Sarah Pritchett, Stephanie Burba Selected to Participate in National Summer Research Programs

Two Gatton Academy students have been selected to participate in nationally competitive summer research programs.

Sarah Pritchett, a junior from Clark County, has been accepted to the EarthWatch Institute’s Student Challenge Awards Program for a summertime research expedition.  She will be working with a team of researchers to study volcanism and tectonics at the Northern Rio Grande Rift in the Sangre de Cristo, Jemez, and Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque, New Mexico.  The program will last from June 14 – June 28, 2009.

Stephanie Burba , a senior from Larue County, has been admitted to the U.S. Department of Energy’s summertime Pre-Service Teacher program.  As a member of the program, Stephanie will be doing research at the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago, IL from June 1 – August 7, 2009.  The Pre-Service Teacher program is for those who have already decided on a teaching career in one of the STEM areas.  Stephanie will work side-by-side with scientists and engineers on projects related to the Argonne National Laboratory’s research programs, and she will benefit from the mentorship of a Master Teacher who is already teaching in K-12 education and who is familiar with the research work.

As part of its mission to provide exceptional learning opportunities, the Gatton Academy encourages students to participate in high-level, sponsored research during the academic year and summer.  Research opportunities afford students unique learning opportunities outside of the traditional classroom.

For additional information, contact Derick Strode, Coordinator: Research, Internships, and Scholarships, at 270.745.6565.