Annual Science Research Symposium highlights in-depth student research

Ten students in the Warwick Valley High School Science Research Program shared their work during the annual Science Research Symposium on June 2.

Held in the Warwick Valley High School media center, the symposium highlighted projects from students at every stage of the three-year program. For some, the evening marked the culmination of years of research, data collection, and analysis. For others, it represented the first major milestone in projects that will continue to evolve in years to come.

Throughout the evening, students presented their hypotheses, discussed their research methods, and answered questions from teachers, administrators, mentors, friends, and family members. Senior participants, James Curtis and Hannah Thomas, also delivered formal presentations that provided a deeper look at their work and findings.

Led by WVHS science teacher Kristin Touw, the Science Research Program is offered in partnership with SUNY Albany and recognized by the New York State Board of Regents. The program gives students the opportunity to conduct authentic, independent scientific research while developing skills in critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, and public speaking.

“Having students participate in a research symposium is important because it gives them an opportunity to share their ideas, reflect on what they have accomplished, and practice explaining their research to people with varying levels of experience,” Ms. Touw said. “The experience builds presentation skills, confidence, and a deeper engagement with their work.”

Below, students share their research topics, introduce the mentors who have supported their work, and reflect on lessons they have learned throughout their Science Research experience.

3rd Year Students

James Curtis

• Title: Analysis of TESS photometric data of candidate exoplanets TOI-5412.01 and TOI-5507.01
• Mentor: Dr. Neil Comins, Ph.D., Professor, Physics and Astronomy at University of Maine
• James' advice for future Science Research students: "Choose a topic you find genuinely interesting because you'll be working on it for a long time."

Hannah Thomas

• Title: Staphylococcus aureus colonization prevalence across climate zones, and patterns that intersect with population and ethnic differences reported in the literature
• Mentor: Dr. Peterson, Ph.D., Researcher at University of Rochester
• Hannah's advice for future Science Research students: "Choose something you're passionate about and don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone."

2nd Year Students

Natalie Eger

• Topic: The Association Between Time- and Content-Specific Electronic Media Use and Sleep Health Among High School Students
  • Survey created and administered to students at WVHS and has amassed over 150 participants
  • Investigating and determining if there is a correlation between increased screen use and poor sleep health (increased SJL, sleep regularity, sleep duration, etc.)
• What Natalie would tell students entering the program: "Don't get discouraged if you have trouble finding a mentor. Cold emailing is part of the process, and it may take a lot of emails before you find the right person."

Harrison Piskadlo

• Topic: Relationship between microplastic abundance in freshwater fish and urban activity in southern New York
  • He is fishing in Greenwood Lake, collecting data on species and collecting samples.
  • He plans to chemically analyze gut contents this summer to categorize microplastic sizes found in fish.
• Mentor: Working closely with Dr. Murry, West Virginia University
• What Harrison would tell students entering the program: "If you find a rabbit hole, dig into it. There's no such thing as too much research. More knowledge is always better."

1st Year Students

Jaxsen Mita

• Topic: Improvements and Analysis of Keff and U-233 Production by Increase in U-233 and Th-232 in a Molten Salt Fast Reactor
• Mentor: Dr. Jiankai Yu, Ph.D., Research Scientist at the Center of Nuclear Energy Systems (CANES) in the department of Nuclear Science and Engineering at MIT
• What Jaxsen learned during his first year: "Choosing a topic that aligns with your future interests can help you gain valuable experience and stay motivated throughout the process."

Beatrix “Trixie” Wendell

• Topic: Comparing the Measured Amount of Sugar in Energy Drinks to the Nutrition Facts to Assess the Accuracy of Energy Drink Labels
• Mentor: Trixie is currently seeking a mentor
• What Trixie learned during her first year: "Science Research is a lot of work and it’s very self-driven. That's why finding a topic you're passionate about is so crucial."

Leah Purta 

• Topic: The Effectiveness of Different SPF’s Levels of Sunscreen on the UVA and UVB Absorption
• Mentor: Ion Ottean MD FACP, Associate Clinical Professor Internal Medicine-Geriatrics\
• What Leah learned during her first year: "I learned how to dig deeper into scientific articles, identify important details, build my vocabulary, and apply what I learned to my own research."

Alex Xin

• Topic: The Effects of Different Concentrations of the Rare Earth Element Cerium on Seed Germination and Early Plant Growth of the Yunong804 Wheat Variety
• Mentor: Dr. Tongbao Lin, PhD, Dean and Professor in the College of Agronomy at Henan Agricultural University
• What Alex learned during his first year: "Choosing a topic you're passionate about and managing your time well are both essential. Don't wait until the last minute to get your work done."

Bence Radvanyi

• Topic: Assessment of Tick Species on the Appalachian Trail, Greenwood Lake NY
• Mentor: Dr. Saravan Thangamani, Thangamani Tick Lab, Syracuse NY
• What Bence learned during his first year: "It's a fun class. You get to learn by yourself while also developing strong communication skills with mentors, classmates, and Ms. Touw."

Xavier Nagamatsu

• Topic: Assessment of Biochar as a Soil Amendment for Enhanced Phytoextraction of pB by Brassica Juncea
• Mentor: Dr. Ken Sweat, Ph.D., Senior Global Futures Scientist and a Teaching Professor in the School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences of Arizona State University
• What Xavier learned during his first year: "If a project starts to feel overwhelming, it's OK to narrow your focus and make it more manageable. The important thing is to keep moving forward."