Students graduate from UMSL STARS program
from the Wentzville School District
July 30, 2009
Wentzville School District
More than 70 high school students, including four from the Wentzville School District, spent their summer working with some of the top scientists in the greater St. Louis area. These aspiring student scientists conducted a wide range of research, studying everything from new methods for early cancer detection to the mating activities of female water snakes.
On Friday, July 17, Sereno Adams and Amy Hacker of Holt High School and Adam Brandt and Adam Hockman of Timberland High School graduated from the 2009 Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
The program is sponsored by Pfizer Inc., LMI Aerospace Inc. /D3Technologies and the Solae Company. UMSL also partnered with the Donald Danforth Science Center in Creve Coeur MO, Saint Louis University, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville and Washington University in St. Louis, all of which provided research opportunities for the STARS participants.
“UMSL is delighted to take the lead as host of the STARS program. We share a commitment to pre-collegiate science education with our partners,” UMSL Chancellor Tom George said at the STARS confirmation ceremony. “All of us are working toward one goal – providing the critical scientific manpower needed to move the St. Louis region forward.”
Kenneth Mares, director of the STARS program at UMSL, said that students with bachelor’s and advanced degrees in science, math and engineering are needed more today than ever by American businesses wanting to stay competitive.
“We are delighted to provide this opportunity where senior faculty members share their experiences as they, along with their research teams, direct students in significant research projects,” Mares said.
For more than 20 years, UMSL has hosted this intensive summer research program for academically talented junior and senior high school students. The STARS program introduces participants to the various aspects of the scientific enterprise as practiced by successful scientists in academic, private or corporate research institutions. Each STARS student chooses one research project from a variety of outstanding opportunities. Fifty-three faculty members from the participating academic institutions and two scientists from the Danforth Center volunteered for this project. In addition, Pfizer Inc. and the Solae Company identified research scientists to make career presentations. This year’s program, “Experiencing the Scientific Enterprise,” was held June 8 through July 17 at UMSL. In addition to conducting research and presenting papers, students took part in career workshops, and attended lectures by leading scientists from the St. Louis science community.
Copyright 2009 Neighbors About Town
