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Daniel
Grade: 7, Age: 12, Tucson, Arizona
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I decided to do my project on the wash that runs near my house for several reasons. I was curious about the wash, and wanted to know why there were some areas of the wash that had a lot of plants, and some areas that had no plants at all. The wash is fascinating to me because I enjoy seeing how the previously dry, calm riverbed fills up with 15' to 20' of turbulent running water after a rainstorm.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific question of your generation?
As our knowledge of science grows deeper and deeper, we are faced with many important decisions, especially in the fields of genetics and geology. I think that the most pressing scientific decisions of my generation rest with scientists themselves. I hope that scientists will consider the possible repercussions of their actions before making a decision, and analyze how their actions may affect future generations.
3. Do you have plans for any future scientific investigations?
In the long run, I would like to work in some kind of science related profession, such as engineering or computer science. I would also enjoy having a career in one of the natural sciences such as geology, biology, or meteorology.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
- Learn to get in touch with the world around you. Try and absorb everything you see, feel, smell, and hear.
- As my science teacher would say, "Detail, detail, detail!" Record everything you observe, for it will help you draw conclusions.
- Be organized and neat. This will save you a lot of time rushing around at the end, trying to recopy your observations or make last minute trips to the copy center.
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Mali'o
Grade: 7, Age:12, Volcano, Hawaii
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I've lived in Volcano, Hawaii all my life. It is my home. Volcano has many endangered plants and animals, and a very fragile ecosystem. New invasive species continually threaten this pristine environment. I feel the need and responsibility to protect it and keep it healthy, because it has given me so much throughout my childhood. Kahili ginger has always been an enemy of our household. Since I can remember, my brothers, mom, and I have spent our spare time trying to get it out of our forest. It is a hard battle. The rhizomes are heavy, bulky, and tough to dig out. If you leave a small fragment of them in the ground, they will grow back to full height (about 3-5 feet tall) in less than 6 months. The idea for this project came to me one weekend while I was out in the forest, digging the ginger. As I looked around at the beautiful, huge Ohi'a Lehua trees, and the sun twinkling through the quivering Olapa leaves, I thought to myself, does all of this work really pay off? Does this ginger really do that much harm because it's not a native plant? I chose to use a measure of pH of the soil since the meter gives immediate results, as opposed to growth measurements of native plants. Native plants can grow as slow as one inch in a year. This project was just one step forward in the slow battle against Kahili ginger, which I'm sure will continue for many years.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
The most pressing scientific issue of my generation is most definitely, hands down, conservation. Last summer I was very fortunate to take part in 'Imi Pono no ka 'Aina (Seeking Excellence for the Land), a conservation program. In the program I learned a lot about our island and its wide range of native plants.
If the generations before me, after me, and that which I belong to do not conserve and respect the Earth that we live on, regardless of where they live, we will not have anything. Every single thing that we as humans know of are somehow, someway, made from those materials that nature has given us.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
I plan to monitor my plots in the forest to watch for native plant growth in the areas we cleared for my project, and I know my Mom will seek my help in clearing more ginger. I want to broaden my knowledge of invasive species and how they affect native plants. I definitely will stay with the topic of conservation; it is absolutely what I am passionate about, and what I want to purse in my future studies.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
The piece of advice that I would give to other young scientists is sadly a cliché, but it is very true. Study what you are passionate about. Study what matters to you, what you care about, what you enjoy, what you want to know the results for, and not just so you can turn them in for a grade or an award. Do science because it is what you want to do and need to do in order to feel fulfilled. If you, as a young scientist, want to do a project but don't know if all the work will be worth it in the end, answer one question for yourself: Are you doing this project because of the grade you'll receive, or the award you'll get, or does it matter to you because you honestly want to know the answer to a question, so much that you'll work hard to get it? Is this project for you, or for someone else?
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Christina
Grade: 8, Age: 14, Fountain Hills, Arizona
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I got the inspiration for my expedition and essay from just being curious and observing the Fountain Lake. Water is a scarce commodity in Arizona and that inspired me to learn more about water usage in my state.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
I think the most pressing scientific issue of my generation is America's dependence on natural oil, and how to develop better alternative energy sources.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
Yes, I do have plans to continue investigating the ongoing water crisis in Arizona.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
If you're interested in something -- explore!
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Remy
Grade: 8, Age: 13, New Orleans, Louisiana
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
My original plan was to do a sort of BioBlitz on my backyard, to find as many species as I could possibly find. However, after trying several techniques and still not getting many results, I decided to work on the most abundant creature in my backyard, which happened to be earthworms.
2. What do you consider the most pressing scientific question of your generation?
I would definitely say that, with all of the smoking and other carcinogens we have floating around in daily lives, a cure to cancer would be a huge scientific breakthrough. I'd also have to say that, while an increasingly high demand for water isn't really a problem today (yet), it definitely needs to be dealt with today before it becomes a huge problem in 30 years, when all the aquifers and natural resources run dry.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
While I don't have any expeditions planned as of now, I really enjoyed all the work and exploration I did for my project and would love to go on another investigation soon. I went into this project without really caring about my backyard, but now I realize how abundant and full of life it is, which will definitely influence the amount of time I spend there.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
I think a lot of us take for granted our surroundings-I've lived in New Orleans all my life, but it wasn't until this project that I realized how gorgeous and plentiful it really is. Definitely take advantage of your surroundings and instead of staying inside to watch one more episode of your favorite TV show, go on a walk. It doesn't have to be long and doesn't necessarily have to require bug spray, but just look around and observe. Examine a leaf, scrutinize a flower, climb a tree and look around-you just might find something you've never seen. (Keeping a bibliography along the way is also a wonderful idea so that you won't spend hours the night before your project is due scouring over websites looking for the author and trying to remember the date that you used each one.)
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Allison
Grade: 9, Age:15, Coto de Caza, California
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I have been intrigued by tidal pools and the ocean since I was seven years old and my second grade class went on a field trip to the Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California. To me, the interaction between the creatures of the ocean and the creatures of the land is both fascinating and compelling. When I began my expedition for the AMNH Young Naturalist Awards project, I was inspired by a lifetime of watching tide pool life along the Pacific coast. Writing the essay was a natural extension of my interest in marine biology.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
Without question, for me the conservation of our natural environment is absolutely the most pressing scientific issue of my generation. Although technology has provided humankind with numerous advantages and scientific advances, if we do not take measures to preserve our environment, all of our technological discoveries are useless. Pollution, greenhouse gases, holes in the ozone, global warming, and even public education and legislation about the importance and consequences of these issues must be addressed in the immediate future. It is my generation's responsibility to step forward and make conservation one of the most significant and powerful scientific issues of the twenty-first century. If we choose not to conserve our environment, the consequences for both wildlife and humankind will be disastrous.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
The winter of 2005 was an anomaly, to say the least, for southern California. As of March 1st, the greater Los Angeles area had received nearly forty inches of rain; normally we receive less than ten inches in a year. Obviously, the consequences for the tide pools will be monumental. Realizing the adaptability and stability of the creatures of the tide pools, this season of rain will provide me with a once in a lifetime opportunity to study how they react. I plan to study not only the tide pools themselves, but I also hope to be able to analyze and identify the types of bacteria found in the ocean water, most likely carried there from extensive runoff. Many of the beaches are facing severe erosion; it will be extremely important to preserve and protect the remaining tide pools and surrounding beaches until they are completely reestablished.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
I would suggest that other young scientists read everything that they possibly can about their field(s) of interest. Science is an ongoing process; many of the scientists from the past can provide us with extensive background material about our own interests. For instance, Rachel Carson, in Silent Spring, wrote about DDT pollution in the 1960s, which inspired me to read about the effects of DDT on the ocean. Even literature contains valuable information for scientists - John Steinbeck, one of our best known American authors, loved marine biology and wrote movingly about his experiences in Baja California. Reading can take us places that we may never have an opportunity to visit ourselves.
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Eitan
Grade: 9, Age: 14, Princeton Junction, New Jersey
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I wanted to study the water in the area because I thought it would be fun. The reconstruction of the dam at Grovers Mill Pond had just gotten underway. Grovers Mill Pond had been drained and trees were being removed. I was curious as to how this might impact the quality of water in Big Bear Brook which flows from the pond at the dam site. I was also interested in simply exploring the ecosystem that is very close to my home.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
I believe energy is the most pressing scientific issue of my generation. Many scientists today predict that oil will be depleted in fifty years. A viable alternative energy source must become available before our current reserves are exhausted. Without sufficient energy resources, the world's economy will come to a screeching halt. This will impact every aspect of our modern lives.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
I plan to revisit Big Bear Brook, my project site, and retest the water to find out the final impact, if any, of the Grovers Mill Dam and Pond rehabilitation effort. After that, I'm certain my curiosity will take me to new places.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
In my project, contact with expert sources and thorough research were critical in providing understanding. It is important not to jump to conclusions but to allow the data to lead the way. Asking questions like "so what?" are vital for any comprehensive analysis.
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Elliot
Grade: 10, Age: 14, McMinnville, Oregon
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
My father suggested the overall project. The criticisms and suggestions I received on an essay I wrote and submitted last year really helped shape this year's essay.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
There are many, ranging from global warming to science education.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
As of this moment no, though I am thinking about other projects.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
Do extra research, always plan ahead, and prepare for the unexpected.
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Sarah
Grade: 10, Age: 15, New York, New York
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I first saw bats up close in the Negev desert in Israel, when I accompanied a small group of researchers studying bats on a couple of their nighttime expeditions. I had also heard bats when camping in Algonquin Park in northern Ontario, and I was intrigued by their amazing ability to navigate in the night skies. A university professor of biology in Canada I know is a specialist on bats, and he offered me the opportunity to participate in a field course this past summer. It gave me the chance to do some of my own recording and analysis while I learned about bat behavior and ecology through lectures and demonstrations. The research in the field over many days and nights and the equipment used gave me the fantastic opportunity to watch and learn about little brown bats and how they cope with clutter.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
Curing the major diseases of our time is the most pressing issue, since these diseases affect all of humanity wherever they are and whatever their circumstances. HIV/AIDS has killed nearly nineteen million people worldwide, and an estimated thirty-four million people currently suffer from it. Each year there are about forty thousand new infections here in the United States. In this country, it is predicted there will be over a million new cancer cases in 2005. These dangers pose an enormous threat to our welfare on a daily basis.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
At the moment, I do not have any specific plans, but I would love to continue to learn and experiment with bats and other mammals such as dolphins, which also use echolocation.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
Choose something that you are interested in, not what your parents or anyone else wants you to study. Science can be thrilling, and if your topic excites you it will make the whole learning experience a pleasure. Also, even if you want to study or experiment with something that might seem to hard to do, don't give up. If you work hard, you can do it!
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Shannon
Grade: 11, Age: 16, Highland, Utah
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition?
Water is an important issue where I live because Utah is the second driest state in the nation. I began monitoring the water quality of local rivers when I was 13 years old. After two years of study, I found that the Spanish Fork River had serious problems. This surprised me because it was clean in the canyon. I wanted to know what was going on and I started my project to find answers to my question.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
I believe that water quality is the major issue for the next century. Thousands of people are dying in third world countries because of diseases from contaminated water. High nitrate and phosphorus levels in major rivers are creating dead zones in the oceans. In many areas the ground water is being depleted faster then it can be replenished. The more time we wait to resolve these issues, the longer it will take to solve them.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
I have already started! In the past I was intrigued by the presence of natural hot sulfur springs found along the Diamond Fork River. These springs interest me because they are relatively isolated from volcanic activity and seem to create a unique ecosystem. Over the next year, I will be studying the effects of these hot sulfur springs on the water quality of the Diamond Fork River and its ecosystem.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
Do research projects that interest you. If you have a question, go find an answer. Try to find a mentor that is in the field you are interested in studying. The mentor can give you experience in the field that you can get nowhere else. But most important, explore the world around you and have fun while you are doing it.
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Mauree
Grade: 11, Age: 16, West Point, Iowa
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I knew that my grandfather had worked at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP) during the 1970s. I attended a summer camp at the University of Iowa where I learned what the workers were exposed to at the IAAAP. The workers put together nuclear weapons and munitions, unaware that they were being exposed to harmful carcinogens and other dangerous substances. Oftentimes these substances remained on their clothing, which, when washed with the family laundry, exposed their families to the substances too. Years later the dangerous side effects of inhaling and being exposed to these substances were discovered. However, it must be understood that OSHA did not exist for many of the IAAAP's operating years and also the IAAP was not purposely exposing their employees and keeping them in the dark. They were operating to the best environmental standards of the time.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
I believe water quality is the pressing issue for not only my generation but also future generations. We must come to realize that we have a limited supply of freshwater and if we keep abusing it and contaminating it, we will run out of it, and then what are we going to do?
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
Currently, I am working on research that examines the possibility of using Daphnia magna as indicators for hormone levels (i.e. testosterone, estrogen) in the water. However, I would like to continue research on the IAAAP since they are currently in a remediation phase. In addition, they recently received a contract to produce more munitions.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
Dream. Where would we be right now if no one dreamed? We probably wouldn't have airplanes, because what logical person in the 1900's would ever think that they could fly cross-country in hours? Also, pursue those dreams and don't let anyone steer you wrong. If you believe it can be done, there has to be a way to achieve it, and trust me, who better to achieve it than the youth of the world? We are the future and with our dreams and pursuits, nothing is impossible.
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Eric
Grade: 12, Age 17, Prairieville, Louisiana
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1. Where did you get the inspiration for your expedition and essay?
I was inspired to do my project with a practical use in mind. I had ten cats and needed a way to keep their litter box clean. From there, I hit the drawing boards. I researched different ways on handling the litter box and decided on vermicomposting as the most functional way to do it. The more pressing issues of environmental safety came after the project.
2. What do you think is the most pressing scientific issue of your generation?
Most people in my generation do not value science and research. Some feel that everything has already been done and all information is already out there. Not many people are willing to explore, experiment or try something new.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
I have concluded my overall project on vermicomposting. I found that the system is very practical for my situation, although it may not be practical with one or two cats. I do not plan to conduct any more research in this area.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
My advice to other young scientist would be to find an interesting project and stay with your studies and research. You may feel as if you are not getting anywhere, but keep at it and keep your final goal in mind.
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Morgan
Grade: 12, Age: 17, Cumberland, Maine
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1. How did you choose the topic for your essay?
In sixth grade we studied astronomy, and ever since then I've been fascinated by it. When I got to high school, I took a class called science research where we all did our own scientific explorations, and there seemed no better topic to study than astronomy. I was lucky to find a little niche in the field where I could actually do something meaningful.
2. What do you consider the most pressing scientific question of your generation?
To me, one of the more urgent scientific questions of the generation would appear to be transportation and finding alternative energy sources. As the available supply of oil runs out, we are going to have to find better ways to power our vehicles and homes. Hopefully, we can come up with a solution that is cleaner and more efficient than oil.
3. Do you have plans for any further investigations?
I don't have any specific plans for future investigation, but I'd love to keep learning about astronomy. I'm going to Bowdoin college next year, and I hope to study physics there.
4. What advice would you give other young scientists?
The main piece of advice I would give is to find a topic that you are really excited about. It can be difficult to do, but it will make your research a lot more fun. Also, try to get in touch with people knowledgeable about you area of interest. I've always found people extremely receptive and very helpful when I was having trouble.
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