For Mineola High School Research Science Teacher Dr. Ellen McGlade-McCulloh, science is about teamwork. This is why she feels the group of Monika Dharia, Charlotte Ring, Craig Vande Stouwe and Michael Woytysiak, who will, for the first time in Mineola, represent the school district at the regional finals of U.S. Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl (NSB) on Jan. 31 are poised for success. Student Pamela Alvarez will also attend and serve as an alternate.
“I’m very confident in the students,” McGlade-McCulloh said. “This is our first year. They’ve been practicing a lot after school.”
Twenty high schools were invited to the NSB at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Five to 10 more students will accompany the Mineola team to gain an educational experience. The five students on the team are all members the National Science Society and embedded in the district’s science research program.
The Jeopardy-style competition will feature math and science questions designed to test the student’s mettle. Dharia said she feels the core of the team is solid in all facets of the topic and will feed off each other’s acumen.
“I expect a lot of teams will be capable,” Dharia said. “Our team is really strong in math and physics. That will help us a lot.”
Dharia, an Intel Semifinalist, studied how endocrine disruptors affect the endocrine system in humans. She examined if certain pesticides acted in that manner.
“I tested this using genetically-engineered yeast,” she said.
The regional competition winner will travel to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Office of Science’s National Science Bowl from April 30 to May 4.
“They printed out previous questions to study and they’re pretty savvy,” said McGlade-McCulloh. “We were the only new school that was accepted this year.”
Ring chronicled the effect of acidic precipitation on soil erosion. She took first place at the New York State Science and Engineering Fair in the Andromeda Division Of Earth And Planetary Sciences. This also led her to an Intel Semifinalist designation.
“It was a whirlwind and we didn’t know if it was going to come through,” Ring said. “I’m very excited.”
Ring anticipates difficult questions, but feels herself and team member knowledge will triumph.
“It’s challenging and I don’t know what to expect,” she said. “But our team is solid.”
Vande Stouwe studied the use of mathematical attractiveness ratios for facial recognition. He tested facial recognition systems, which map faces from distorted angles and far distances. He took third place at NYSEF in the andromeda division of mathematical sciences last year.
“We have a great group,” he said. “We’ve been working together over four years and not just in science. That’ll translate to great work during this competition.”
Alvarez interned last summer at Winthrop-University Hospital, shadowing and observing neuroscience experts and observing for her research. Her project emphasized quality control in the hospital.
“I think we have prepared really well,” Alvarez said. “There’s a nice balance [of expertise] on this team. I’m really excited and proud of being accepted and I’m happy we’re the first to go there to represent Mineola.”
Woytysiak studied the effect of music tempo on reading speed and short-term memory. He received meritorious honors from the Long Island Science Congress. Woytysiak was not available for comment.
The victor of the national competition will win prizes for the team members and their schools.
