Google Announces an International Field of Science Fair Semi-Finalists

Just as the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) welcomed 1543 young scientists in Los Angeles, Google announced a slate of 60 semi-finalists in the first totally online international science fair.

Open to students 13 to 18, the Google Science Fair received over 7500 entries from more than 90 countries around the world, including a number from students in DC area high schools who beyond conducting experiments devoted hours devising online presentations and completing technical requirements for the fair.

To get the competition started, an international team of teachers was given the task of evaluating the projects on creativity, scientific merit, and “global relevance.” This was no easy assignment as projects covered a wide range of topics from cancer treatment to renewable oceanic energy to aeronautic auto-pilot algorithms.

And the projects are amazing. Semi-finalists included experiments on the effects of coffee on plant growth in the 13-14-year old category, an alternative optical analyzer in the 15-16 year old age group, and a project on Autism Spectrum Disorder in the 17-18 age group.

Although most of the 60 semi-finalists were from the US, there was also representation from the UK, New Zealand, Canada, India, Singapore, and South Africa.

Locally, Rishabh Mazmuder from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Saumil Bandyopadhyay of the Maggie L. Walker School, and Nicholas Montgomery of the Loudon County Academy of Science were named as semi-finalists. All three are seasoned science fair competitiors.

But the competition is far from over. Unlike more traditional science fairs, the public is being given a chance to weigh in on the projects.

Separate from the official judging, voting is now open for a $10,000 “People’s Choice” scholarship. You are invited to go to the Google Science Fair website, review the entries, and cast your vote between now and May 20. Individuals can vote once in each of the three age categories.

The People’s Choice winner will be announced on May 23, along with 5 finalists in each age category who will be invited to Google headquarters for the final round of judging. Grand prizes include a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands and a $50,000 scholarship.

And then there’s always next year. Google has already posted a sign-up sheet for the 2012 Science Fair.

ISEF’s Opening Night in Hollywood

I was introduced to the thrill of high school science competition in 1967—17 years after the first National Science Fair took place in 1950.

DC area schools at the time were actively promoting and supporting student involvement in science as a response to the “sputnik” challenge, and like thousands of other budding scientists, I wanted a piece of the action.

My particular experiment involved yards of copper tubing, a “no-fail” mash recipe, and a Bunsen burner. Sadly, the fumes from the applejack I was distilling eventually resulted in my disqualification from the event and my career in science never took off.

Needless to say, much has changed since I cooked up a home recipe involving apples and yeast. A lit Bunsen burner would never be tolerated at a science fair, and the level of scientific sophistication among today’s high school students is almost beyond description.

But basic scientific curiosity and desire to compete on what has become an international stage for young scientists remain driving forces behind Intel’s International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which opened yesterday at the Los Angeles Convention Center. And unless you’ve been there, it’s difficult to imagine the rock star atmosphere that will accompany ISEF’s opening ceremonies.

Tonight, more than 1500 high school students selected from 443 affiliate fairs in 65 countries, regions, and territories will come together for the first time to hear Jeffery Katzenberg, CEO of Dream Works Animation, give the keynote address.

And I guarantee the place will be rocking.

Here’s a secret: ISEF is fun. It’s a week of drama, excitement, and new friends. It’s also the most amazing forum in the world for high school students to showcase their talents and be recognized for groundbreaking independent research.

Colleges and universities recruiting science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) students love the credential at any level of competition—local to international. They’re all looking for the next Nobel Laureates or Rocket Boys, and this is where they find them!

And, there’s serious money at stake. Dozens of sponsors offer prize money and really amazing scholarships from corporations, nonprofit organizations, a host of federal agencies, as well as a number of colleges and universities.

In LA, the top prizes include the $75,000 Gordon E. Moore Award given by the Intel Foundation in honor of the Intel co-founder and retired chairman and CEO. Two additional top winning projects will receive $50,000 each.

Best of Category winners will take home $5000 scholarships and $1000 grants for their school and the ISEF-affiliated fairs they represent. Grand Prize awards will be presented in each of 17 ISEF categories (and for teams) in increments ranging from $500 to $3000 for first place. In total, more than $4 million is up for grabs.

Local regional fairs including Montgomery, Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince Georges Counties, as well DC, Baltimore, and Richmond will be sending students to Los Angeles. Fairfax County alone has a slate of 12 competitors representing Chantilly, Fairfax, Langley, Paul VI, South County Secondary, and Thomas Jefferson High Schools. Montgomery County is represented by 4 students; the District of Columbia has 2 competitors; and the Prince George Area Science Fair is sending 2 students.

To keep the folks back home informed of events, the Society for Science and the Public (SSP) and Intel are piloting “streaming video” of the Opening Ceremony, the Special Awards Ceremony, and the Grand Awards Ceremony. This service comes with a cost, and details are provided on the hosting site.

You can otherwise keep up with daily events and get the first word on winners by logging on to the SSP homepage or the Inspired by Education website.

News is also available on the SSP Facebook page, and interviews with select ISEF finalists will be “live streamed” without charge from 10 a.m.-11 a.m. Pacific Time, on Thursday May 12.

CICV Announces Virginia Private College Week

The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia (CICV) recently announced that Virginia Private College Week will run this summer from July 25 to 30 and will once again offer college-bound students the opportunity to tour schools and save.

Thanks to some creative thinking, CICV launched an incentive program designed to bring high school students and their families to Virginia’s private college campuses by giving away application fee waivers.

Literally hundreds of students take advantage of the offer each year as groups of families drive from campus to campus on summer vacations that double as traditional college tours.

It works this way:

1. Decide which schools you want to visit. There are 25 from which to choose, and they are located in virtually every corner of scenic Virginia.


2. Register for tours at each of the schools you plan to visit. Yes, register. It’s not required, but it really helps the schools plan for materials and tour guides.


3. Organize your travel plans. Transportation information and driving instructions are available on individual college websites.


4. Pick up a passport at the first college. It’s cute—a little like Disney’s EPCOT.


5. At the conclusion of your tour, get the passport stamped.


6. Once you accumulate at least three stamps, mail the passport to CICV, 118 East Main Street, Bedford, VA 24523.

Bingo! You’ve won three application fee waivers for any of the Virginia private colleges, and not necessarily the ones you visited.

For example, if you visit Marymount, Shenandoah, and Hollins, you can use your fee waivers at any of these three universities or at Bridgewater, Washington & Lee, or the University of Richmond. Your choice!

By the way, Virginia’s private institutions often get overshadowed by our strong public colleges and universities. I encourage you to take a closer look, as these schools offer wonderful opportunities for students with a variety of college criteria and interests. Much more information, including a very useful listing of colleges by majors, may be found on the CICV website.

Finally, I want to remind Virginia residents about the Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG). This amazing program offers financial awards to students attending any of Virginia’s private colleges or universities. The sole eligibility requirement is that you live in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It’s really pretty sweet.

If you have questions, you can call 540.586.0606 or visit the Virginia Private College Week website.

Virginia Tech Plans 5 New Undergraduate Degrees

After a university-wide call for new program ideas, Virginia Tech announced five exciting new bachelor degree programs in varying stages of development, according to the Richmond Times-Dispatch.

The proposed undergrad degrees are in meteorology, real estate, biomedical engineering, nanoscience, and computational biology.

Each of the new degree proposals are being reviewed by the Dean of Undergraduate Education and departmental committees within the university. Market research as well as detailed explanations of how the degrees would prepare students for the work force and/or academia are required.

With a go ahead from the University Council and the Board of Visitors, plans will be submitted to the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), and in some cases to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, for final approval.

Nearest to coming on line, the proposed meteorology degree will be the first of its kind in Virginia. The Commonwealth currently pays for meteorology students to study at Mississippi State University at in-state tuition rates offered through the Academic Common Market.

Originally a concentration within the Geology Department, the new meteorology program promises an innovative course of study using GIS (Geographical Information Systems) technology and would take advantage of the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg.

“Most meteorology programs focus on what we would consider classical meteorology, where you’re looking at the physics of the atmosphere,” said Dave Carroll, a geography instructor in Tech’s College of Natural Resources. “We’re specializing in the entire GIS process and blending meteorology into that curriculum.”

Tech’s new real estate degree is also nearing finalization. It will be structured so as to capitalize on Tech’s existing expertise in engineering as well as agriculture and business and would take more of an interdisciplinary approach to the study of real estate.

Similarly, the engineering, biological science and nontechnology degrees would emphasize interdisciplinary studies and undergraduate research with a long term view toward helping students prepare for graduate school or employment within the nearly 300 biotechnology, pharmaceutical, biofuels, and medical device companies based in Virginia.

More information on these and many new graduate level programs is available on the Virginia Tech website.

Photo courtesy of SharedFerret at Flickr.

Colleges Still Accepting Applications for fall of 2011

Back by popular demand, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) annual “Space Availability Survey: Openings for Qualified Students” was released today. And a surprising number of wonderful colleges and universities throughout the country are continuing to accept applications for fall 2011 enrollment.

According to NACAC, at least 280 schools have space available for qualified freshman and/or transfer students, and many have financial aid and housing to offer.

“We still have room for a few great students,” said Susquehanna director of admissions Chris Markle, to a group of IECA member independent college consultants. “And yes, financial aid and many scholarships continue to be available for students enrolling this fall.”

The annual survey asks NACAC member institutions to provide information on the availability of space, financial aid, and housing as of May 1, 2011—after the close of the traditional college admissions season. In its 24th year, the survey is designed as a tool for counselors, parents and teachers as they work with students who have not completed the process for one reason or another.

Locally, Trinity Washington University is still accepting applications from prospective freshman as well as transfer students.

“Trinity continues to welcome applications from students who are interested in a dynamic college experience in the nation’s capital,” said Kelly Gosnell, Trinity’s Vice President for Admissions. “We have limited space for the fall, so students should apply now.”

In Maryland, St. John’s College, Morgan State University, Hood College, and Stevenson University indicate they will consider qualified freshman and transfer students, and UMBC describes remaining space, financial aid, and housing as “limited.”

The University of Maryland—College Park still has spots for transfer students with limited availability of financial aid and housing.

Ferrum, Mary Baldwin College, Radford University, Roanoke, Shenandoah University, and the University of Mary Washington also show space and resources left for prospective freshmen and transfers in Virginia.

In addition to the NACAC survey, colleges still accepting applications may be found by searching both the Common Application and Universal College Application (UCA) websites. As of today, the Common App shows 118 members still open to new applicants, and the UCA lists 62 member colleges and universities still accepting first-year and transfer students.

Note that the colleges and universities listed on the NACAC survey are subject to change. And it's entirely possible that more will be included as time goes on. Students must contact institutions directly for up-to-date application information, and admission will be contingent on each institution’s review of individual candidates.

Colleges with the Most Transfer Students

According to a recent survey conducted by US News and World Report, schools in Texas, Florida, and California were popular destinations for transfer students in 2009. In fact, 9 out of the ten colleges with the most transfer students were located in warmer climates. Evidently they had capacity to accept and enroll astonishing large numbers of transfers.

There are many reasons students choose to move schools. Often money issues are involved. Or sometimes it’s a question of academics or a desire to be closer to home. And community college students make up a huge percentage of students moving from one institution to another.

Even the Commander-in-Chief transferred during his college career.

Among the 1,700 colleges and universities surveyed by USNWR, over 566,000 students were reported as transferring.

Based on the surveys, Arizona State University enrolled 5,388 transfer students and ranked number one among the 1,286 schools providing transfer data. And three schools in the California State University system each drew more than 3,700 transfers and ranked six, seven, and eight respectively.

A quick review of local colleges and universities suggests a much more limited ability to accommodate transfer students. According to Common Data Set information, George Mason was among the more transfer-friendly institutions and enrolled 2452 transfers last year. The University of Maryland—College Park accepted 44 percent of its transfer applicants and enrolled 1,899.

Far fewer transfers were to be found at Johns Hopkins (37) and the University of Richmond (48). George Washington accepted 27 percent of its transfer applicants and enrolled 310 students, while Georgetown accepted 23 percent and enrolled 230.

The University of Virginia accepted 40 percent of those applying to transfer and enrolled 653, at the same time the College of William & Mary accepted 43 percent and enrolled 202.

Among the local colleges admitting the highest percent of transfer applicants were the University of Mary Washington and American University—both at 67 percent which is only slightly above the national average cited by USNWR of 61.9 percent.

The following is the USNWR list of 10 schools enrolling the most transfer students:

1. Arizona State University: 5,388 enrolled/84.4% accepted
2. University of Central Florida: 5,336 enrolled/61.3% accepted
3. Florida International University: 4,336 enrolled/71.2% accepted
4. University of North Texas: 4,012 enrolled/58.6% accepted
5. University of Texas—Arlington: 3,944 enrolled/91.9% accepted
6. California State University—Fullerton: 3,800 enrolled/45.7% accepted
7. California State University—Sacramento: 3,771 enrolled/78% accepted
8. California State University—Northridge: 3,706 enrolled/57.5% accepted
9. University of South Florida: 3,696 enrolled/68% accepted
10. Portland State University: 3,486 enrolled/82.3% accepted

10 Best Campus Recycling Videos for 2011

The University of Virginia might have been the big national winner in the RecycleMania video contest, but there were lots of other great entries some of which may have been eliminated for going over the one-minute time limit imposed by the contest.

But if you’re looking for evidence of student creativity and commitment to recycling, you need go no further than the following ten videos submitted to the RecycleMania competition on behalf of colleges across the country:

• Bob the Bottle, Middlebury College: Bob protests that he’s not trash and proves it. The moral of the story is “Happy bottles are recycled bottles.”
  


• Bucknell Recyclemania, Bucknell University: Bucknell promotes green living by creating a video made of 100% recycled materials.
  


• Recycle Cupid, Greenville Technical College: Cupid is everywhere, and his arrows never fail to remind students to recycle.
  


• Recycle like a Cockstar, Clemson University: Cocky teaches a thoughtless undergrad an important lesson in recycling etiquette.
  


• RecycleMania, Antioch Seattle University: “We might not have a football team…But we have a winning compositing and recycling team.”
  


• Teach Me to Recycle, College of St. Benedict/St. John’s University: In a clever recycle rap, we learn you can’t recycle greasy pizza boxes, bananas, cats, and friends.
  


• Throw It in the Can, Howard University: This video proves recycling is sexy, and the guy definitely gets the girl.
  


• UH Recycles, University of Houston: A student gets stopped in her tracks for failing to recycle.
  


• UofL Recyclemania, University of Louisville: This one is just a little strange.
  


• VCU RecycleMania, Virginia Commonwealth University: The VCU Ram meets Chasing Arrows and learns to recycle to the tune of “We Belong.”