corey Alderdice

Academy Seniors Share Research at Argonne National Laboratory

October 24, 2011 | Academics, News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments

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by Will Bickett, Academy Avatar

A group of second-year students at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU presented their physics research at Argonne National Laboratory’s Annual Undergraduate Symposium.

Will Bickett, Lydia Brothers, Andrea Eastes, Christian Jolly, and Ben Rice, along with a group of other WKU students were selected by the Department of Physics and Astronomy to share their findings.Students not only got the chance to tour the immense facility and see firsthand the ground-breaking research being done there, but also to give talks about their research and attend a variety of other presentations.

The Argonne National Laboratory is the oldest and one of the most prestigious of the nation’s research facilities. With its roots reaching back to the Manhattan Project, Argonne has been the birthplace of countless discoveries and marvels of human innovation. Since 1946, Argonne National Lab has vastly broadened its initiatives to include Hard X-Ray Sciences, Leadership Computing, Materials for Energy, Electrical Energy Storage, Alternate Energy and Efficiency, Electrical Energy Storage, Nuclear Energy, Biological and Environmental Systems, and National Security. The Laboratory also houses the Argonne Tandem Linac Accelerator System or (ATLAS) which is the world’s first superconducting particle accelerator and the Advanced Photon Source or (APS) which is a massive synchrotron X-Ray research facility that produces the world’s largest and brightest X-Rays.

“The APS was by far one of the most impressive research facilities I’ve ever seen,” said Jolly. ” The sheer amount and variety of research done was very inspiring to me as an upcoming astrophysicist. Surprisingly enough, I also really enjoyed the biology talks done at the conference. They were fascinating and very well done.”

Jolly wasn’t the only one who enjoyed the conference and the lab though. All the students vastly appreciated the opportunity to participate in an event at one of our nation’s most prominent research labs.

The trip was hardly all work and no play though. Students lived like Chicagoans and dined on Giordano’s famous Chicago-style stuffed pizza, Portillo’s Hot Dogs, and other fine Chicago favorites. As a reward for their excellent work in presenting on Friday, Students were set free in the Windy City on Saturday to be blown about and throughout. After being dropped off on Chicago’s number one tourist attraction or Navy Pier, Academy students bought Chicago Go-Cards and set out. Traveling by trolley, students rode in style through the crowded streets while listening to the bizarre and insightful facts provided by the fabulous tour guides. Students also ascended to the tops of both the sky-scraping Willis Tower and John-Hancock Building, placing themselves at the paramount of the famous Chicago Sky-line. Academy students, being typical nerds, finished up the day exploring the first planetarium built in the Western Hemisphere, Adler Planetarium, and the U.S.’s largest indoor aquarium, Shedd Aquarium.

When asked about the trip, Eastes added that the research and social experiences for the trip were “world class.”

“Argonne is world class facility where cutting edge research is taking place every day,” Eastes said. “Seeing where this is happening and learning about exciting research being done by other undergraduates while sharing my research was a fantastic experience. The icing on the cake was definitely having time to explore Chicago, visit places like the Hancock building, the skydeck, the shed aquarium, Navy Pier, Adler planetarium, and have pretty amazing trolley tours of the city.”

So if you ever find yourself with the chance to visit the Chicago area, be sure to stop by Argonne, you might need security clearance first though and check out those world class facilities. Also, swing by downtown Chicago and see the sights, but be sure to never ask for ketchup on your hot dog.

Visit these links if you want to learn more about:

The Argonne National Lab: http://www.dep.anl.gov/index.html

The Jeweler’s Building or other famous Chicago Architecture: http://www.chicagoarchitecture.info/Building/1064/35-East-Wacker-Drive.php

Adler Planetarium: http://www.adlerplanetarium.org/

Or Shedd Aquarium: http://www.sheddaquarium.org/

By Corey Alderdice

First-Year Students Focus on Leadership, Personal Growth in Annual Retreat

October 17, 2011 | News, People, Student Life, Students | No Comments

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by Erin Walch, Academy Avatar

The first few weeks at the Gatton Academy are never easy.

Studying for new college classes, waking yourself up every morning, and figuring out that you will type the words class, new, if, and then in java programming more than you every thought are all challenges juniors at the Academy face. College as a high school junior was never expected to be easy, so each year, our hardworking junior class travels to Camp Loucon for a leadership retreat to broaden their perspectives and refresh their motivation. While at the two-day camp, juniors interact with Academy counselor Dr. Christopher “Pokey” Bowen and director Tim Gott on activities involving personality styles, leadership dynamics, goal-setting and relationship maturity.

The activities on Saturday consisted of a morning drive to Loucon, followed closely by icebreakers and a crash course in leadership with Tim in the seminar Exploring Leadership. During this session, students made index cards that best represented their interpersonal qualities and strengths.

Saturday afternoon, Pokey dove into the types of leaders each student discovered themselves to be in the Personality and Leadership Style seminar. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator was taken by the students to determine their personality styles, and from that information, learn about the types of leaders they could be. In groups, the juniors figured out the ways in which different types of leaders can work together effectively in a professional setting.

Pokey ended the day with a session titled Creating a Life Mission and Vision, which contemplated the struggles and triumphs every student is bound to face at the Gatton Academy. Students separated into groups and collaboratively produced headlines that represented a future goal or achievement they thought Academy students would embody in the future. Hopes of world peace and cures for cancer were among the headlines constructed by students. Later, each student brainstormed a personal mission statement that reflected their goals for the future, and gave them a chance to introspectively analyze themselves.

First-year student Lexi Sunnenberg enjoyed the planning aspects of the day. “My favorite part of the seminar was mapping out my goals for the future,” she said. “It really gave me a better sense of who I am and who I want to be; the seminar also really taught me to focus on myself and my goals, and to not worry about the opinions of others.”

The juniors ended the day with a massive game of zombie tag and a midnight walk to Lake Loucon with Tim. Both activities gave a chance for the students to bond over the shared experiences of the day and expend the pent up anxiety brewing from the first few weeks of classes.

Kesi Amira enjoyed this time to cut loose and relax, explaining the retreat was a good change of pace. “I appreciated having time to get to know other students without the pressure of classes, and enjoyed taking a break from the rapidity of daily life during Tim’s peaceful night walk.”

Wade Vierheller described the natural surroundings of Camp Loucon, of which a bit of peace and quiet was a big change from campus life. “I loved being around so much nature because it reminded me of home,” Vierheller said. “Campus is so loud all the time, so I really liked the quiet. In addition stargazing with Tim was really cool!”

Before leaving for the Academy Sunday afternoon, students spent the morning with Tim, discussing the growth and maturity juniors will begin to experience in the coming semesters at the Gatton Academy in the Exploring Relationships session.

For some juniors, this year’s leadership retreat was a release from the stresses of a newfound college life, but for others the trip to Camp Loucon provided insight into the traits and habits that make us unique leaders. Amidst the beautiful hiking trails and serene lakeside of Loucon, its evident this camp experience will provide lasting lessons and memories for the future.

By Corey Alderdice

Academy Executive Director Julia Roberts Receives State Group’s William T. Nallia Award

October 17, 2011 | Gifted Ed, News, People, Staff, WKU | No Comments

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Dr. Julia Roberts, executive director of The Center for Gifted Studies and the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU, is the recipient of the Kentucky Association of School Administrators‘ 2011 William T. Nallia Award. She was presented with the award Oct. 14 at WKU by KASA’s Vice President Paul Mullins, principal at LaRue County High School, and President-Elect Rita Muratalla, principal at Zoneton Middle School (Bullitt County Schools).

The William T. Nallia Award honors an education leader who reflects the spirit of innovation and cutting edge leadership while bringing higher levels of success and learning to children. The award is named in honor of William T. Nallia, a KASA executive director from 1975-1986. Under Nallia’s leadership, the organization experienced tremendous growth and has since remained at the forefront of innovation in public education in Kentucky.

Dr. Roberts, the Mahurin Professor of Gifted Studies, is an influential figure in gifted education on a state, national and international level. She was awarded the 2011 Acorn Award at the Annual Governor’s Conference on Postsecondary Education Trusteeship, was named one of the 100 gifts WKU has given to the world, received the very first David W. Berlin Advocacy Award from the National Association for Gifted Children, and was named one of the 55 most influential people in the field of gifted education in Profiles of Influence in Gifted Education. She serves as treasurer of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children and president of the Council for Exceptional Children—The Association for the Gifted. She has authored numerous articles, chapters, and books, including the Legacy Award-winningStrategies for Differentiating Instruction: Best Practices for the Classroom co-authored with Tracy Inman in 2009.

Dr. Roberts is also responsible for opening a state-funded residential high school for students gifted in science and math, The Gatton Academy. After 10 years of advocacy work, Dr. Roberts was able to open the doors and has welcomed her fifth class this fall. The academy was recently recognized in Newsweek as one of the nation’s top five high schools.

“Dr. Roberts is a servant leader who keeps her eye on the prize. She is an extremely talented individual who has been a force in helping many students in Kentucky succeed,” Wayne Young, executive director of KASA, said.

“Julia’s passion for gifted children drives her leadership vision. She communicates this vision gently, but persistently, with all she does and with everyone she meets. The kids come first,” Lynette Baldwin, executive director of the Kentucky Association for Gifted Education, said.

Representing nearly 3,000 education leaders, KASA has members in every school district in the commonwealth. KASA has been connecting education leaders to policymakers, legislators and other interest groups in addition to providing numerous benefits and services to Kentucky’s school administrators for over 40 years.

For more information, contact Abigale Piper at (502) 875-3411

By Corey Alderdice

Finding Ada, Creating Pathways for Young Women in STEM

October 7, 2011 | STEM Discussions | No Comments

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We like to celebrate a variety of weird and nerdy “holidays” here at the Gatton Academy. From Pi Day to Mole Day and a host of minor celebrations in between, these moments present an opportunity to remind students about why STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is such an exciting field. Today marks the day of which I’m the most fond: Ada Lovelace Day. More than celebrating a number or measurement, this online event champions the work of women across STEM disciplines by honoring a true innovator who was way ahead of her time.

The Finding Ada website offers this brief summary of Lovelace’s life and work:

Ada Lovelace is widely held to have been the first computer programmer. Close friends with inventor Charle Babbage, Lovelace was intrigued by his Analytical Engine and in 1842, she translated a description of it by italian mathematician Luigi Menabrea. Babbage asked her to expand the article, “as she understood [it] so well”, and this was when she wrote several early ‘computer programs’. Ada Lovelace died of cancer at 36, her potential tragically unfulfilled.

Few were able to grasp the concepts Babbage pitched, but that didn’t stop Ada from testing the boundaries of thought. More important–as you can see in the sentiment below–was her realization of the continual progress of science, the promise of future realization, and the simple fact that others would someday take up her work:

“Even in the utilitarian aspect, however, we do not doubt that very valuable practical results would be developed by the extended faculties of the Analytical Engine; some of which results we think we could now hint at, had we the space; and others, which it may not yet be possible to foresee, but which would be brought forth by the daily increasing requirements of science, and by a more intimate practical acquaintance with the powers of the engine, were it in actual existence.”

We’re certainly proud to do our part in the effort to train a new generation of young women who will be innovators, thought-leaders, and key players in the scientific discussions that will shape this young century. Recent graduates like Sarah and Clarice are already making their mark. (I could easily fill this post with the great research and accomplishments of many of our female students.) The Gatton Academy is also fortunate to have numerous female faculty members in Ogden College of Science and Engineering at Western Kentucky University who educate and inspire our students. Programs on campus like Women in Science and Engineering and SKyTeach are doing great work with young women as well.

We’re not the only group in Kentucky who seeks to inspire young women. Today is also a great day to talk about the Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative. In 2009, Kentucky Educational Television aired a panel discussion that included several Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative members outlining the importance of encouraging participation in STEM career paths, highlighting challenges to STEM engagement, and providing an overview of Collaborative services and goals. Participants reviewed factors that hinder girls’ involvement and success in STEM subject, including a lack of role models and the perception that smart girls are not socially successful. Panelists also outlined Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative specific services, short- and long-term goals, financial aid available to Kentucky girls interested in the sciences, parents’ and teachers’ roles in the initiative, and much more. You can view the episode of Connections with Renee Shaw on the KET website.

There are other ways to get young women excited about learning. The culture blog The Mary Sue offers their review of the new book Geek Girls Unite. While tech geeks are somewhat of an afterthought, the book does remind girls that one should take pride in their interests. She’s Such a Geek is also a fun collection of essays in which women “write about science, technology, and other nerdy stuff.”

Earlier this week, Boing Boing spotlighted an intriguing manga and novel series making the move from Japan to the US titled Math Girls (you can preview the forthcoming book here [PDF Link]). Publisher Bento Books offers their take on what makes the book so exciting:

“Math Girls” is a very unique book, a young adult novel that is both a teen romance and an introduction to higher mathematics. There isn’t much out there quite like it, but Joe here at Bento Books once summarized it as “like Glee for math nerds,” and I think that’s a pretty apt description. The book covers a wide variety of topics in mathematics, from basics like how letters are assigned as variable names to quite challenging problems like finding a general term for the sequence of integer partition numbers. The book is currently in its eighteenth printing in Japan, and has been one of the top 5 general interest mathematics books on amazon.co.jp since its original release in 2007.

XKCD, with their always thoughtful and acerbic wit, offer a bit of advice from Zombie Marie Curie about pursuing science and math not for the purpose of becoming the “next Marie Curie.” Instead, do it for the following reason:

You don’t become great by trying to be great. You become great by wanting to do something, and then doing it so hard that you become great in the process.

So… how can you celebrate today? Celebrate the legacy of Ada Lovelace and thousands of women who have provided inspiration and innovation in STEM by saying thank you to a teacher who sparked your interest in science. Write a blog post about a lady scientist who is doing amazing work. Tell people with pride that you love science and math! You can even wear that pride with a t-shirt, the image of which it at the top of this post.

Most of all, celebrate by doing.

By Corey Alderdice

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