Budding Scientists Training at Calvin

July 11, 2007 == MEDIA ADVISORY

Summary: Calvin's NSF-funded TRIAGE program is into its summer research phase
where the middle-school budding scientists work alongside research faculty at
Calvin to develop their own research knowledge, skills and questions.

Full story see http://www.calvin.edu/news/releases/2006-07/triage-summer.htm

From July 9 through 13, a large cohort of middle school students is keeping
busy in the fields, ponds and laboratories at Calvin College as they finish up
the second of two TRIAGE summer research institutes.

TRIAGE (which stands for Team Researchers in a GLOBE-al Environment) is a
year-round science research program funded through a $720,000 grant from the
National Science Foundation's "Academy for Young Scientists" program.

The college is one of seven prestigious institutions across the country to
receive the funds as part of the program (other institutions include the
University of California at Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania, Temple
University and the University of Chicago) and through TRIAGE it brings 110
middle school students to Calvin—from Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grand
Rapids Christian Schools, the Diocese of Grand Rapids Catholic Schools, Forest
Hills Public Schools and Wyoming Public Schools—to hone their research skills
and learn about environmental sustainability.

"The whole goal behind the Academy for Young Scientists is to increase the
number of students going into science, technology, engineering and math," says
Calvin education professor and TRIAGE coordinator Rachel Sytsma Reed. "Research
shows that student lose interest in science back in middle school. By middle
school, science is less and less hands-on and kids don’t see the connection
to real life. If we want to increase the number of people going into science
research, we need to engage them young enough to be prepared for high school
and college level science."
 
The current TRIAGE cohort is researching everything from the affect of water
quality on macro invertebrates (larvae and worms) to the affect of cola, bleach
or power drinks versus water on growing plants to the affect of the environment
on decomposition.

Students are chosen for TRIAGE based on interest and a significant time
commitment and Sytsma Reed says the group is from varying socio-economic
backgrounds: a really diverse group that, she says, represents what Grand
Rapids looks like.

Contact Reed at 616-526-6032

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Received on Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:12:25 -0400