Young Scientists Will Showcase Summer Work
Jasper County High school (JCHS) seniors Tony Vargas-Miguel and Cole Smith will be included in a group of five area students that will showcase on July 12 what they have learned during this summer’s Georgia College Young Scientists Academy.
The program started in 2005 to expose academically-motivated and underrepresented youth to university-level science.
The five participants this summer are from Baldwin, Putnam and Jasper counties. Projects include tests for harmful compounds in e-cigarettes, heavy metals in wastewater and pesticide residue on strawberries.
“We provide guidance and insight into the scientific process,” said Dr. Catrena Lisse, director of the Science Education Center. “We teach research ethics and how to read a research paper. We show them how to make a poster and how to give an oral presentation. They also learn how to network in the science and engineering community.”
This six-week learning spree was funded by the American Chemical Society’s Project SEED. Since 1968, Project SEED has supported 11,000 economically-disadvantaged high school students in science endeavors. Teens were mentored by Ms. Lisse, several college chemistry students and assistant professors Dr. Peter Rosado-Flores and Dr. Wathsala Medawala.
JCHS senior Vargas-Miguel examined and compared harmful chemicals connected to “vaping”—a new and dangerous form of e-cigarettes targeting youth.
“When you have flavors called bubble gum and lollypop, you’re not targeting grownups,” Ms. Lisse said. “They have cancer-causing agents. Tony’s had some eye-opening results, and he’s hoping to publish, because there’s not enough information out there about e-cigarettes.”
JCHS senior Cole Smith’s research was comparing organic and non-organic strawberries to identify pesticides.
Other summer participants, Baldwin County High School senior Heket Mitchell was back, continuing her work on new materials to monitor pH samples. Results could impact the medical and therapeutic fields and water industry. Other students include Putnam County High School senior Gabe Allred, who’s developing new material to detect DNA and Baldwin homeschooled senior Adam Rose, who’s making a new device to reveal heavy metals in water systems.
On Friday they will give short presentations in Herty Hall room 354 from noon to 2 p.m. and explain their work to family, friends, teachers and school administrators. Visitors will be given tours of university lab space.
“We want youth to get excited about science,” Ms. Lisse said. “It’s really exciting to see them grow and take ownership of these projects. They’re eager to get into the lab every morning.”