FREEPORT, N.Y., Nov.
8, 2007
Barbara Behrens/Felicia Febrizio
For the third consecutive year,
Freeport High School science research students — along with mostly
college and graduate-level students — were selected to present
their work at the international Student Research Conference of the Sigma
Xi Research Society. The organization is the world’s oldest and
most prestigious science society to which more than 200 Nobel laureates
hold membership.
“This invitation is a testament to the exceptional science program we
have at Freeport High School,” said Dr. Nicholas Tzimopoulos, district
science coordinator, “and to the highly talented students who exhibit
a maturity and work ethic that is comparable to that of students at the
university level.”
|
| Five Freeport High School students were invited to the prestigious
Student Research Conference hosted by the largest science research
society Sigma Xi, in Orlando, Florida. Pictured (back row, left to
right) are: Edward Irwin, research advisor and mentor for the projects,
Chris Roca, James Abbate, Cindy Hahn and Dr. Nicholas Tzimopoulos.
Seated (front, left to right) are Charles Lamar and Michael Fernandes. |
Twelfth-graders Cindy Khan and Chris Roca,
as well as eleventh-grader Michael Fernandes, traveled to Orlando,
Florida in early November to present their work orally and on posters
for the society’s judges.
Twelfth-graders James Abbate and Charles Lamar, though extremely honored
to have been selected, reluctantly turned down the opportunity to attend
the conference in order to take the SATs, which were the same day.
Mr. Edward Irwin, Freeport’s science research advisor and mentor
for the science projects, said he wasn’t surprised these students
were chosen.
“I’ve known these students for three years and I’ve
watched them mature as students and individuals,” he said. “I
know their work is of the same caliber as that of college students.”
“We could never have gotten this far if it weren’t for this guy
right here,” said Fernandes, referring to Mr. Irwin. His classmates
agreed, acknowledging how honored they felt to receive the opportunity.
“They are all very dedicated students,” Irwin added, “It’s
students like these that make teaching easy.”
All five students studied during the summer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering
Cancer Center, and at the Freeport High School research laboratory during
the year. James also studied at American Analytical, Cindy at Adelphi
University, Charles at the Environmental Testing Laboratory, Michael
at Brooklyn Polytechnic University and Chris at the State University
of New York at Old Westbury.
James’ research investigated “The Motility of Carnivorous
Plants.” His experiment was initiated to identify a muscle system
in carnivorous plants and to account for the opening and closing of the
plants’ traps to see if species type plays a role in survival when
given the same environmental conditions.
Michael’s investigations resulted in “A Novel Approach to
Genetic Control in Plants.” His research was designed to
test if increased ultra-violet radiation can be advantageous as well
as injurious to plants.
Cindy’s research of “Malathion as a Neurotoxin” made
use of cultured tissue cells to determine if they were sensitive to the
insecticide Mathalion. Malathion is a dangerous pesticide used
for killing the mosquitoes that carry the West Nile Virus. Her
experimentation shows that even at a very extremely low concentration,
Malathion inhibits the growth of neuritis. At a higher concentration
it is known to kill cells completely.
Charles’ research “Mercury in Head Hair as an Indicator of
Autistic Spectrum Disorder,” was initiated to discover whether
levels of excreted mercury in head hair could be used as an accurate
indicator of Autism Spectrum Disorder. His preliminary experiments showed
that non-autistic volunteers were better able to excrete mercury through
their hair follicles than were autistic volunteer participants. His findings
support the hypothesis that autistic people developed the disorder, in
part, not because they were exposed to mercury but because they were
unable to excrete it as efficiently.
Chris’ research “Creating an Ion & Molecular Sensor by
Combining Various Mercaptoacetamide Ligands with Preferable Metals,” was
initiated to determine if these ligands can be an alternative for ion
detection when combined with a metal.
The success of the science research program has enabled Dr. Tzimopoulos
to start a similar program in the middle school, which means, “The program
will only get better and more sophisticated,” Irwin said.
Freeport Public Schools
is a diverse, innovative district on Long Island’s
South Shore serving about 6,750 students in grades Pre-K through 12.
The district and its eight schools take pride in having the region’s
only magnet schools of choice, a longstanding and award-winning classroom
English/Spanish Dual Language Program, and a high school where students
excel in competitions that include the regional Academic Challenge, Odyssey
of the Mind and Future Problem Solving International. The district’s
New Visions School of Exploration and Discovery has been named a National
Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education for its high student
performance and engaging curriculum.
|
