On Saturday, October 16, 2010, Gatton Academy students and staff will be honored at the start of the second quarter of the WKU/Louisiana-Monroe football game.
As it happens, Saturday is also Parents’ Weekend on campus. In celebration of both events, the Academy will hold a cookout at 4 p.m. on the Schneider Hall patio. We cordially invite parents, friends, and other family members to join us for burgers, hotdogs, and the trimmings and stay for the football game.
Parking will not be available in the Schneider Hall Lot for the event. We suggest Parking Structure 1 or the lots across from Cherry Hall. A full tailgating and parking map is available at the following link:
Kick-off is slated for 6 p.m. at Houchens-L.T. Smith Stadium. Tickets may be purchased at the gate for $6 or in advance by telephoning 1-800-5-BIG-RED.
Parents are asked to RSVP online at http://gattonparents10.eventbrite.com no later than Noon on Thursday, October 14, 2010.
For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at academy@wku.edu.
Representatives of the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky at WKU will conduct a series informational meetings for high school students and their parents as well as interested community members across the state this fall.
Students may RSVP to attend the sessions online at http://gattonacademy.eventbrite.com.
The Gatton Academy is a residential program for 120 high school juniors and seniors from Kentucky who have demonstrated talent and interest in pursuing advanced careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. To date, the Gatton Academy has admitted students from 95 counties across the Commonwealth.
Students apply during their sophomore year through a competitive admissions process.
Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, students take courses offered by WKU. At the end of two years, students graduate high school in addition to having earned at least 60 college credit hours. Housing, tuition, and meals are provided at no cost to ensure this opportunity is available to all qualifying students.
The goal of the Gatton Academy is to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities, preparing them for leadership roles in Kentucky.
For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-6565.
Highland Heights/Northern Kentucky (RSVP Online to Attend)
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
6:30 p.m. (EST)
Student Union, Room 104
Northern Kentucky University
Highland Heights, KY 41099 Campus Map and Driving Directions (external link)
Hopkinsville (RSVP Online to Attend)
Thursday, October 7, 2010
6:00 p.m. (CDT)
Pennyrile Rural Electric Cooperative Community Room
2000 Harrison St.
Hopkinsville, KY 42241
London (RSVP Online to Attend)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
6:00 p.m. (EST)
South Laurel High School Library
201 South Laurel Road
London, KY 40744
Paducah (RSVP Online to Attend)
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
6:00 p.m. (CDT)
McCracken County Board of Education
Building 7 Training Room
435 Berger Road
Paducah, KY 42003
Morehead (RSVP Online to Attend)
Thursday, October 21, 2010
6:00 p.m. (EST)
Doran University Center, Room 301
Morehead State University
150 University Blvd.
Morehead, KY 40351 Link to Campus Map (external link)
Ashland (RSVP Online to Attend)
Monday, October 25, 2010
6:30 p.m. (EST)
Teleconference Room, Ashland Community and Technical College
1400 College Dr.
Ashland, KY 41101
Mount Washington/Bullitt County (RSVP Online to Attend)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
6:30 p.m. (EST)
Bullitt East High School Library
11450 Highway 44 East
Mt. Washington, KY 40047
Somerset (RSVP Online to Attend)
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
6:30 p.m. (EST)
Pulaski County High School Auditorium
511 University Dr.
Somerset, KY 42503
Mayfield (RSVP Online to Attend)
Thursday, October 28, 2010
6:00 p.m. (CDT)
Graves County High School Library
1107 Housman St.
Mayfield, KY 42066
Prestonsburg (RSVP Online to Attend)
Monday, November 1, 2010
6:00 p.m. (EST)
East Kentucky Science Center
Big Sandy Community and Technical College
7 Bert Combs Dr.
Prestonsburg, KY 41653
Hazard (RSVP Online to Attend)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
6:00 p.m. (EST)
Meeting Room, Guest House Inn 192 Corporate Drive Hazard, KY 41701
Nearly 20% of Gatton Academy seniors have been recognized as semifinalists in the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program, an honor which potentially opens the door college scholarship opportunities. In all, 11 members of the Class of 2011 will go on to the next round of the competition.
Over 1.5 million students in about 22,000 high schools entered the 2011 National Merit Scholarship Program by taking the 2009 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. Students are tested in math, critical reasoning, and writing. The 16,000 Semifinalists honored are the highest-scoring entrants in their state and represent less than 1 percent of each state’s high school seniors.
For these Gatton Academy seniors, it’s a great way to begin their final year of high school even as they focus on the college admissions process ahead. According to Gatton Academy Director Tim Gott, this is just the beginning of a busy—and rewarding—year.
“With this recognition, these students have earned a key that will open tremendous educational opportunities,” Gott said. “We look forward to seeing what these students will accomplish in the days ahead.”
To be considered in the rigorous competition for National Merit Scholarships, Semifinalists must advance to the Finalist level of the competition by meeting additional standard and fulfilling several requirements. These include having a record of very high academic performance of college preparatory course work, submitting SAT scores that confirm PSAT performance, and being fully endorsed and recommended by a high school official.
Gatton Academy students honored in the program are recognized through their sending high school. Since students take the qualifying PSAT exam in October of their junior year of high school, much of the preparation stems from learning opportunities during their freshman and sophomore years of high school. The Gatton Academy builds on those experiences to provide students with a robust application and preparation for the SAT, a critical component in becoming a finalist.
“It is an incredible honor to be named a National Merit semifinalist,” Gott said. “These remarkable young people have been strongly prepared by their home high schools and the Gatton Academy is privileged to be able to contribute to the ongoing education of these outstanding students.”
2011 Gatton Academy National Merit Semifinalists:
Michael Bowie (Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, Fayette County)
Katherine Goebel (Shelby County High School, Shelby County)
Justine Missik (Boyle County High School, Boyle County)
Tejas Sangoi (Daviess County High School, Daviess County)
Tyler Scaff (Oldham County High School, Oldham County)
Natalie Schieber (Elizabethtown High School, Hardin County)
Sarah Schrader (Greenwood High School, Warren County)
Jonathan Serpico (Elizabethtown High School, Hardin County)
Josh Song (Bowling Green High School, Warren County)
Paras Vora (Daviess County High School, Daviess County)
Kelsey Wagner (Bullitt East High School, Bullitt County)
Finalists will be named in winter 2011.
For more information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.
The students of Gatton Academy are not the only high-achievers in Schneider Hall. Over this summer, Residential Counselor Rose Nash traveled to the esteemed Oxford University in England to present her Master’s thesis to a group of her academic peers. The Academy caught up with her and she answered a few questions about her presentation and her trip in general.
When did you go?
The conference was held the 11th through the 13th of July.
Why were you there?
I presented part of my thesis: A Loss of Connection: Science in Romanticism and Science Fiction at the fifth Global Conference of Visions of Humanity in Cyberculture, Cyberspace, and Science Fiction at Oxford University.
What kinds of things did you do while in England besides present at the conference?
At the conference, I presented and participated in discussions with other presenters about their theses. I got to know people from all over the world. I also spent 2 days in Oxford, where Tolkien and C.S. Lewis were from, and got to see where they studied and worked. I [spent time] in London touring for 2 days.
Would you share with us a little information about your thesis?
My thesis is the idea that modern science fiction is an extension of Dark Romanticism. The part I presented is connecting two of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories, “The Birth-mark” and “Rappiccini’s Daughter,” to Ray Bradbury’s Fahrenheit 451.
How did you feel about presenting?
Incredibly nervous! I was the only person there who wasn’t in the process of earning or already have a Ph.D. Once I was there, though, I really enjoyed it and got a lot of useful information for my thesis.
Which other theses stood out to you? Which were your favorites?
The ones on virtual worlds and how they impact how we communicate and how its changing, and what it really means to be human. Also, a lot of papers on the Cyberpunk movement. Cyberpunk is [a subgenre of] revolutionary stories in science fiction about changing things. Many authors tied into real-life cases like genocides in Africa, AIDS epidemics, and man’s want to not age or die. The constant use of science and the attempt to escape is really what it means to be human.
How many people presented at the conference?
Forty people presented from fourteen different countries [were in the audience], plus their family and friends. There were three days of presenting nonstop, with a social justice conference too.
What was your favorite part of the whole trip?
Meeting others in science fiction field. I met nice guy from Brazil, a guy from New Zealand, a girl from Norway, a cool girl from Vietnam, and girl from Czech Republic who was working in Greece.
Any final words you would like to leave us with?
It was really nerve-wracking, but–in the end–it was completely worth it.
With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.
Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person. Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.
Up next is Residential Counselor Laura Huff.
Interview by Sydney Combs, Academy Avatar
1. Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?
I had been part of the Gatton Academy staff for two years as a night clerk before applying for a residential counselor position. I decided to go for the position because I wanted to stay with the Academy after graduating college. I love working here and love the atmosphere. It seemed like the perfect fit for me.
2. Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?
I attended Western Kentucky University and studied English with a concentration in creative writing. I did droadcasting as a minor and did most of the Asian Studies courses as well as studied Japanese for the last three years of my college education.
3. What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?
I’m looking forward to getting started and getting into a routine first of all. I’m also looking forward to getting to know not only the girls on my floor but the other students as well.
4. What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?
There is no other high school in Kentucky like Gatton Academy. It’s a place where students from all sorts of different places, backgrounds, and cultures can come together and work toward their dreams. They learn more about the world, especially being on a college campus, where the atmosphere is entirely different.
5. What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?
I hope to bring together people from different groups and different floors and to introduce some new things to the students that they may not have otherwise tried.
6. Do you have any unique hobbies?
I watch a LOT of Japanese dramas. In the past three years, I’ve seen over 250. They’re just so addicting and so many new ones keep coming out.
7. If you had a couple of hours to waste in an airport, what would you be doing?
Since I rarely travel, airports are a novelty for me. Whenever I do somehow get to be in an airport, I love just walking around looking at the stores and the strangely expensive things they sell there. It fascinates me that you can buy so much stuff in an airport.
8. What clubs are you interested in starting or sponsoring this year?
I think I’m going to be the Japanese Culture Club sponsor this year, but other than that, I’m free. If anyone has a club for which they need a sponsor, then come see me.
9. Why did you choose to major in your field?
I chose Creative Writing because I got to write. Writing stories is something I’ve done since childhood when I learned how to write, and it was all I had ever wanted to do up until I got in college. Things have changed a bit, but I still love writing and loved being able to just sit in class and write a random story.
10. In a fierce battle, who would win: Unicorns or Zombies, and why?
Hmm…unicorns have the advantage of being alive and faster, but zombies are already dead and develop superhuman strength to rip things apart once they are undead. Definitely zombies that would rip apart the unicorns.
With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.
Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person. Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.
Up first is Residential Counselor Ian Oliver.
Interview by Brandon Kerr, Academy Avatar
1) Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?
I knew coming out of college I wanted to work with students in a college environment. Having attended a residential high school for gifted children myself, the Gatton Academy seemed a natural fit.
2) Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?
I attended college at Clemson University (in South Carolina) and studied Physics and Astronomy.
3) What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?
I’m looking forward to getting to know the students and see what you do with the opportunity you’ve been presented. I’ve heard and read a lot of amazing things students have done in the past or are working on now.
4) What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?
I don’t know of any other school that provides so much support and autonomy in allowing students to pursue their academic interests.
5) What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?
I’d like to be a valuable resource for the students, and maybe share some outside experience.
6) What’s your favorite type of foreign food?
Burritos. Burritos count as foreign right?
7) If you could travel to any country, where would you go, and why?
England. A lifetime of English sentiment means traveling to England always feels like coming home.
8) How did you first find out about the Academy?
Representatives from the academy were at a residential life conference I attended.
9) What is your favorite TV show/movie?
I’m not much of a TV/Movie guy, but probably The Daily Show for TV and Grave of the Fireflies for movie.
10) If you could have any animal as a pet, which would it be, and why?
I was asked this the other day in an icebreaker and answered “Goliath Frog,” but honestly I think I dog is pretty hard to beat.
With the start of a new year at the Gatton Academy comes several new personalities to the staff. We are excited about these passionate and dedicated individuals who have joined our team. They come to us from different parts of the country with a host of varied experiences. Over the last few weeks, the staff has had a chance to get to know each other. It’s now your chance to meet the new faces behind the Academy. Each day this week, we’ll profile a new staff member.
Academy Avatars sat down with each new staff member to post ten questions in hopes of getting to know them better. Avatars came up with five questions that we asked each person. Each Avatar also posed five unique questions of their own choosing to ask as well.
Up next is Study Skills Coordinator Keely P’Pool.
Interview by Krysta Waldrop, Academy Avatar
1. Why did you decide to join the Gatton Academy staff?
I am very excited to be a member of the Gatton Academy staff this year, and I am looking forward to working with and interacting with all the students. I am a firm believer in gifted education and feel that gifted students should be given academic opportunities that will challenge them and enable them to maximize their potential. Knowing these values are incorporated into the mission of the Gatton Academy made me want to become a staff member so that I can contribute my knowledge and expertise in hopes of helping every student at the Gatton Academy be successful.
2. Where did you attend college and what subjects did you study?
I am actually an alumnus of Western Kentucky University. I have a variety of degrees from this university and am also currently working on my second Masters degree from Western. I graduated in 2006 with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and a minor in Criminology. I also have my Master’s degree in Elementary & Gifted Education from WKU. I am currently finishing up my Specialist degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Gifted Education, and I am starting work on my second Master’s this fall in Library Media Education.
3. What are you looking forward to the most about the coming school year?
One of the main components I have missed most from my teaching career is interacting and working with students. I enjoy collaborating with students and watching them learn and be successful. I also enjoy learning about my students and forming positive academic relationships with them. Last year I worked at The Center for Gifted Studies and missed the interaction with students. So, now that I am at the Gatton Academy I am excited to once again work with students and do what I can to ensure that they will be successful.
4. What do you think makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience?
I think the main thing that makes the Gatton Academy a unique educational experience is that it allows gifted students from all across the state to interact and learn from each other in an environment that is extremely beneficial for them. It’s a completely different learning experience when you come from a classroom where you are the only gifted student to an environment where every student around you is gifted. The Gatton Academy experience allows gifted students to form a camaraderie among themselves because they understand each other. The educational experience is so much better when you share it with people who enjoy learning as much as you do, and that is the atmosphere that the Gatton Academy provides.
5. What contributions do you hope to make to life at the Gatton Academy?
I hope to make many positive contributions to life at the Gatton Academy. Among these contributions I hope to bring a supportive environment for all of the students I will be working with during the study hours. I also hope to show the students that I truly care about them and their academic success by making myself available as much as possible to meet their academic needs, whether it be proofreading a research paper, helping students review for an exam, or scheduling tutors for students who need some extra help in their classes.
6. Have you often worked with young adults in past jobs? (Also, if yes, what/who inspired you to work with people in that age group?
I taught fourth grade for two years at Oakland Elementary here in Bowling Green, even though those students are a little bit younger than the “young adult” category. I also taught a class at SCATS last summer called Nazi Germany & the Holocaust, which I taught to gifted middle school students. As far as my fourth graders, I have always wanted to teach and work with students, so I truly enjoyed working with students at that age especially when I was able to teach them content where they had to think critically about their problem solving. Concerning the SCATS students, I attended both SCATS and VAMPY when I was younger and knew that I wanted to teach a class at SCATS at some point. Nazi Germany and the Holocaust is a topic of interest for me, and I have traveled to some of the concentration camps in Europe. It was great to teach a topic to students who were interested and wanted to learn about a subject matter that I am passionate about.
7. Do you have any advice to give to the students that would have helped you at our age?
My advice for students would be to experience as much as you can (traveling, meeting new people, taking interesting classes, etc.) whenever you can because life is too short not to enjoy every moment. As far as academics, my advice would be to work hard and stay focused, even though there will be times when all you want to do is watch TV, relax, and hang out with friends. Hard work does pay off in the end, and it is totally worth it to do well the first time and enjoy your accomplishments.
8. What was your favorite subject in high school?
My favorite subjects in high school were history (because I had an AMAZING AP History teacher) and math (I took AP Calculus my senior year).
9. What has been the most memorable place to which you have traveled?
This is a really hard question because I am an avid traveler. I have been to 48 states (still need to go to Alaska and Hawaii) and 18 countries. If I had to choose I would say the most memorable place I have been to would be a tie between Ireland, Italy (Venice), Australia, and France (Paris).
10. Is there anything else about you that you would like the staff, students, or parents to know?
I would like everyone to know that my main goal is for every student at the Gatton Academy to be successful. I am available and willing to help the students in any way that I can and am more than willing to meet with students whenever they need me. Some interesting facts I guess would be that I am from a military family, I love to travel (which is obvious from the answer I gave in the above question), and I used to train horses when I was younger.
The 2010-11 school year is really just getting started, yet we’re excited to formally announce several opportunities for Gatton Academy students to travel and study abroad in 2011.
These experiences mark the fourth consecutive series travel/study program facilitated by the Gatton Academy during Winter Term . Students traveled to Greece in 2010, Spain and Portugal in 2009, and Italy in 2008. Even more exciting, we are proud to share the Academy will facilitate a total of three international experiences in the coming year.
Milan
The Mediterranean Experience
From January 4-11, 2011, up to thirty Gatton Academy students will explore the cities, culture, and history of some of Europe’s most famous countries. Sites visited will include Milan, Turin, Manoco, Nice, Cannes, Avignon, Montpellier, Carcassonne, and Barcelona.
The cost for this year’s trip will be $2,150. (The overall program cost is $3,350 with the Academy supplementing $1,200 of the total cost.) This includes roundtrip airfare from Nashville or Louisville, hotel accommodations in all destinations, breakfast and dinner while in Europe, admission to most historic sites and museums listed on the itinerary, and travel by chartered motor coach for excursions.
Full information and an application are available in the online brochure.
Students must submit the completed application and a $500 deposit no later than Monday, October 11. Space is limited to 30 students. Should there be an excess of interest, priority will be given to seniors first and names randomly drawn thereafter.
The Cloudbridge Nature Reserve
The Costa Rica Research Experience
From January 4-19, 2011, up to sixteen Gatton Academy students will explore the cities, culture, and history of some of Europe’s most famous countries. Sites visited will include San Jose, the San Geraro de Rivas mountain region, research in Cloudbridge Nature Reserve, a night in the jungle,Parque Marino Ballena swamp ecosystem exploration, Islla de Cano for snorkeling, the volcano at Volcan Arena.
The cost for the trip will be $775. (The overall program cost is $1975 with the Academy supplementing $1,200 of the total cost.) This includes roundtrip airfare from Nashville, accommodations in all destinations, two daily meals, admission and fees for all items listed on the itinerary, travel by chartered motor coach for excursions, and tuition for Biology 485 — Academy Field Studies in Costa Rica (3 hrs.).
Full information and an application are available in the online brochure.
The application deadline is September 17, 2010. Interviews may be required should student interest exceed capacity. A $500 nonrefundable deposit is due no later than Monday, October 11.
Harlaxton College
The Harlaxton Experience
From July 24 – August 15, 2011, Gatton Academy Class of 2012 students will explore the literature and culture of the United Kingdom while developing an appreciation for all literary practices, theory, and concepts. Students will be based at Harlaxton College and will visit locations throughout the United Kingdom. Additional Sites visited will include Whitby for a ghost walk “In Search of Dracula,Bath, Salisbury, Stonehenge, the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, Stratford-upon-Avon, York, the Lake District, and London.
The cost for the trip will be $3700. (Should students participate in an unfunded Winter Term learning opportunity, up to $1200 may be applied to the cost of the program.) This includes roundtrip airfare from the United States, accommodations in all destinations, most meals, admission and fees for all items listed on the itinerary, travel by chartered motor coach for excursions, and tuition for English 200 — Honors Introduction to Literature (3 hrs.).
Full information and an application are available in the online brochure.
Students must submit the completed application and a $700 deposit no later than Monday, October 11.
Additional Scholarship Opportunities
The Academy will provide a limited number of scholarships to students who require financial assistance. Students wishing to apply for this scholarship must submit the following items no later than Monday, September 27: a copy of their parents’ 2010 tax return, a parental statement of need, and a student statement describing his or her reasons for wanting to travel abroad as well as the impact of their overall Gatton Academy experience. Student selection will occur on or before Monday, October 11. Students receiving the scholarship will be required to perform community service in consultation with a staff member.
Please direct any additional questions to Tim Gott or Derick Strode.
Members of the Class of 2012 had the opportunity to connect with faculty members in the Odgen College of Science and Engineering and College of Education and Behavioral Sciences on Monday to learn more about research experiences available in the coming year. Read the full story online at: http://4n6.mobi/cZudSw
Dr. Claus Ernst discusses his research with an Academy first-year student.
by Michael Phillips, Academy Avatar
Derick Strode, Coordinator of Research, Internships, and Scholarships at the Gatton Academy, knows the subjects and conversations that get students excited about math and science.
Earlier this week, Strode invited a group of Western Kentucky University faculty members from Ogden College of Science and Engineering and the College of Education and Behavioral Science to the Academy to discuss with students their latest scientific discoveries. The conversations were meant to serve as a springboard for opportunities to participate is sponsored research throughout the coming year.
When students arrived at the research fair they quickly moved toward professors who taught subjects in which they shared an interest. A few students took a short break to explain why they were in such a rush.
Gabby Canant (Daviess, ’12) said she was very interested in research because she found it to be an outlet for her to learn new things.
Claire Croley (Whitley, ‘12) believed research would give her the ability to explore new ideas.
Nicholas Zolman (Montgomery, ’12) loves astronomy. He can’t wait to begin research and find out more about the universe.
Rachel Metcalf (Henry, ’12) thinks research will be an opportunity to explore her interests outside of the classroom.
The research fair marked the first occassion many student had to meet WKU faculty members.
Many seniors at the Gatton Academy were glad to see juniors taking such an interest in research. Sean Freeman (Boone, ’11) views research as a critical part of the Academy experience. “I enjoyed research because I was able to narrow down my interests to a specific area and tailor my Gatton academy experience accordingly,” he said. “I did research my first semester and I’m happy to see juniors to have the same opportunity.”
Dr. Cathleen Webb, head of the Department of Chemistry, worked with many Academy students during the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) on campus this summer. She was to praise Academy students and their contributions. “Gatton students are very eager,” Webb noted. “I have a hard time keeping them busy.”
Dr. Webb also mentioned that the students’ abilities to learn new concepts were well above average.
Dr. Peter Hamburger, head of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, along with Dr. Bruce Kessler, Associate Dean of the Ogden College of Science and Engineering and a professor of mathematics, also emphasized traits that make Academy students an asset to faculty members’ labs and projects.
Dr. Hamburger emphasized how unique Gatton students are in how open they are to ideas. He suggested that Gatton students also know how to utilize their natural talents in order to creatively approach problems. Dr. Kessler agreed that Gatton students were excellent students to work with.
Dr. Albert Meier and Dr. Scott Grubbs of the WKU Biology department have had multiple research experiences with Gatton students. While Dr. Meier acknowledged Academy students are only available for a limited time, he praised their commitment to research. “We can only expect the majority of students to be with us for two years but, they have outstanding dedication,” he said.
Overall the staff, faculty, and students counted the research fair as a success. Students left the session very eager to begin research this semester.
