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August 2, 2011 | International, News, People, Photos, Students, Summer | No Comments
August 2, 2011 | 5Q, News, People, Research, Students, Summer, WKU | No Comments
Since 2010, the Gatton Academy has offered students the ability to pursue summer research experiences through the Gatton Research Internships Grants (RIG) program. Made possible through the generous support of Mr. Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, the program offers competitive grants to Gatton Academy students between their junior and senior years to support summertime research internships across the Commonwealth and the world. By providing a funding mechanism, the program directly creates new avenues for growth and exploration. Throughout the summer, we’ll share insights from students who are the recipients of our 2011 grants.
William Bickett (’12) of Owensboro is conducting research this summer with Dr. Phillip Womble at WKU’s Applied Physics Institute.
1. Tell us a little about the research experience in which you are participating this summer that the Research Internship Grant is funding.
I have been working on subjecting samples to neutron radiation and measuring the emitted gamma-rays at various angles in my research over the summer. I’m doing this in order to get a better feel for how the Doppler Shift effects the readings of gamma ray based explosive detectors. My research requires me to do a large variety of things, from working in the machine shop, creating various components of our setup, to running complex and expensive equipment such as neutron generators.
2. Will you be using this research experience as a launching point for any particular applications, competitions, or scholarships?
I will ideally use my research to participate in the Siemens Competition, try for a Goldwater Scholarship, and several other endeavors.
3. How does this research experience or internship fit into your educational and professional goals?
This research experience has allowed me to get first-hand experience in the type of workplace that I hope to one day end up in.
4. What are you looking forward to the most about your second year at the Academy?
The thing I am looking forward to most about my senior year at the Academy is probably my new residential situation. ADA Room: Check, Cool Roommate: Check, Cool Suitemates: Check, Girls wing of the building: Check.
5. What do you love most about the Gatton Academy?
The thing I love most about the Academy is that its full of kids like me and that I feel like I belong there.
August 1, 2011 | Uncategorized | No Comments
August 1, 2011 | International, News, People, Students, Summer | No Comments
by Erin Walch
The weekend’s excursions were a hodgepodge of fascinating architecture, ancient history, and cultural immersion. Awaking from our slumber early on Saturday morning before boarding a bus, we later entered the quaint but bustling town of Salisbury, not at all expecting it to be the location of such a massive feat of architecture–Salisbury Cathedral. Complete with a garden, courtyard, chapter house, and the church proper, this exhibit kept us thoroughly busy. Our guide expertly merged history with architecture, telling us all about the unique aspects of the building, such as the mere four foot foundation supporting the massive structure. It was also a pleasant surprise for the history gurus in our group to come face to face with the original manuscript of the Magna Carta written in Latin. By the end of the tour, batteries were wearing down from all of the brilliant pictures we took.
Hopping back on our lovely tour bus, the Fighting Automations traveled to none other but the legendary monument–Stonehenge. Exploring this ancient monument provided insight into the skill and cleverness of a past civilization, and some of us began to realize the fascination the world holds for Stonehenge may not lie in its physical appearance, but its ability to directly connect us with ancient cultures. The reasons as to why this monument this built, how they possibly carried the stones and arranged them into their present resting places, and what significance this structure held in the past are all questions that pique our interest.
Finishing up our journey, we arrived at the University of Bath to place our belongings in our lodgings for later that night. Then, taking a public bus into the center of Bath, we were given instructions to wander about and not cause shenanigans till check-in at the University at 10:30 pm. Some of us ate dinner at the Cozy Club and reported a classy British dining experience, others munched goodies from the curiously named Boston Tea Party, and still others experimented with classic Thai at the restaurant Mai Thai.
Drastically different from the easy going atmosphere of the harbor town Whitby, it was easy to see how the elite, exclusive vibe of Bath has remained from past to present. The lunch receptions in the Pump Room and country dances in the Lower and Upper Rooms that Catherine from Northanger Abbey would have experienced in an earlier version of Bath has given way to posh restaurants, fashionable clubs and expensive shopping districts. Depending on whether you prefer finding fabulous clothing, searching for tasty eats, or celebrating life in the many energetic clubs, the city of Bath is another dimension of the England we are all beginning to know and love.
July 28, 2011 | International, News, People, Photos, Students, Summer | No Comments
July 28, 2011 | International, People, Students, Summer, Video | No Comments
July 28, 2011 | 5Q, News, People, Research, Students, WKU | No Comments
Since 2010, the Gatton Academy has offered students the ability to pursue summer research experiences through the Gatton Research Internships Grants (RIG) program. Made possible through the generous support of Mr. Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, the program offers competitive grants to Gatton Academy students between their junior and senior years to support summertime research internships across the Commonwealth and the world. By providing a funding mechanism, the program directly creates new avenues for growth and exploration. Throughout the summer, we’ll share insights from students who are the recipients of our 2011 grants.
Tennessee “Tucker” Joyce (’12) of Harrodsburg is working with Dr. Richard Schugart of the WKU Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, continuing his research that started at the beginning of his Academy experience.
1. What does research mean to you as a young person interested in STEM?
Research to me means that I can work creatively on a new, unsolved problem. It means that the work I am doing here can have an impact on the world and help people.
2. Tell us a little about the research experience in which you are participating this summer that the Research Internship Grant is funding.
This Summer I am doing research under Dr. Richard Schugart in the WKU Mathematics Department. I am working on part of an ongoing project involving a new model of the process of wound healing for chronic wounds. I am working mostly with the mathematical aspect of the problem, gaining qualitative results and estimating parameter values.
3. Will you be using this research experience as a launching point for any particular applications, competitions, or scholarships?
Yes, definitely. I plan on applying to the Siemens Competition, Intel Competition, and probably some others too. The research experience here lends itself naturally to such competitions and this is one of the great benefits of doing research.
4. How does the Gatton Academy help Kentucky from your point of view?
I feel that the Gatton Academy’s main benefit to Kentucky is to allow young people with potential to better use it. Graduates of the Gatton Academy are prepared to succeed in college more than they ever would be otherwise and will probably go on to improve Kentucky after college more than ever thanks to the opportunities they received at the Gatton Academy.
5. What do you love most about the Gatton Academy?
The thing I love most about the Gatton Academy is the idea that 128 of the most gifted students in the state are able to live and work together in one place. I feel that students as talented as those at the Gatton Academy can achieve much more when they can communicate with each other. The Gatton Academy creates a unique community in which this is possible and the opportunities that this provides are what I love about the Academy.
July 27, 2011 | International, News, People, Students, Summer | No Comments
By Andrea Eastes, Keaton Smith, and Nick Zolman
In order to connect sites in England to the books we have read, Academy students studying abroad in England embarked on a trip to Whitby, the site of Dracula’s arrival in Bram Stoker’s same-named novel. Throughout our day, we came to know the city quite well and fell in love with the combination of old and new.
After a quick breakfast at the Harlaxton Manor, we ventured north to Whitby. Upon arrival, we quickly dispersed to explore the town. All of us were immediately captured by the port’s charm and lovely old world architecture like Whitby Abbey and the many Victorian structures. Some of us opted to explore the streets and roam around the plethora of stores that Whitby offered. Popular spots included gift shops, curio stores, antique shops, and the Gutsy Ginger, an eclectic store full of odds and ends. Many returned with purchases such as trinkets, hats, traditional Whitby jet jewelry, and even a raptor tooth! Others decided to journey to other parts of town, to enjoy parks, museums, a Dracula themed haunted house, and live music on the streets. We all really enjoyed the morning’s excursion. The people were friendly, as were the dogs that went about the town with their owners. The only thing that may take a while getting used to is the traffic patterns! Whitby was full of roundabouts and clogged streets that made navigating difficult.
After thrift shopping and sightseeing in Whitby, we were shuttled off to our residence for our stay in the small, yet beautiful bed and breakfast: the Mallyan-Spout Hotel. Upon arrival, we were given the chance to explore the beautiful surrounding landscape. Many of us chose to view the Mallyan-Spout, for which their residence is aptly named for, while others chose to seek the train station down the street. The Goatheland train station actually served as the Hogsmeade train station in the first Harry Potter movie. One of the staffers actually got to play a Slytherin in the film when he was thirteen.
After a few hours of exploration, we all headed back to Whitby for dinner. In downtown Whitby, we were exposed to excellent dining and service at the Magpie Restaurant. Everyone experienced British cuisine at its finest. From Shepard’s Pie, to beef casserole, to a variety of England’s classic, fish and chips. Some of us also experienced firsthand some customary differences that they were not necessarily expecting. When we asked for water, a couple of us were handed a large glass bottle of spring water instead of free water from the tap (and if you were not careful, you could end up with Sparkling Water, a much more bubbly twist). Others learned that “lemonade” in England is not the same adored, lemon-flavored, sugary drink we had as children, but instead, a carbonated drink that resembled a lemon-lime soda, such as Sprite or 7-UP.
Dinner at the Magpie was followed by a tour through Whitby and an eerie recounting of some of the city’s most gruesome tales. We were led by a sinister-appearing, though quite jovial, man identifying himself as Harry, who was well-versed in the lore and legend of the seaside town. We saw the spot where Count Dracula himself was reported to have come ashore in the shape of a large, black wolf from a beached Russian ship. We heard tell of the spirits professed to haunt the houses and pubs of the area; those unfortunate souls chained to the world after ghastly deaths by hanging, beheading, and yet more grisly mutilation. We were told about two mischievous cats severely wounded after an encounter with two irate townspeople, whose injuries were later noticed to be remarkably similar to those of two laborers then assumed to possess powers beyond the natural world. We learned the secrets the Hand of Glory, an aid to thieves wishing to creep through houses without attracting the notice of the sleeping inhabitants. We also came to know about a one-armed lighthouse keeper who died of a heart attack many years ago, but whose body still appears on occasion to this day on the seventy-first stair of his tower. We finally broke up and headed back to our bed and breakfast for the night, left with much to ponder as we retired to our own rooms.
Tomorrow we will discover more of the city and in particular the Whitby Abbey, but for now the day has left us all with tired feet and a belly full of fish and chips.
July 26, 2011 | 5Q, News, People, Research, Students, Summer, WKU | No Comments
Since 2010, the Gatton Academy has offered students the ability to pursue summer research experiences through the Gatton Research Internships Grants (RIG) program. Made possible through the generous support of Mr. Carol Martin “Bill” Gatton, the program offers competitive grants to Gatton Academy students between their junior and senior years to support summertime research internships across the Commonwealth and the world. By providing a funding mechanism, the program directly creates new avenues for growth and exploration. Throughout the summer, we’ll share insights from students who are the recipients of our 2011 grants.
Rebecca Brown (’12) of Boston, KY is spending part of her summer working with Dr. Michael Carini of the WKU Department of Physics and Astronomy studying Optical Monitoring of TeV Candidate Blazars.
1. What does research mean to you as a young person interested in STEM?
To me, research is being able to produce new data. By doing research, you’re contributing something new to the scientific community.
2. Tell us a little about the research experience in which you are participating this summer that the Research Internship Grant is funding.
My research is in astronomy/astrophysics. I’m staying on WKU campus for five weeks continuing the research I started last semester. From 9 to 5 on weekdays, I work in the Physics and Astronomy Department reducing data from images of blazars taken from the Kitt Peak telescope in Arizona. The data I’m collecting is a measurement of the blazars’ magnitude, or brightness, which in turn indicates whether or not it’s actively consuming matter.
3. Will you be using this research experience as a launching point for any particular applications, competitions, or scholarships?
As part of the internship, I have to write a research paper. This paper closely follows those for Siemens competition entries, so I hope to use a polished version of the research paper to enter.
4. How does this research experience or internship fit into your educational and professional goals?
In the short-term, it allows me to catch up on the backlog of data the tends to accumulate with the pictures I’m working with by allowing me more consistent time to research. In the long-term, it gives me experience which will help me attain my career goals (astrophysicist and professor). In addition it ensures that I actually know what I’m getting into with my field, and won’t end up backing out halfway through a degree.
5. What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?
I’d like to attend a reputable college with a good astronomy department and eventually work my way up to a Ph.D. I would continue research along the way.
July 25, 2011 | International, News, People, Students, Summer, Video | No Comments
After flying over 5,000 miles, we arrived in England on Monday. Though experiencing the symptoms of jetlag, we all have been exploring Harlaxton Manor, its surrounding grounds, and the nearby city of Grantham. On Monday night, “Zyggy,” our tour guide, took us around the manor. There is no doubt about it: Harlaxton is HUGE. In this video we give you a quick glimpse of the manor.