1.   Young scientists from across the state of Illinois shared their research, April 3-5, 2005, at the 27th Annual Illinois Junior Science and Humanities Symposium on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale. High school students and teachers had the opportunity to visit SIUC laboratories and present their research, either in paper or poster form, to their peers and judges on Monday, April 4. Prizes include $3,000 in undergraduate tuition scholarship awards; cash awards; and an expense-paid trip to the national competition at the U.S. Air Force Academy in San Diego, CA. The U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, the Academy of Applied Science and SIUC sponsor the event. Anna Czapar, a freshman at Rochester High School, and Iboro Umana, a junior at Carbondale Community High School, will travel to San Diego to compete in the 43rd annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, set for April 27-May 1. Anna placed first in the research paper division and received a $1,500 scholarship. Her teacher, Don Wohlers, will receive $500 in honor of his contributions. Abhi Gulati of the Illinois Math and Science Academy placed second and receives a $1,000 scholarship. Iboro Umana, of CCHS, placed third and receives a $500 scholarship award. Since Abhi was unable to attend the National symposium,both Anna and Iboro will compete at the national event for additional scholarship monies. Other finalists who received an expense-paid trip to the National JSHS include Anna Dowling, a sophomore at Rochester High School; Jordan Benson, a junior at Deerfield High School; and Andrew Bevis, a junior at Herrin High School.

2. Approximately 200 young women from grades 7-9 all over Southern Illinois attended the 14th annual Expanding Your Horizons Conference held at the SIUC Student Center, November 13, 2004. Participants explored a variety of science, engineering, mathematics and technology topics through hands-on workshops on everything from Aviation to Zoology, led (almost exclusively) by women role models. About 20 parents and teachers also attended and observed the workshops. All the session leaders and their assistants generously volunteered their time. Numerous SIUC students and faculty and members of the Carbondale community also volunteered to help in other ways. Primary support for the conference comes from various units at SIUC, local community colleges and regional school superintendents.

3.   For more than 50 years the Department of Mathematics, in conjunction with the College of Science, has sponsored an annual Mathematics Field Daycompetition for area high school students. More than 950 students from Illinois, Missouri, Kentucky, and Tennessee competed in the annual Mathematics Field Day held this past April 1 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. Students took a two-hour exam, which was created, monitored, and graded by SIUC math faculty. Topics ranged from algebra to trigonometry and calculus to "creative thinking" problems. Schools are grouped according to size into three separate divisions; teams win division championships based on total points scored by their top three freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior competitors. There are also awards for outstanding individual scores.

The College of Science made possible the award of an SIUC scholarship to the highest scoring junior participant. The winner of this award was Richard Moy of Edwardsville. Overall school winners this year were New Athens High School (Class A: schools less than 250 students), Johnston City High School (Class AA: schools with 250-750 students), and Edwardsville Senior High School (Class AAA: schools of more than 750 students). The top school in each division received a trophy. Certificates of merit went to top schools in each grade and size level and to top performing students in each grade level.