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 are sharing insights from students who are the recipients of our 2012 grants.

Samuel Saarinen of Shelbyville spent his summer investigating knot theory and polygons as they pertain to modeling viral DNA.  His research was conducted in the WKU Department of Mathematics and Computer Science under the guidance of Dr. Claus Ernst.  We had a chance to catch up with Sam earlier this summer.

1.  How is your summer of research different from most high school students’ summers?

On the surface, this really is like what most high school students do with their summers. I have a job which I show up to every morning, I read in the afternoons, and I pursue my hobbies on the weekends. Except that my job is thinking of things that nobody has ever thought of before, the books I read are mostly on knot theory or computer programming, and my hobbies include designing fonts, creating videogames, and studying great works of art.

2. What does research mean to you as a young person interested in STEM?

This research is an opportunity to begin to understand the machinations of science. I get experience working with real issues in this field of study, and I get a feel for the nature of the work involved. Additionally, this research has proved invaluable to my continuing education; I have learned a huge amount both about the specific work surrounding my research, and tangential areas that have a strong application to this work.

3.  What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?

In the next ten years, I want to get a Ph.D., publish a game that I developed, and visit a country whose primary language is not English.

4. What do you most look forward to about your second year at the Gatton Academy?

I am looking forward to everything that I loved about the first year. I’m looking forward to hard classes, new ideas, smart professors, and genius friends.

5.  What do you love most about the Gatton Academy?

How can I sum up in just a few words something that really has to be experienced? The Gatton Academy is a school, a family, a lifestyle, and a playground. If I had to say exactly what it is that I loved most, I would say that I loved the freedom. Freedom to try things, like making movies, or writing music. Freedom to be who I am, without retribution for being abnormal. But most of all, freedom to excel; the freedom to become more than I am.

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’re sharing insights from students who are the recipients of our 2012 grants.  Today we resume the series and check in with Emily Gordon. 

Emily Gordon of Paducah has spent her summer at the Applied Physics Institute located at the Western Kentucky University Center for Research and Development under the mentorship of Dr. Ivan Novikov.  Emily’s research is in the preparation and execution of computational simulations using the Monte Carlo approach to study P-violation in neutron scattering.

1. What part of your summer experience are you enjoying most?

What I most enjoy about this summer experience is the chance to dedicate all of my time to research. During the school year, I have to scramble for time to work on my research between classes and homework. The summer allows for complete immersion into a problem, which is very rewarding.

2.      Will you use this research experience as a launching point for any particular applications, competitions, or scholarships?

This fall, I will use my research experience to enter the Siemens Competition and Intel Science Talent Search. I will also apply for the SMART Scholarship.

3.     What does research mean to you as a young person interested in STEM?

To me, research is a way of making some part of the science world better known. Research is taking mystery out of science and replacing it with wonder and awe.

4.      What are you looking forward to the most about your second year at the Academy?

I am most looking forward to ushering in a new group of students to take over the junior class. I can’t wait to see what these new students will add to the Academy culture!

5.     What do you love most about the Gatton Academy?

Typical high schools have a very set curriculum that all students must follow. There is a formula for everything from lunch schedules to taking the bus home. Gatton is the opposite: the Academy experience is different for every student, and tailored to their STEM interests.

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.  This summer, we’re sharing first-hand student experiences in a series we call Summer 5Q. 

This summer, William Roach-Barrette of Frenchburg is working in the Morehead State University Space Science Center designing code for a nanosatelltite.  The project he is working on is called MicroLogo Project: An electronic design and software environment to control tiny satellites and their science packages.

1. What is the part of the summer experience you are enjoying most?

I love working in an aerospace lab with other students that share my interests. By working in these labs I not only have access to professionals who share my interests, but to the tools I need to preform my required research.

2. How is this different from the way you think most high school students spend their summers?

A majority of my friends spend their summers working at day jobs or watching television, not building and coding satellites. This scholarship has provided me an opportunity to work in my scientific field of interest, something I don’t think other students get the opportunity to do.

3. Will you be using this research experience as a launching point for any particular applications, competitions, or scholarships?

The end goal of my research is to develop a computer language that is usable by high school, or younger, students as a learning tool designed to teach the basics of satellite programing.  If successful I would like to use it to apply for such competitions as the Siemens Competition and the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

4. How does this research experience or internship fit into your educational and professional goals?

I love being able to incorporate my love for space science with my love for computer science, and this internship does just that. I first have to design a working part for a satellite, and then write code that takes advantage of that particular part. This helps incorporate both my interests into one.

5. What are you looking forward to the most about your second year at the Academy?

I can’t wait to get back to the Academy to start my second year. Not only do I get to pursue new sciences, such as chemistry and physics, I also will start taking more advanced courses in areas like computer science and logic.

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.  This summer we are catching up with the 12 recipients of this year’s grants to hear their insights on research and education at the Academy.

Rising senior Sibi Rajendran of Frankfort is spending this summer at the University of Kentucky’s Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center working with Dr. James Geddes.  Sibi is contributing research to studies being done to determine the involvement of calpain 7 in cell death following elevations in intracellular calcium.

 1. What does research mean to you as a young person interested in STEM?

Research in my opinion is a pivotal component in education. We accumulate mountains of knowledge during lectures and seminars, but without the practical understanding of doing hands on research, the message relayed during lectures is only partially received.  As a young person interested in the STEM field, doing research in a subject that I love makes me feel whole or complete, finishing the puzzle that ordinary education leaves behind.

2. What is the part of the summer experience you are enjoying most?

I am most enjoying the hands-on experience of my research laboratory that I would not normally receive in high school or even undergraduate courses.  Working with cutting edge research equipment in a high-tech laboratory is something that I honestly did not picture myself doing at such a young age, and this general laboratory environment is by far the most enjoyable part of my summer experience.

3. How does this research experience or internship fit into your educational and professional goals?

As a student looking forward to a career in the health field, there is no better way to start research than in the field of neurobiology and medicine.  Research experiences like the one I am currently involved in will guide me closer to my career path and strengthen my applications to various educational opportunities and into a profession that I am closely looking forward to joining.

4. What are you looking forward to the most about your second year at the Academy?

While there are a thousand different reasons as to why I am looking forward to my second year at the Gatton Academy, the one that sums all of them up is because of the infinite opportunities that I have as an academy student. The opportunities like study abroad, research, tutoring, volunteering, and learning allow me to do things that a normal high school student could not even dream of.

5. How does the Gatton Academy help Kentucky from your point of view?

In a state where education is not nationally recognized, I feel that the Gatton Academy is working miracles by promoting high levels of learning and encouragement for education that is not usually present in the traditional educational system. The early drive for success is pushing more and more students to apply, causing students to develop high levels of education at a younger age.

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’re sharing insights from students who are the recipients of our 2012 grants.  Matthew Gonzalez is the third spotlight in this summer’s series.

Matthew Gonzalez of Brodhead is continuing research this summer with Dr. Rajalingam Dakshinamurthy of the WKU Department of Chemistry.  Matt is studying the interaction of Fibroblast Growth Factors with the drug myo-Inositol.  Earlier this summer, we caught up with Matt on summer research and his thoughts on the Gatton Academy.

1. Will you be using your summer research as a launching point for any applications, competitions, or scholarships?

 My research experience will definitely help me with future goals. I plan on using my research to enter into competitions, apply for scholarships, and attend research conferences to increase my experience. The Research Internship Grant has facilitated my research to an extent that wouldn’t have been possible if I was only performing research during the fall and spring semesters.

2. What do you aspire to achieve in the next ten years?

In the next ten years I can see myself completing medical school and finally having a real job. I aspire to be an MD for many different reasons but the Academy has put me on an express lane to help me get there.

3. What are you looking forward to the most about your second year at the Academy?

 During my second year at the Academy I can’t wait to be back with my friends. It’s odd to go from having your friends next door and seeing them every few hours to having almost no contact with them at all. I just can’t wait to get back and be with the lifelong friends that I’ve made.

4. What do you love most about the Gatton Academy?

The atmosphere is something unique to the Academy. I don’t think you could find our lifestyle anywhere else in the country. While it’s difficult to explain such a special thing I think it is my favorite part of Gatton.

5. How did you feel on your first day at the Gatton Academy?  Now?

Scared is an understatement when I talk about my first day at the Academy. After a little while it felt like an extended camp. I was making all the friends I would normally and then classes came and I realized this was now my life. When I think about the Academy now, I think of home. It’s where I live and where I belong at this point in my life.