May 2010 – The Gatton Academy News

Sarah Schrader Recognized in National STEM Competition

May 27, 2010 | News, People, Student Success | No Comments

A student at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky has been recognized among over 10,000 middle and high school students in the DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition.

Sarah Schrader, a second-year student from Bowling Green, was one of 54 students recognized in the 2010 installment of the competition.

Schrader received an Honorable Mention in the Senior Division of the competition and will be awarded with a $200 U.S. savings bond and a certificate.

The DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition annually invites students from the seventh through twelfth grades to submit their best written essays of 1,000 words or less to compete for cash and travel prizes. Essays can be written on any topic of the students’ choosing within science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Schrader’s essay stemmed from her research work through the Howard Hughes Medical institutes’ Genome Discovery and Exploration Program under the guidance of Drs. Rodney King and Claire Rinehart of the WKU Department of Biology. Using what she had learned through her own bacteriophage research in the past year as a student at the Gatton Academy and WKU, Schrader methodically laid out the possibilities of bacteriophages being used as cures for diseases and viruses after completion of future study and research.

“With a little research, we can easily harness their incredible power into effective, inexpensive, and side-effect free cures,” Schrader penned in her essay. “Who knows? Within a few years, patients may very well come home from the doctor’s office not with a bottle of antibiotics, but instead with a prescription for a phage.”

Schrader credits the research experiences she had in her first year as a Gatton Academy student for her success in the Dupont Challenge Science Essay Competition.

“Before I began my research last year, I didn’t even know what a bacteriophage was,” Schrader said. “My research as a part of the Genome Discovery and Exploration Course introduced me to what they were and how they worked, and furthermore sparked my interest in their unique properties. Since I already knew a lot about bacteriophage from the course, I was comfortable with the material I presented in my essay.”

This summer, Schrader is continuing bacteriophage research under the guidance of Dr. King in the WKU Biotechnology Center.

For more information, contact Derick Strode at (270) 745-3167.

By Corey Alderdice

3 Gatton Academy Alumni to Participate in WKU NSF Grant For Biotechnology Research

May 27, 2010 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, WKU | No Comments

Western Kentucky University’s Biology Department has been awarded its first Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) grant from the National Science Foundation.

The $300,000 grant will provide nine students, including three 2010 graduates of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, intensive research training in WKU labs during the summer. The research program focuses on the interdisciplinary field of investigative biotechnology.

Students are assigned to a research project based on their interests. The projects are directed by WKU faculty mentors from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science and the research topics encompass broad areas of biotechnology, including animal physiology, plant gene expression, microbiology, virology, biochemistry, protein structure and modeling, bioinformatics, neurophysiology and mathematical biology.

Students participating in the June 1-Aug. 6 program are: Melena Agyemang, Norfolk State University in Virginia; Mark Callaghan, California State University Monterey Bay; James Forshee, a Gatton Academy graduate from Simpson County; Alexander Hare, a Gatton Academy graduate from Rowan County; Hillary Jones, Georgetown College; Maggie Matheny, a Gatton Academy graduate from Lincoln County; Amanda Nolan, Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas; Stephanie Robey, Kentucky Community and Technical College System; and Shandrea Stallworth, Fort Valley State University in Georgia.

The students will work closely with their faculty mentor and interact with graduate students, post-docs, fellow undergraduates and research technicians. Students will participate in a series of Office of Scholar Development-sponsored workshops that will provide guidance on graduate school applications and grant writing and in a series of faculty-led seminars on reading professional literature and giving scientific presentations.

Through their participation in the WKU REU program, students will gain knowledge in a variety of research areas and develop the skills to prepare them for graduate studies. A major goal of the WKU program is to actively recruit undergraduates from groups that are under-represented in graduate education or from institutions with limited or no research facilities.

For information, contact Dr. Shivendra Sahi at shiv.sahi@wku.edu or Dr. Rodney King at rodney.king@wku.edu.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu.

For information, contact Rodney King at (270) 745-6910.

By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Almuna Member of WKU All-Female Engineering Team in NASA Competition

May 26, 2010 | Academics, Alumni, News, People, Research, WKU | No Comments

Western Kentucky University’s Engineering Department is sending what may be the only all-female team to the NASA Lunabotics Mining Competition this week at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

“We’re probably not going to see a lot of girls at the competition and we will probably be the only all-girl team,” Bowling Green junior Christine Gries said of the May 25-28 competition. “It’s different working with all girls when you’re used to working with all boys and will probably be working with all boys in your professional career.”

Team ARTEMIS (Amassing Regolith with Toppers Engineers eMploying Innovative Solutions) is made up of eight females from all three engineering disciplines at WKU. The team built a robot that will be digging up regolith (lunar soil) and performing in different competitions in the process.

“It is a cool thing to work on an engineering project with all girls because it is such a male-dominated field,” said Brittany Logan, a sophomore from Englewood, Ohio.

The purpose of the Lunabotics Mining Competition is to engage and retain students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in a competitive environment that may result in innovative ideas and solutions, which could be applied to actual lunar excavation for NASA.

“The primary reason for WKU’s involvement in the competition is for our students to develop valuable engineering skills,” said Dr. Kevin Schmaltz, team advisor and associate professor of Mechanical Engineering. “Our experience has also been that WKU teams do very well in the competitions we enter.”

The other team members are mechanical engineering students Morganfield junior Amanda Huff, Smith Grove junior Whitney Tyree; civil engineering students Reynolds Station junior Sarah Bertke, Mount Washington junior Erica Rigney; and electrical engineering students Scottsville junior Maegan Young and Gatton Academy student Kaitlin Oliver of Central City.

This project, which began last fall, is being used by most of the students to fulfill their junior project requirement. Each person contributed something different to the robot.

“I was on the mechanical set team and my main focus was the hopper (the shovel) and getting the motor for the machine,” Huff said. “There is a certain weight limit to the machine. It has to be able to hold and move 1,500 pounds.”

“I was a part of the electrical sub team,” Young said. “We were in charge of all the electrical stuff. We had the motor controllers.”

For information, contact Dr. Kevin Schmaltz (270) 745-8859 or the Engineering Department at (270) 745-2461.

By Corey Alderdice

Two Residential Counselor Positions Available (Start Date: August 2010)

May 24, 2010 | News, People, Staff, Student Life, WKU | No Comments

Western Kentucky University, The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky, is seeking applicants for two Residential Counselors. These positions are 10-month. These positions reports to the Residence Life Coordinator. Anticipated start date is August 1, 2010.

This is an extraordinary opportunity for professionals who wish to make a true difference in the lives of young people who are gifted and talented and in the future of the Commonwealth. In the fall of 2007, the Gatton Academy opened as the nation’s 14^th state residential school with a focus on mathematics and science. Located on the campus of Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, KY, the program provides extraordinary academic and research opportunities for Kentucky High School juniors and seniors who are academically talented and interested in careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. One hundred and twenty-eight students will earn at least sixty hours of college credit while completing their High School Diploma in both a residential and peer-supported living/learning environment.

Responsibilities:

The following duties are customary for this position, but are not to be construed as all-inclusive. Duties may be added, deleted and assigned based on management discretion and institutional needs:

Creates a safe, healthy, and nurturing living/learning environment on assigned wing of the building
Lives on student wing in the Academy and serves as a role model in all areas of personal, relational, and academic life
Develops and implements educational, cultural, social and recreational programming to promote social growth and involvement in the community
Intervenes and/or refers student to appropriate source during emotional or physical crises
Monitors and documents student progress
Communicates frequently with parents
Staffs the front desk during assigned shifts
Serves as a student advisor for clubs/activities
Other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor’s Degree
Experience with residential life
Must reside at the Academy

Excellent verbal and written communication skills

Desired/Preferred Qualifications:

Experience with gifted students

Salary Grade: 105

Expected Salary Range: $22,500.00 -$25,000.00 annually, plus housing

Applications for employment will be accepted electronically only. Interested candidates must submit a cover letter describing qualifications and experience, a current resume, and names, addresses, and daytime phone numbers of three professional references using the on-line application process. Transcripts may be requested at time of interview. Please refer to the following website to apply: http://asaweb.wku.edu/wkujobs. Reference requisition number S2603. For further assistance contact (270) 745-5934. To ensure full consideration please submit all application materials by May 31, 2010. Position will remain open until filled.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply including women, minority men and women, persons with disabilities, and disabled veterans.

Western Kentucky University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

By Corey Alderdice

Academy Alumnus, WKU Students Ready To Begin Bike Ride Across America

May 24, 2010 | Alumni, News, People, WKU | No Comments

The Fijis Across America cross country bike ride for Alzheimer’s research will begin next week. fijis

The group, which includes five Western Kentucky University students, left Monday morning on their way to California. The bike ride will begin May 25 in Oceanside, Calif., and will end in mid-July in Yorktown, Va.

Riders from WKU are Tyler Jury (Gatton Academy ’08) of Elizabethtown, Chaz Vittitow of Louisville, Mitchell White of Bowling Green, Justin Cave of Glendale and Wade Haga of Lexington.

“We’ve gotten incredible support from our families, friends, WKU and the Alzheimer’s Association,” Jury said.

The group hopes to raise $75,000 to benefit the Greater Kentucky/Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and to increase local, state and national awareness as the students ride about 3,200 miles from California to Virginia. The fundraiser is being conducted in memory of Barrett Cummings, Jury’s grandfather.

So far the group has raised more than $20,500. As the students travel through nine states – California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky and Virginia – they plan to participate in fundraisers and other events.

Jury said the group has been collecting stories of Alzheimer’s impact on families and will dedicate each day’s ride to a family.
Information about the trip, including videos, photos, blogs and route map, is available on the Fijis Across America website and Facebook page.

More WKU news is available at www.wku.edu and at http://wkunews.wordpress.com/. If you’d like to receive WKU news via e-mail, send a message to WKUNews@wku.edu. For information, contact Tyler Jury at (270) 766-7121.

By Corey Alderdice

State Recognition Ceremony for Duke TIP Program May 28 at Diddle Arena

May 24, 2010 | News, WKU | No Comments

The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU will host the Kentucky Recognition Ceremony for the Duke Talent Identification Program at 2 p.m. May 28 in Diddle Arena.

Dr. Terry Holliday, Kentucky’s Commissioner of Education, will provide the keynote address.

The Duke University Talent Identification Program’s (Duke TIP) 7th Grade Talent Search identifies students in 16 states in the Southeast, Midwest and Southwest who have scored in the 95th percentile on a grade-level achievement test. As part of the program, these academically talented students take above level college entrance exams (SAT or ACT) to learn more about their abilities.

Duke TIP hosts annual Recognition Ceremonies to honor the seventh-graders who score highest on these SAT or ACT exams. Of the more than 61,000 participants nationally this year, 24,301 students have been invited to attend State Recognition Ceremonies and 1,903 students have been invited to the Grand Recognition Ceremony. More than 1,400 Kentucky students will be honored at the event on WKU’s campus.

A record 50 students have been named 2010 William and Dorothy C. Bevan Scholars. These outstanding students have earned a perfect score on one or more sections of the SAT or ACT. The Kentucky students are Katherine Adams, Sacred Heart Model School in Louisville; Andrew Brown, Muhlenberg North Middle School in Central City; James Conti, Turkey Foot Middle School in Villa Hills; Saralina Schell, Bowling Green Junior High in Bowling Green; and Chelsea Southworth, Winburn Middle School in Lexington.

In addition to the Duke honors to be bestowed, students will be introduced to the programs they are eligible to participate in provided by The Center for Gifted Studies at WKU and will also have the opportunity to tour campus.

Contact: Cara Pitchford, (270) 745-3014.

By Corey Alderdice

Full Video: Gatton Academy Third Annual Commencement (2010)

May 15, 2010 | Alumni, News, Parents, People, Staff, Student Success, Video, WKU | No Comments

Gatton Academy Third Annual Commencement (2010) from Gatton Academy on Vimeo.

Celebration of Commencement Weekend at Western Kentucky University continued on Saturday as The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky honored its third graduating class of high school seniors.

Fifty-one students representing 37 counties from across the Commonwealth were recognized during the ceremony at the newly renovated Van Meter Auditorium. The ceremony not only celebrated the significant accomplishments of the program and its graduates over the last two years but also looked toward the infinite possibilities ahead.

Gatton Academy Executive Director Dr. Julia Roberts expressed the day’s events were both a celebration of the Class of 2010’s personal accomplishments and a starting point toward their work of creating a better Kentucky.

“Kentucky’s future is brighter today because you are graduates of the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science,” Roberts said. “What wonderful contributions you will make in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering and technology. I look forward to hearing about your leadership in STEM fields in Kentucky and beyond in the not-so-distant future.”

WKU President Dr. Gary Ransdell lauded not only the graduates’ academic accomplishments but also the instruction they have received in becoming better leaders.

“I hope you’ve understood those lessons and values that allow you to command leadership positions,” he said. “And I hope you take with you the motto of this university: The spirit makes the master. I hope wherever you may go, that path leads back to Kentucky.”

Chris Guthrie, President of Trace Die Cast, Inc., delivered the commencement address. Guthrie also encouraged the graduates to enjoy a wide variety of life experiences; however, he advised them to make a difference in their state.

“We have a great state, and I challenge you to see more of it,” he said. “When the time comes to start your business, your medical practice or research institute, come back to Kentucky. We need your talent. Go out and experience great things and come back and help us build a better Commonwealth.”

Over the past two years, Gatton Academy students have taken advanced coursework in mathematics, science and other subjects at WKU in fulfillment of high school requirements and the Gatton Academy curriculum. In all, students have each earned more than 60 hours of college credit.

Gatton Academy Director Tim Gott shared his gratitude with attending faculty members for their role in making the program’s learning environment a challenging and rewarding experience for students.

“Of the many things these students have pursued, one particular area of significance is the opportunity to conduct research,” Gott said. “Many of the faculty with us today have mentored these students as they explored new techniques in chemistry, environmental issues in geography and geology, unknown frontiers in astronomy and physics, potential medical breakthroughs in biology, life-enhancing concepts in engineering and unique applications in math and computer science. Those who engaged in these research projects have truly brought relevance to the rigor.”

Three out of five graduates participated in a facilitated research project with university faculty members. Research accomplishments include WKU’s second Department of Defense SMART scholarship recipient, a student presentation before the Keystone Center’s National Energy Board, and a DAAD RISE scholarship winner.

Anna Walter, a graduating senior from Burlington, reflected upon her experience as an Academy student and the potential she and her classmates have to affect global change.

“The Academy has given us the opportunities we need not only to succeed in our chosen fields but also to excel in them by providing that extra little push to go from ordinary to the extraordinary,” she said. “It is that little extra that distinguishes the leaders from the followers, the innovators from the reproducers and the great from the average.”

In pursuit of those academic and personal goals, three out of five graduates plan to attend Kentucky higher education institutions with 8 continuing their studies at WKU.

In the fall of 2010, representatives from the graduating class will attend 20 schools across the United States: Belmont University; Cornell University; Georgia Institute of Technology; Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Morehead State University; Mount Holyoke College; Princeton University; Purdue University; Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology; Stanford University; Transylvania University; Union University; University of Chicago; University of Delaware; University of Kentucky; University of Louisville; University of Tennessee, Knoxville; University of Washington; Vanderbilt University and Western Kentucky University.

Four-year scholarships totaling more than $10.3 million were offered to the graduating class, while more than $3.5 million in four-year scholarships were accepted.

Twelve members of the senior class were named Kentucky Governor’s Scholars. Ten members of the class were selected as National Merit finalists. In all, seniors completed a total of 1,948 hours of community service during their time at the Gatton Academy.

“These students have taken the most rigorous curriculum offered to any high school student in the nation,” Gott said. “They left the comfort of home and established a level of independence that will impact their lives forever. They have forged new friendships which will grow exponentially in the years to come. They have given themselves in community service throughout the state inspiring younger students, building new homes and expanding awareness of the opportunities in math and science. They will become the leaders of this great Commonwealth.”

Ryne Weiss, a graduating senior from Richmond, explained the role that students’ families, both genetic and created, had on their time as Academy students.

“This experience would not be possible if you didn’t have generous parents who would do the unthinkable and let you pursue the greatest academic opportunity available,” Weiss said. “Eventually, we will also see our Academy family again. They will be on the news, they will be on the cover of Nature, Popular Science or Time. We will see each other again and we will be proud, like family.”

By Corey Alderdice

Full Video: Senior Recognition Ceremony for the Class of 2010

May 15, 2010 | News, Parents, People, Staff, Student Life, Student Success, Video | No Comments

Senior Recognition Ceremony for the Class of 2010 from Gatton Academy on Vimeo.

The Gatton Academy administration honors the graduating Class of 2010 during the Senior Recognition Ceremony. Students were recognized for honors, research, service, Community Developers, Academy Avatars, and more. Students also shared their appreciation for Academy staff members’ guidance and support. Finally, Academy Director Tim Gott played a game of TIMGO with students while sharing some parting thoughts.

By Corey Alderdice

Gatton Academy Honors Third Class of Graduates

May 15, 2010 | Alumni, News, Parents, People, Student Life, Student Success, WKU | No Comments

Celebration of Commencement Weekend at Western Kentucky University continued on Saturday as The Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky honored its third graduating class of high school seniors.