Top Awards Acknowledge 27 Long Island High School Students
 
(Oakdale, N.Y.) More than 270 high school students representing Long Island’s top scholars in science and math attended the 11th annual National Science Foundation (NSF) Noyce High School Science and Mathematics Symposium held on Monday, March 28, 2011 at Dowling College in Oakdale, NY.
 
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the New York State Marine Education Association (NYSMEA), and hosted by Dowling College, the Symposium provides an opportunity for students to showcase their research projects and participate in more than 18 workshops presented by leading scientists and scholars.  The program encourages students to pursue cutting-edge discoveries that will benefit society and fosters exploration for career development.
 
Lori Zaikowski, Ph.D., professor of chemistry, Chemistry and Physics Department chair, Dowling College, presented the awards for the best student research projects. “It is inspiring to see the fine work that high school students are doing in math and science under the direction of their dedicated high school research teachers and scientists in the community.  Many of the projects tackled important problems facing society in medicine, energy, and the environment,” said Zaikowski.
 
Top student honors include the following (link to photo below):
 
First Place:  Sahil Doshi, Paul D. Schreiber High School
Investigating Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance: Differential Levels of the KLF6 Gene Family
 
Second Place:  Holly Flores, Huntington High School
Dental Pulp Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation on Various Poolystyrene, Polybutadiene, Poly (4-vinylpyridine) Copolymer Substrates
 
Third Place:  Kathreen Mangaluz and Susan Mangaluz, Sayville High School
A Comparative Analysis of Haplotypes Found in the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Using the Cytochrome Oxidase I Gene
 
Third place winner Kathreen Mangaluz, Sayville High School, garnered first place in the 2010 National Science Foundation (NSF) Noyce High School Science and Mathematics Symposium with her entry: A Geospatial Microhabitat Analysis of the Green Point Tidal Wetland Complex, West Sayville, Long Island, New York
The 2011 Outstanding Science Educator of the Year Award was presented to Phil Medina of R.C. Murphy Junior High School, Stony Brook, NY.  The prestigious award is presented to teachers who exhibit excellence in the following: innovative classroom teaching that serves as a model to others; extension of teaching/learning into the world beyond the school walls for the benefit of the larger community; inspire students to become lifelong learners; and make significant contributions to the profession.
 
“Mr. Medina truly immerses students in earth science.  He has built into his classroom wind, lightning, thunder, and even rain, and he takes students on journeys of discovery every day,” acknowledged Zaikowski.  Mr. Medina was presented with a weather station for use in his classroom, “No earth science teacher should be without one,” she added.
 
More than 40 science, math, and technology experts participated as guest judges along with 28 judges from Dowling College.
 
The event was organized by Dowling College faculty: Dr. Kevin McDonnell, associate professor of Mathematics and Computer Science, department chair; Dr. Daniel Ness, associate professor of Human Development and Learning, Earth and Marine Science; Lou Siegel, adjunct associate Professor of Earth and Marine Sciences; Dr. Lori Zaikowski, full professor of Chemistry and Natural Sciences, department chair; and co-organized by Dowling College Robert Noyce Scholars funded by the National Science Foundation: Brian Daniels, West Islip High School Biology teacher; Brad Kenedy, Bay Shore High School Physics teacher, NSF Master Teaching Fellow; Christopher Tam, Patchogue-Medford Middle Schools Math teacher, NSF Master Teaching Fellow; and E. Christopher Williams, Wyandanch High School Biology teacher.
 
The Dowling College Robert Noyce Scholarship program was established in 2003 with funding from NSF.  Over 40 scholarships have been awarded to students pursuing science or mathematics teacher certification.  Over 25 of Dowling’s Noyce Scholars are currently teaching and advancing understanding of science and math in high-need schools. Noyce Scholars who are still completing their studies at Dowling experience the importance of integrating research and education, and serve as mentors to HS students taking college courses and conducting research in the Noyce Summer Science and Mathematics Academy and Research Institute. Dowling Noyce faculty offer workshops for HS teachers in scientific instrument training, research methods, and various topics of practical use to their teaching.  Noyce Scholars and their HS students perform research in collaboration with Brookhaven National Laboratory scientists and Dowling Noyce faculty. Scholars regularly participate in the dissemination of their research through publications and presentations at local and national conferences, and help co-organize symposia.
 
For information about the NSF Robert Noyce Scholarship Program, contact Dr. Lori Zaikowski at zaikowsL@dowling.edu or 631-244-3180.
 
2011 National Science Foundation Noyce High School
Science & Mathematics Symposium Award Recipients
 
1st Place:  Sahil Doshi, Paul D. Schreiber High School
Investigating Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance: Differential Levels of the KLF6 Gene Family
 
2nd Place:  Holly Flores, Huntington High School
Dental Pulp Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation on Various Poolystyrene, Polybutadiene, Poly (4-vinylpyridine) Copolymer Substrates
 
3rd Place:  Kathreen Mangaluz and Susan Mangaluz, Sayville High School
A Comparative Analysis of Haplotypes Found in the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Using the Cytochrome Oxidase I Gene
 
Elder Scientist (12th grade):  Sahil Doshi , Paul D. Schreiber High School
Investigating Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance: Differential Levels of the KLF6 Gene Family
 
Promising Scientist (11th grade):  Holly Flores, Huntington High School
Dental Pulp Stem Cell Growth and Differentiation on Various Poolystyrene, Polybutadiene, Poly (4-vinylpyridine) Copolymer Substrates
 
Aspiring Scientist (10th grade): Casey Keller, Commack High School
The Effects of Altering the Concentration of CarbonDioxide on the Development of Stomata in a Radish Plant (Raphanus Sativus)
 
Fledgling Scientist (9th grade):  Courtney DiGia, Lindenhurst High School
Relationship Between the Shape of a Car and its Aerodynamic Efficiency
 
NYSMEA Best Marine:  Kathreen Mangaluz and Susan Mangaluz, Sayville High School
A Comparative Analysis of Haplotypes Found in the Atlantic Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus) Using the Cytochrome Oxidase I Gene
 
Best Science and Society:  Peter DeBlasi, North Babylon High School
The Effect of Electromagnetic Variation on the Biofuel Output of Nannochloropsis Oculata
 
Best Science and Society:  Nicholas LaBarbera, Mineola High School
Alternative Foot Drop Prevention Device
 
Best Science and Society:  Jonathan Tam, Manhasset High School
Applying Spectrophotometry as an Alternative to Grain Size Analysis in Paleotempestological Sediment Coring
 
1st Place Biology:  Sahil Doshi , Paul D. Schreiber High School
Investigating Ovarian Cancer Chemoresistance: Differential Levels of the KLF6 Gene Family
 
1st Place Chemistry:  Steve Jang, Commack High School
Synthesis and Development of New Phototrigger: 1,1,2-Triphenyl Ethanone Group
 
1st Place Earth Science:  John Tyler Blank, West Islip High School
The Effect of Climate Variation on Parabolic Dune Formation:  Insights from a Dendrochronologic Study of the Walking Dune Field, Napeague, NY
 
1st Place Environmental:  Emily Smith, Islip High School
Water Quality Comparison of the North and South Shores of Long Island
 
1st Place Math:  Drew Feldman, Paul D. Schreiber High School
Exploration of the Surface Areas of Truncated Cubes
 
1st Place Physics:  Kevin Schmid, North Babylon High School
A Revolutionary Application of a Particle Detector:  Using a Tracker to Analyze Cosmic Rays
 
 
Honorable Mention 1:  Tracey Rosa, Sayville High School
An Analysis of mtDNA Using Cytochrome C Oxidase I Primers to Analyze Haplotypes of the Seaside Dragonlet (Erythrodiplax Berenice) from Shelter Island and West Sayville, NY
 
Honorable Mention 2:  Alexis Brown, Sayville High School
Population Ecology of Ectoparasites Collected from Mormoopid Bats, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
 
Honorable Mention 3:  Michael Graf, Paul D. Schreiber High School
Development of an Ultra Sensitive Protein Assay to Quantify Human Leptin Concentrations
 
Honorable Mention 4:  Britanny Ciesluk, West Islip High School
The Effectiveness of Bacteriophage T4 and Amoxicillin on Cessation of Biofilm formed by E.Coli
 
Honorable Mention 5:  Sophia Jaffe, Paul D. Schreiber High School
How Expenditures Per Pupil Affect Student Performance
 
Honorable Mention 6:  Casey Keller, Commack High School
The Effects of Altering the Concentration of Carbon Dioxide on the Development of Stomata in a Radish Plant (Raphanus Sativus)
 
Honorable Mention 7:  Jean Prounis, Manhasset High School
Uncovering the Identity of C. Elegans Mutants che-5, che-6, che-7 Through Behavior and Whole Genome Sequencing
 
Honorable Mention 8:  Jesse Weil, Paul D. Schreiber High School
Using Rhythm to Assess the Effect of Auditory Stimuli on Cognitive Functionality
 
Honorable Mention 9:  Rajkumar Pammal, Commack High School
The Effects of Various Herbs on Mutant Drosophila Melanogaster: Possible Applications to Type I Diabetes Treatment
 
Honorable Mention 10:  Harrison Ferlauto, Brian Hastings, Bay Shore High School
Blastema Formation and Epimorphic Segmental Regeneration in California Blackworms (Lumbriculus Variegatus)
 
Dowling College, the “personal college,” is an independent, coeducational college serving more than 6,000 students within three Long Island campuses: the historic Rudolph Campus located on the banks of the Connetquot River in Oakdale, the Brookhaven Campus and aviation facility located on 105 acres adjacent to Brookhaven airport in eastern Long Island, and the Melville Center located in the heart of the Melville business district.  Dowling College offers bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees in several disciplines through four schools: Arts and Sciences, Aviation, Business and Education.