Year: 2009

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UNLs 2009 Conference Participants
UNL's 2009 Conference Participants

Katie Brown (Shelby ’10) quickly realized the opportunity to conduct scientific research was something that would set her apart from the crowd of other high school students.

As a student at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at Western Kentucky University, she began a research project with Dr. Ed Kintzel during Summer 2009.

Her work went from    as a participant in The University of Nebraska – Lincoln’s 2009 Conference for Undergraduate Women in Physics.  Held October 30-November 1, 2009, the conference presented an outstanding opportunity for students like Brown to expand upon their current research experiences, interact with physics students from other universities, and attends scientific talks given by invited physicists from other Midwestern universities.

Brown’s presentation focused on the behavior of atoms in graphite surfaces.  The real-world implications of her study will help to further applications and research with graphite and materials sciences.

“I shared research on the reconfiguration of atoms near step edges we observed on the surface of graphite using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy,
Brown noted.  “In a little more simplified terms, I observed atoms reconfiguring on graphite surfaces due to their proximity to step edges.

As one of the conference’s youngest participants, Brown expressed she was a bit nervous leading up the session.  “Presenting to such a large community of my peers was a nerve racking prospect,” Brown said.  “but after getting on stage I was able to focus on my research and connect with the audience.

In addition to lectures, social activities also provided time for participants to share their experiences and interests with other students, as well as visit with physics faculty members from UNL and other Midwestern universities. These experiences provided opportunities for students to develop their ability to convey ideas, establish relationships with other physicists, and obtain advice and guidance for pursuing career goals.

“In attending this conference, I gained a broader understanding of the vast opportunities for research for undergraduates,” Brown said.  “Also, I was able to connect and network with students from across the nation.

For Brown, research is an important first step in preparing for careers in advanced STEM disciplines.

“Research is a very important part of the Academy experience because it allows you to apply the knowledge you learned in the classroom, practically,” Brown noted.  “If you foresee research in your career, it is a great way of actively preparing for your future educational prospects and even your occupation.”

Not only did Brown have the support of Academy staff members and her research supervisor.  Ask Brown who one of  the greatest advocates for getting young women interested in math and science, and her reply is simple: her mom.

“My mother is an active promoter for women in the STEM fields; she started a Girls in Science Club at her middle school,” Brown said.  “Starting initiatives throughout the state at the grade school level and even carried through to High School will help get more young women interested in the STEM fields.”

For Gatton Academy seniors, college options are many.
For Gatton Academy seniors, college options are many.

by Ryne Weiss, Academy Avatar

With Gatton Academy students well-integrated into college life, it can be easy to forget that really, they are still high school students. The seniors know this all too well as they begin the arduous college applications process.

“It can be the most exciting time of your life, or the stress can make you pull your hair out,” says Dr. Pokey Bowen, the Gatton Academy’s assistant director for counseling services. As the staff member who oversees postsecondary admissions, he deals with managing academy students’ questions about the application process, and helping them cope with the seemingly endless amount of stress it brings.

Dr. Bowen is correct: this year’s application process looks to be a terribly exciting one, as the Class of 2010 has the ambition to send several of their ranks into the most prestigious colleges and universities in the world.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)–a school already home to two Academy alumni–is becoming popular place for Academy applications to land. Cody Feldhaus (’10, Boone County) has his eyes on MIT.

“MIT is one of the best, if not the best school for the STEM fields, specifically engineering,” Feldhaus noted. “Choosing it was an easy and natural choice.”

Ballard Metcalfe (’10, Henry County), is also interested: “For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be an engineer, and MIT’s engineering is second to none.”

Sarah Pritchett (’10, Clark County) is also exploring options in the northeastern part of the United States.

“In Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences they have a number of different environmental majors,” Pritchett said. “They have so many that you can declare your major ‘Environmental Undecided’. I also like that they offer 60 languages. These things and many others have made Cornell my first choice.”

Anna Walter (’10, Boone County), like many students, is taking advantage of campus visits to help determine which school is the right fit. “University of Delaware has a top ranked chemical engineering department,” Walter said. “I visited and the vibe just felt right.”

Not all students are certain of her plans, though. Jordan Jones (’10, Kenton County) is still in the process of narrowing her options.

“I’m looking at Brown for their program in liberal medical education and Washington University in St. Louis,” Jones explained. “I’m not sure of what I want to do, much less where I want to go, so it’s going to take a lot more thought.”

Thomas Delomas (’10, Fayette County) also has yet to make a decision. “I’m applying to a number of schools that interest me, such as Dartmouth, Cornell, Purdue and University of Indiana,” Delomas added. “I’m going to wait to see what the offer me before I make any decisions.”

While most application deadlines aren’t until the New Year, a few students are eager enough to be applying early. Zac Forshee (’10, Simpson County) and Rohith Palli (’10, Fayette County) are applying through Yale University’s early action program, where they will find out if they have been accepted in mid-December.

What makes them so certain of their choice? “Yale is generally regarded as one of the top institutions for undergraduate education and to apply early allows me to be considered for admission twice, which seems like a win-win situation to me,” says Forshee.

For Palli, the students he met on campus were equally impressive. “I visited the campus and fell in love with it. The students I spoke with thoroughly impressed me with their wide range of knowledge and general amiability to a stranger that had just started to talk to them.”

In the past, the academy has sent students to such prestigious schools as MIT, Virginia Tech, Smith College, New York University, Vanderbilt and William and Mary College, as well as having students accepted to Johns Hopkins, Stanford and Washington University in St. Louis.

Gatton Academy
Gatton Academy

The Gatton Academy wishes to invite current students, alumni and their families to our inaugural Homecoming Celebration on Saturday, November 7, 2009.

For some, it might be the first time you’ve returned since graduation. For others, come on over from your residence hall on campus amid WKU’s other Homecoming activities.

The Academy will provide a lunchtime tailgate for our guests. The tailgating menu will include barbecue with all the trimmings. Vegetarian options will also be available. Lunch will be served at 1 p.m. in the parking lot behind Schneider Hall.

If you are interested in attending the football game as WKU takes on Troy at 4 p.m., you may obtain tickets via the WKU ticket office by telephoning 1-800-5-BIG-RED.

Alumni and parents are kindly asked to RSVP online at http:///gattonhomecoming09.eventbrite.com no later than noon on Monday, November 2, 2009. Current Academy students need not RSVP.

We look forwarding to seeing you then as we celebrate the exciting things happening at the Gatton Academy.

Academy Math Team
Academy Math Team

The numbers game at the University of Kentucky’s second annual High School Mathematics Day added up to success for Gatton Academy students.

The Academy team took top honors in both the team and 11th/12th grade male divisions.  Alex Hare (’11, Rowan Co.) was the top male competitor in the upper division.  Rohith Palli (’11, Fayette Co.) tied for second in the same division.

Team members included Alex Hare, Jacob Haven, Alex Naumann, Kaitlyn Oliver, Rohith Palli, and Forrest Simmons.

This event featured a half-day of activities for high school students with an interest in mathematics. The day began with an individual problem solving competition. The problems required students to think creatively and use these algebraic tools in new and creative ways.

“The test was more computational than anything,” added Forrest Simmons (’11, Boone Co.) “Some of the problems were interesting.”

The rest of the morning featured presentations and hands on activities with UK faculty and students that introduced students to some new mathematics and applications of mathematics.

“I enjoyed the challenging problems,” Palli noted.  “The seminars were very interesting, especially the one about fractal geometry and origami.”

For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.