Archive
CDC Detective Camp offers kids a peek at public health science
Rising juniors and seniors with an interest in epidemiology — the study of health epidemics and how they spread — can apply now to CDC Disease Detective Camp, held on the Atlanta campus of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The five-day camp gives students a behind-the-scenes look at how the CDC tracks infectious diseases and works to protect public health.
The application deadline is April 15.
Science in action: the Great Backyard Bird Count
If your child enjoys nature and would get a kick out of being one of the scientists in a HUGE scientific study, plan to take part in the Great Backyard Bird Count, which begins this Friday.
Every year, the Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology sponsor the bird count, conducted by bird watchers of all ages across the country. The bird watch helps scientists understand how many birds are in different locations and how bird populations are changing. It’s a project your child can do at home, at school, at a local park or any other location. Last year, birdwatchers submitted more than 97,000 checklists of birds they observed.
To participate, you’ll spend a minimum of 15 minutes observing one location, on one or more days between Feb. 18 and Feb. 21, 2011. All you have to do is tally how many birds of different varieties you see. Then you submit your count through the web site (link above). You can do just 15 minutes on one day and stop, or you can do lots more observations at different times of day and even different locations.
If your gifted child really enjoys birding, they can continue to make observations and submit them for scientific use all year long through eBird, another program of Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
Vivien Thomas Summer Program at Morehouse gives high-school kids the chance to work in biomedical labs
High-school students with an interest in biomedical science are encouraged to apply to the Vivien Thomas Summer Program at the Morehouse School of Medicine.
The six-week program pairs students with faculty mentors and allows them to work as apprentices in biomedical research labs. The program’s overarching mission is to increase the number of minority students interested in biomedical science.
Applications will be available in March. Program coordinator Wanda Harvey suggests that interested students contact her now at (404) 752-1843. She will add your name to her mailing list and will mail you an application packet when they are ready.
If you prefer, you can use the application that will be posted online next month, but you will need to contact Ms. Harvey for additional information. (Applicants must write a summary of a scientific article, and you’ll need Ms. Harvey to give you a link to that article.)
The application deadline will be April 8, 2011.
A different kind of college scholarship — one that helps students get into outstanding schools
Every capable student should have the chance to get into a premier college. That’s the idea behind the QuestBridge College Prep Scholarship, which helps lower-income, high-achieving students navigate the admissions and financial aid application processes required by the best schools.
Current juniors can fill out the free application now through March 29, 2011. Available awards include:
- Full scholarships to select summer programs, including the Pre-College Program at Emory University
- College admissions counseling
- All-expenses-paid campus visits to QuestBridge partner schools, which include some of the most respected names in higher education (think Brown, Columbia, Princeton, Stanford and their peers)
The QuestBridge scholarship program also prepares students to apply for the QuestBridge National College Match program, which pairs exceptional high-school seniors with prestigious colleges that will provide them full scholarships.
Applications available for International Baccalaureate magnet program at Norcross High School
Norcross High School is now accepting applications for its International Baccalaureate magnet program.
Rising freshmen can apply to the pre-IB program; rising juniors are eligible to apply to the IB Diploma / Certificate program. Deadline to apply to either program is March 1, 2011.
The program is open to students living anywhere in Gwinnett County. Once a student living outside the NHS district has been accepted into the IB program at NHS, he or she will need to request a permissive transfer from Gwinnett County Schools.
The International Baccalaureate Programme is a well-known, rigorous academic curriculum. Students who earn an IB Diploma may be granted sophomore status when they start college.
Questions about the IB program at NHS can be directed to the school’s IB coordinator, Kathy Sanchez. You can call her at the school’s main number, (770) 448-3674.
Duke TIP Scholar Weekends return to UGA in April
The University of Georgia has opened registration for the next Duke TIP Scholar Weekend, to be held April 16-17, 2011, on the UGA campus in Athens.
TIP Scholar Weekends are open to 8th-11th graders who participated in a Duke TIP Talent Search or who have been identified as gifted by their local school’s criteria. Students have the chance to study a topic not offered in a typical school curriculum. They have the option to spend the night on the college campus.
Classes to be offered in April include:
- 3-D computer animation
- Physics in aircraft and spacecraft design
- Public speaking and leadership training
- Rube Goldberg challenge
The deadline to receive an early bird discount is March 4; the regular deadline is March 25. Bear in mind that popular classes are likely to fill up before the deadline.
New Fernbank Planetarium shows feature the skies of Africa
During February, the Fernbank Planetarium gives visitors a look at the stars as they appear from an African vantage point.
The children’s program, “Stories of Africa,” compares the night skies over Atlanta and Africa. It runs Feb. 5-26, with shows on Saturdays at 1:30.
“African Skies,” designed for audiences ages 10 and up, examines how Africans used the stars to measure distance, predict weather and create calendars. The show runs from Feb. 5 to March 4, with shows on Thursday and Friday evenings at 8 p.m., and Friday and Saturday afternoons at 3 p.m.
Admission is $4 for adults; $3 for students and seniors.
Summer Science Academy at Emory especially (but not only) for girls and minorities
The Emory University School of Medicine is now accepting registrations for its Summer Science Academy, open to students who will be in high school in the 2011-12 school year.
The academy, which is operated by the Office of Multicultural Medical Student Affairs, is an effort to open the world of science to girls and members of minority groups, who are statistically under-represented in scientific professions. However, all students are welcome, without regard for gender, race or ethnicity.
The two-week program offers lectures, labs and field experiences in scientific areas including chemistry, biology, genetics and human disease. Students can attend a day program or choose a residential program and live on the Emory University campus.
The deadline to apply for the residential program is Feb. 25. Applicants will be selected based on their interest level, grades and letters of recommendation.
For the day program, the registration deadline is April 15, but it could close earlier if all spaces are filled.
Financial assistance may be available.
Archaeology and astronomy events at the Tellus Science Museum
The Tellus Science Museum in Cartersville has three upcoming events worth noting:
- This Thursday, Feb. 3, at 7 p.m., a professional archaeologist will discuss the Leake Site, a major archaeological discovery in the Cartersville area. (This is billed as an adult program, but I see no reason why it wouldn’t be appropriate for a teen with a keen interest in archaeology.)
- Junior Astronomy Workshop on Friday, Feb. 11, from 6:30 – 8 p.m., for ages 5 and up. (UPDATE: As of Feb. 8, this workshop has no spaces left.)
- Family Science Night, Friday, Feb. 25, from 5 p.m. – 10 p.m., will offer hands-on activities for kids, planetarium shows and a tour of the observatory.
If you find these appealing, don’t let the Cartersville location discourage you too much. Tellus is just one minute off of I-75, so while it’s not right up the road, it’s easy to get to.
Gifted Atlanta 