ALBANY, N.Y. (March 23, 2007) -- Nearly 500 of the highest performing high school students in New York State and their teachers will participate Monday, March 26 and Tuesday, March 27 in the 22nd annual Upstate New York Junior Science and Humanities symposium to be held at the Holiday Inn, 205 Wolf Road, Albany.
The Junior Science and Humanities symposium is directed by Dr. Daniel Wulff, University at Albany biology professor. It is the largest competition and forum in the state for high school students conducting original scientific research. Thirty students, finalists from three sub-regional symposia, will present their research before a panel of scientist judges and their peers in five scientific categories. The first and second place winners will receive scholarships and a chance to compete in the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. Winners from the national competition will win more scholarships and a chance to compete internationally. In addition to the 30 speaker presenters, 30 more students will be displaying posters of their original research in the courtyard of the hotel on Monday March 26.
The symposium also includes a slate of workshops for students. Presenters include Alex Logono, a University at Albany student and a Sudanese refugee, who will tell the story of his quest to become a doctor and return to his war torn country to help those suffering from lack of doctors and medical supplies; Michael Trova, vice president of Albany Molecular Research, who will discuss the drugs his company is developing to help people in developing countries such as Sudan and Darfur; David Diehl, who will describe the research activities of the Darrin Fresh Water Institute; and science writers Jill Adams and Kathy Zdeb, who will give students some useful tools for communicating their science to a lay audience.
Other symposium speakers include Harvey Patashnick, astronomer and pioneer in mass particle measurement; Ed Reinfurt, vice president of the Business Council of NYS; and Susan Herbst, officer in charge and provost of the University at Albany.
Judges for the symposium are eminent scientists from Capital Region universities and corporate research laboratories.
The symposium's regular sponsors are the Academy of Applied Sciences, the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force and the University at Albany. In addition to these sponsors, the Albany College of Pharmacy is offering two $20,000 scholarships to students with the best paper in the area of biomedical science; and the American Chemical Society - Corporate Associates is awarding a $750 scholarship to the student with the best paper in the area of chemistry. Corporate sponsors are: Albany Molecular Research, Inc., GE Global Research, MapInfo, Inc., Citizens Bank, New York State United Teachers, Capital District Physicians Health Plan, Taconic, Inc., Clough Harbour and Associates, Edmund Scientific, Inc. and Dudley Observatory.
Over the past seven years, the Upstate New York JSHS has produced four first-place and two second-place winners at the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
For information about attending the Upstate New York JSHS, please contact Mary Cuffe-Perez, upstate NY JSHS Coordinator, at (518) 442-4030.
Symposium Snapshot:
Monday, March 26
- 1 p.m.: Opening remarks by Susan Herbst, University at Albany
Ed Reinfurt, Business Council of NYS and Dr. Daniel Wulff, JSHS director and Professor of Biology, University at Albany
Certificates of Accomplishment, given to all presenters at the symposium
- 2-4 p.m.: Concurrent sessions of students' research projects to teams of judges
- 6 p.m.: Awards dinner with keynote address by Harvey Patashnick, astronomer, "A Passion for Astronomy." Awards given to finalists.
Tuesday, March 27:
- 8:30 a.m.: Presentations by the five finalists
- 10:45- noon: Four concurrent workshops
- Noon: Awards luncheon and announcement of three final winners and scholarship awards
