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| Illinois Junior Science
and Humanities Symposium
2004 in Review
The 26th Annual Illinois Junior Science & Humanities Symposium was held on the campus of Southern Illinois University Carbondale March 28-30, 2004. The program is made possible through the cooperative efforts of the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, The Academy of Applied Science, and the College of Science at SIUC.
Almost 150 SIUC faculty, staff, postdocs, graduate students, and undergraduate students, as well as student organizations, Illinois JSHS alumni, and external agencies volunteered their time and resources in assistance of the program.
Participating campus programs, units, and student organizations included: Aerospace Studies (AFROTC), Army Military Science (ROTC), Center for Advanced Friction Studies, Center for Archaeological Investigations, Coal Research Center, College of Agriculture, College of Engineering, College of Liberal Arts, Fisheries & Illinois Aquaculture Center, Library Affairs, New Student Admissions Services, Office of Intramural Recreational Sports, SIU School of Medicine, University Museum, and the Vice Chancellor for Research.
Outside program support was provided by Illinois State Police Southern Illinois Forensic Science Centre, Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, and Pepsi MidAmerica.
Twenty-three teachers, 5 guests, and 84 students (112 total) attended the 2004 Illinois JSHS program, representing 23 schools from 18 counties across the state (6 Northern, 8 Central, 8 Southern). Our smallest school had an enrollment of 124 and our largest, 3400. We welcomed 6 new schools to this year's program and 8 new teachers. This year's participating schools included:
- Carbondale Community High School, Carbondale, IL
- Delavan High School, Delavan, IL
- DuQuoin High School, DuQuoin, IL
- Durand High School, Durand, IL
- Edwards County High School, Albion, IL
- Edwardsville High School, Edwardsville, IL
- Elverado High School, Elkville, IL
- Freeburg Community High School, Freeburg, IL
- Grant Park High School, Grant Park, IL
- Heritage High School, Broadlands, IL
- Herrin High School, Herrin, IL
- Heyworth High School, Heyworth, IL
- Lockport Township High School, Lockport, IL
- Macomb Senior High School, Macomb, IL
- Marissa High School, Marissa, IL
- Midland High School, Varna, IL
- N.C.O.E. High School, Norris City, IL
- Quincy Senior High School, Quincy, IL
- Rochester High School, Rochester, IL
- Springfield Southeast High School, Springfield, IL
- St. Bede Academy, Peru, I
- Triad High School, Troy, IL
- Vernon Hills High School, Vernon Hills, IL
The keynote presentation, "Chemistry in the Crime Laboratory," was delivered by Richard Saferstein, Ph.D., Forensic Science Consultant and Retired Chief Forensic Scientist for the New Jersey State Police.
The banquet presentation, "Wildlife of North America," was delivered by Tom J. Ulrich, internationally acclaimed wildlife photographer and SIUC alumnus (B.A. '71, Biological Sciences).
Young scientists and their teachers visited the laboratories of SIUC researchers to participate in hands-on activities and learn about ongoing efforts in zooarchaeology, phytoremediation, animal cloning and reproduction, aquatic toxicology, lasers, and more.
The event is one of 48 such symposia conducted nationwide. Five finalists and one alternate from the IJSHS research paper presentations were extended the opportunity of expense-paid trips to participate in the 42nd National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, April 28-May 2, 2004, in Baltimore, MD, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory, and the Greater Baltimore area scientific community. The five finalists and alternate (in alphabetical order), their schools, their sponsoring teachers, and the titles of their papers are:
- Anna Dowling, Rochester High School, Mr. Don Wohlers, "Corn By-Products: Insulation of the Future, Part II" (focused on determining whether corn by-products are a feasible alternative to commercial insulation products such as fiberglass and cellulose)
- Francis Lee, Vernon Hills High School, Mr. Craig Bomgaars/Dr. Barbara Stay (Univ. of Iowa), "Allatostatin Release by Ovaries of Diploptera punctata" (focused on seeking a method to maximize the amount of peptide hormones extracted from cockroach ovaries with the goal of controlling cockroach populations)
- Grant Lewis, Delavan High School, Mrs. Mary Kay Wonders/Mr. Richard Lessen, "Ethanol in Small Engines" (focused on trying to determine how well a small engine could run on high blends of ethanol)
- Kate Lin, Edwardsville High School, Mrs. Alesa Rehmann/Dr. Chiang Lin (SIUE), "Why Two Beams with Different Depths have Different Failing Points" (studied the ways a wooden beam fails when loaded in the middle of its span)
- Brian Spector, Carbondale Community High School, Mrs. Judy Martinko, "Corn Pith as a Viable Packaging Material" ((focused on trying to determine whether corn pith can be used as a viable packaging material when compared to the commercially available packaging materials of styrofoam, bubble wrap and popcorn)
- Arun Thottumkara, Macomb Senior High School, Mr. Thomas Johnson/Dr. T.K. Vinod (Western Illinois University), "Synthesis and Oxidative Transformations Using Novel Water Soluble Hypervalent Iodine Reagents" (merges traditional synthetic organic chemistry with green chemistry to provide environmentally friendly chemical processes and reagents)
All presenters received Illinois JSHS medals at the banquet at Giant City State Lodge.
Arun Thottumkara of Macomb Senior High School won the regional competition and received a $2,000 undergraduate tuition scholarship, Francis Lee of Vernon Hills High School received 2nd place and received a $1,500 undergraduate tuition scholarship, and Grant Lewis of Delavan High School received 3rd place and received a $1,000 undergraduate tuition scholarship. The scholarships are provided through funding from the U.S. Departments of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. Arun and Francis presented their papers and competed at the National JSHS.
View photos of Illinois delegation at National JSHS in Baltimore.
Mr. Thomas Johnson, Arun's sponsoring teacher, received a $500 Faculty Award, honoring his contributions to advancing student participation in research.
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