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Solon students build links to major laboratories
(by Sue Hoffman - October 22, 2008)
Solon students build links to major laboratories
By SUE HOFFMAN
After two summers of volunteer internships in the Case Western Reserve University microfabrication laboratory, Solon High School senior Sloan Zimmerman decided to help other students find similar opportunities for hands-on scientific research.
Sloan, a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist and member of Girl Scout Troop 763, founded the Lab Link club at the high school as a community service and leadership project. The club's aim is to connect member students with professionals in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Last summer, the organization placed six student volunteer interns in laboratories at local universities and NASA Glenn Research Center. Their projects ranged from epilepsy research using neural studies on rats to medical interventions in outer space.
Sloan presented her project last week to Girl Scout Council and is receiving the Gold Award, the highest rank in Girl Scouting. She also plans to make a presentation about the club to the Ohio Board of Regents.
Sloan said she realized the opportunities for student research from her own volunteer internships in the microfabrication lab. She said Professor Christian Zorman and others were willing not only to teach her but also to give her opportunities to undertake work on her own. After learning to handle sophisticated equipment, she compiled data on the performance of nano-fabricated microswitches, which are used in refinements of radio signals to and from NASA aircraft. As a result of her work, she shared authorship of a scientific paper published last summer in Solid State Electronics.
"I thought it would be great to give other kids the chance that I had," Sloan said, and she wanted to excite students about careers in science.
Lab Link members who were placed in laboratories last summer appreciated their opportunities.
"I was able to do things I'd never thought I'd get a chance at," said Chris Kaul, a sophomore who assisted Professor Alan Riga in research on thermal dynamics and material characterization at Cleveland State University.
Chris was asked by Dr. Riga to accompany him to the North American Thermal Analysis Society convention in Atlanta in August. He also won the $100 first prize in the organization's undergraduate poster competition.
"I truly think this club has the power to change lives," said Chris, who is in line to become Lab Link's president next year.
Brian Pomerantz, a senior, said his experience at NASA last summer was crucial for him. "Not only did I get to help work on some extraordinary projects and meet great people who share my interests, but it also helped me concrete my decision about going into the fields of math and science at the crossroads in life of choosing a college and major," he said.
Brian worked with researchers on the integrated medical model, which allows NASA to determine the risks of bone fractures in space. He also worked on the shear history extension rheology experiment, involving the study of fluids in microgravity.
"I felt that the time spent and knowledge gained in the lab was enormously enriching," said Trent Navran, a sophomore who worked in the molecular science and engineering laboratory at Case Western Reserve University. He said his lab experiences "really gave me an idea what the field of engineering could be like." His work involved electro-spinning tissue samples and testing new materials for artificial human tissues.
Junior Max Kolysh said he also benefited from his internship at Case Western's biologically inspired robotics lab. He assisted researchers by using mechanical engineering concepts and computer-aided drafting to design aircraft components.
"I was able to learn a lot more about CAD with solid works, something I've been interested in for years," Max said.
"I had a great experience working with Dr. Zorman's team at CWRU as a member of Lab Link," said sophomore Sharon Wong, who, like Sloan in previous summers, worked in the microfabrication lab. "I shadowed one of his grad students. She showed me the whole process of making a microsensor device." The sensors offer treatment options for paralytics, among others.
Medical research for epilepsy was the topic studied by senior Josh Sperling in his internship at Case Western's neural engineering center. He conducted experiments and data analysis on various neural studies on rats.
"Before the kids started their internships, everyone seemed nervous and unsure of themselves," Sloan said. "At our wrap-up meeting, everyone was quite proud of their accomplishments."
Sloan said she appreciated the support of Principal George Steyer, teacher-advisers Jeffrey Grimm and Anthony Sanson, Kathy Newman, of the Girl Scouts of Lake Erie Council, and Barbara Walter, troop leader-adviser.
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