The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts will serve as the host of the 2021 virtual National Consortium of Secondary STEM Schools Student Research Conference on Thursday, June 10.
NCSSS provides a forum for specialized secondary schools focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines to exchange information and program ideas. The consortium includes approximately 100 member high schools, many “ranked” among the best in the country along with 55 affiliate members (colleges, universities, summer programs, foundations and corporations) in 32 states.
The Student Research Conference provides high school students an opportunity to meet and share with peers from across the country through participation in a research poster symposium, group activities and keynote speakers. This year’s symposium will include 113 student research poster presentations. More than 200 participants, including students and adults, from 16 states and four countries (the United States, Kazakhstan, the Philippines and Thailand) are representing the 30 schools set to participate in this year’s conference.
Nine ASMSA students were selected to present their research at the conference. They include Mika Brown, Soumya Chauhan, Claire Green, Amy Hoang, Lauralee Jarrett, Jayita Ujjaini, Shamiso Zindoga as well as the team of Sheridan Dethrow and Gweneth Keith-Powell.
The keynote speaker will be Dr. Douglas Hutchings, a 2001 ASMSA alumnus and director of the Arkansas Research Alliance Academy. Hutchings is known for his active leadership in the state’s entrepreneurial community. While a graduate student at the University of Arkansas, he founded a solar energy technology company and has served as a mentor for countless startup teams. He serves as chief executive officer of Picasolar and chairman of WattGlass, two companies leading innovative approaches to improving solar power technology.
ASMSA Director Corey Alderdice, who serves on the NCSSS National Board of Directors, said the school is thrilled to serve as the host for this year’s conference. He said while the COVID-19 pandemic has presented a myriad of challenges over the past year for students, educators and schools, the ability to pursue hands-on research in labs with mentors has been one of the most challenging.
“Research and inquiry are so normal to our pursuits and so much at the core of our schools; however, the ways in which programs created pathways to student research often had to be reimagined over the past year. The pandemic even created new springboards for research in virology, infectious diseases, mental health and other topics that would not have felt meaningful or relevant just months ago,” Alderdice said.
He said this year’s conference is a celebration of the resilience of NCSSS schools, their partnerships and students’ desire to grow through inquiry.
Dr. Germain McConnell, president of NCSSS and executive director of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, said he was glad that the organization would be able to hold the virtual conference this year. “We are thrilled to continue offering this conference during this difficult time because we know how important it is to allow our student researchers the opportunity to present their research. Out of all the things we can do as an organization, hosting this conference is one of the most rewarding.”
Todd Mann, executive director of NCSSS, said among the organization’s priorities is ensuring that students have every opportunity to benefit from what it offers to teachers and school leaders at member schools.
“That is why I’m always excited about the Student Research Conference. It brings together the best of everything we do. It also gives our students a chance to dig in and to shine. What more can we ask for?” Mann said.
The virtual conference will take place through Zoom sessions on Thursday afternoon. Following the conclusion of the symposium sessions and keynote speaker, a virtual college fair providing students the ability to speak with several higher-education institutions including Case Western Reserve University, Kansas State University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Syracuse University.
For more information about the conference, visit http://asmsa.me/ncsssstudentrsrch21. To learn more about NCSSS, visit www.ncsss.org.