A Summer of Science

9/12/2014

Montrosians take their science education to a new level in summer research and learning.

Several Montrosians broadened their science education last summer, using the vacation not as a break from schoolwork but as an opportunity to learn more. These girls used their strong science grounding from Montrose to tackle new challenges in research and learning, in a variety of scientific and engineering disciplines.

Sylvia Conte ’16 was chosen to participate in the Tufts TUBERS program, a free, highly selective program attracting accomplished high school students from across the country. At Tufts, she conducted research in the biomedical laboratories, observing the interaction of a dermal fibroblast cell and a neuron with the drug Ivermectin. “I worked with a post-doc student, conducting research on how to convert a skin cell into a stem cell,” Sylvia explained. “This research supports the huge, exciting idea that humans could someday grown back their own organs and limbs, rather than need a dangerous implant.”

At the end of the summer, Sylvia presented the results of her research in a poster session, explaining her methodology to professors, post-docs and graduate students. “Thanks to Montrose, my confidence level was so high coming into this program,” Sylvia noted. “At Montrose, the teachers encourage you to think outside the box and take risks. I wasn’t afraid to take risks in my own research.”

Laura Bergemann ’15 participated in another selective program, the EDGE workshop at Union College. In this program, designed as an engineering workshop for talented high school girls, Laura learned bioengineering and robotics design principles and was able to apply them in a meaningful way. The EDGE students worked with a local hospital for disabled children in order to develop useful toys to help the children communicate. Laura and her team developed and built a learning tool for a young girl with severe autism, which aimed to help the girl understand the symbols and concept of numbers, as well as a talk box with buttons and LEDs to assist a mute child.

“I was well prepared for the engineering demands, as we were immediately thrown into working with professors we had never met before,” Laura said. With her Montrose education, “I knew I was capable of what they were asking.” Laura drew a contrast between her confidence at EDGE to speak up and take on a leadership role, and her shyness when she first visited Montrose. “I feel very privileged to have been in classrooms where everyone raises their hands and want to participate,” she said.

Colleen McCarthy ’16 attended a National Youth Leadership Forum on Careers in Medicine at Babson College, featuring simulations, site visits to top local hospitals and medical schools, insider perspectives from medical students, residents, and doctors, and small group discussions. “The forum was aimed to give students like me, who had expressed an interest in medicine, a look into what a career in health care would entail,” said Colleen. “I learned clinical skills such as taking blood pressure, suturing, intubating a patient, and even how to remove a gallbladder (virtually)!” Colleen noted that the science education which she had received at Montrose prepared her well for the program’s rigorous curriculum. “I heard about the hard work and dedication that will be demanded of me if I want to pursue a career in medicine but also the rewarding side of heath care careers. Now I have a better understanding of medicine and a newfound excitement for what my future holds.”

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