Dr. Mike Elsbury To Unlock Mysteries of Aether
In Directed Study on Radio Frequency Engineering
Dr. Mike Elsbury, 1999 delegate to NYSC from Idaho and currently a senior electrical engineer at Sandia National Laboratories, will present a directed study at NYSC July-8-10 entitled, “Unlocking the Mysteries of the Aether: Radio Frequency Engineering.”
During the directed study, delegates will explore major concepts of electromagnetic waves and propagation as they study the history of the field, from Maxwell’s equations through modern communications technology. They will then build and test their own FM transmitters similar to a music player adapter for a car stereo.
Elsbury recalled a unit leader during his camp experience telling him, “Success is not measured in taking adolescents who are lost and putting them on a straight and narrow path of drive and desire; true success is taking young adults who are blinded by a singular path and instilling in them such broad and varied interests that they leav here with no idea what they will do or where they will go, only that they will excel in accomplishing many, many great things.”
Dr. Rick Walker
Dr. Rick Walker, 1964 delegate to NYSC from Ohio, will present, “Why We Will Never Find a Cure for Cancer and Why We Do Not Want To” at 9:15 a.m., June 30 at NYSC.
As a retired breast cancer surgeon, Dr. Walker hopes to share his 40-year experience in both a formal lecture and through many informal discussions. “I will attempt to give delegates a glimpse unto cancer genetics, genetic profiling, cancer immunology and philosophy of care,” he said.
Dr. Walker has been lecturing continuously at NYSC for 36 years. He is currently a part-time member faculty member in Biology at Hartford Community College in Bel Air, MD.
Charleston, West Virginia
Across the nation selection committees are announcing the selection of delegates to represent their state at the 2013 National Youth Science Camp.
Mr. Greg Pitter To Conduct Directed Study
On What a Successful Scientist Needs
Mr. Greg Pitter, 1992 delegate to NYSF from Nevada and currently IT Director at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, will conduct a directed study June 28-30 at NYSC entitled, “What a Successful Scientist Needs (Except the Science Part).
“Organizational politics and harsh business realities have always been the bane of scientists, doctors, teachers, and inventors – a danger lurking in the shadows that always has the potential to cancel projects regardless of scientific value, or worse yet a distraction keeping great minds from doing what they do best, Mr. Pitter said. “But what if they could work for you instead of against you? We’ll learn a bit about leadership, team dynamics, and influence, and then we will dissect the mind of an MBA (metaphorically) to understand how it works.”
Charleston, West Virginia
Across the nation selection committees are announcing the selection of delegates to represent their state at the 2013 National Youth Science Camp.
Dr. Brian Tucholke To Lead Directed Study
On Geological Evolution of the North Atlantic Ocean
Dr. Brian Tucholke, 1964 delegate to NYSC from South Dakota and scientist emeritus at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA, will lead a directed study on the geological evolution of the North Atlantic Ocean, June 28-30, at NYSC.
Plate tectonics theory as developed over the past four-five decades has been a powerful tool for both explaining and predicting the structure and evolution of the earth. Dr. Tucholke said that in this directed study, delegates will:
• Survey the basic tenets of plate tectonics and investigate how they have controlled the evolution of the North Atlantic Ocean basin,
• Use geologic maps and apply general geologic principles to construct geologic cross sections from the eastern margin of North America out to the axis of the Mid-Atlantic Range,
• Examine North Atlantic basin structure, ocean circulation and sedimentation patterns from the time of initial rifting in Late Triassic time up to the present using a map-series of plate reconstructions,
• Consider the structure of North Atlantic oceanic crust and how it is created at the axis of the present Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
“Attending the NYSC as a representative from South Dakota in 1964 was a remarkable and unforgettable experience. It’s a great pleasure to return and share a lifetime of learning in geology with young and enthusiastic NYSC attendees,” Dr. Tucholke said.
Julie Robinson
International Space Station Program
Dr. Julie Robinson, a 1985 delegate to NYSC from Idaho, and chief scientist of the International Space Station Program at NASA will present “Eureka on the International Space Station” at 9:15 a.m., July 5, at NYSC.
Dr. Robinson said that scientists are trained to be observers, but “we are just as vulnerable as anyone else about the unstated assumptions we make in understanding the world around us.
“From physics, to cell biology, to human physiology, scientists are now able to test their assumptions about the role of gravity in shaping and even masking our understanding of the universe. I will share some of the eureka moments that have come from taking gravity out of the equation, as scientists carry out their research on the most capable laboratory ever built in space.”
Dr. Robinson will also share how her interdisciplinary scientific interests were the “perfect preparation” for being a scientific leader of an interdisciplinary laboratory and explain how students can get their experiments onboard the space station.
The Youth Science Discovery Experience (YSDE) seeks 40 high school students and nine teachers and experiential educators for the spring 2013 session. Participants will work side-by-side with professional scientists to pursue original research projects at Canaan Valley Institute near Davis, WV. The National Youth Science Foundation has offered the YSDE since 2010.
YSDE also offers outdoor recreation, informal seminars, and talks from visiting scientists in a variety of fields. Participants are responsible for transportation to and from Canaan Valley Institute, and a full commitment for on-site attendance is required for March 20-24 and April 24-28. The program is free to students, and teachers working as staff will receive a stipend. Visit http://www.ysde.org or contact YSDE director Josh Stevens at josh.stevens@nysf.com or (304) 550-3421 for details and application information.
Important Links:
NYSF is teaming up again with Canaan Valley Institute to run a spring 2013 cohort of the Youth Science Discovery Experience. We’re seeking 40 high school students interested in pursuing original research projects with guidance from professional scientists. As with all other Foundation programs to date, students participate free of charge.
In addition to students, we have 9 staff positions for math and science teachers, pre-service teachers, and others with a background in science and experiential education.
Click here to apply: http://www.nysf.com/w/programs/ysde/spring-2013-ysde-applications/
Results of the fall 2012 YSDE research projects are now online at http://2012.ysde.org/research-posters/. See what students from around West Virginia have been discovering throughout the semester at Canaan Valley Institute (CVI). Each team worked from October through December on an original research project with guidance from a scientist from CVI or West Virginia University. The program ended with a public colloquium, and each team also summarized its project in poster form. Electronic versions of the posters are now on the YSDE website a the link above.
