-Congratulations to the FOUR 22-23 Senior Stipend Students selected:
- Andrew Bufalo – Holt High School – Explore the p38 pathway and how knocking out the genes for certain transcription factors will affect Dux4 expression.
- Bailey O’Neal – Jackson High School – Determine if teeth can preserve the DNA them and, if so, to find a temperature where the DNA is no longer extractable.
- Jacob Arnold – Eldon High School – Develop a new cleaning product that is efficacious against both gram-positive and gram-negative bact.
- Kaden Luker – Jackson High School – Create a water filtration system that uses light or a scanner to analyze the percentage of microplastics within the water and releases chemicals, enzymes, or bacteria that biodegrade the microplastic.
-Science Sponsor Project Opportunities for 22-23: Deadline to apply is 9/9/22; students will be notified of selection on 9/14/22
Application process: The student, or up to three student team, must provide in writing enough specific information of the what, how, and why, of the research plan so we understand the details of the project and the value of the impact. High-level, generalized ideas will not be funded. Email the plan to Shawn by 4:00 pm on 9/9/22. The information will be reviewed. The donor may select students to interview. Students will be notified if their project is selected or not by 9/14/22.
Blue-Green Algae Toxic Bacteria – If you have a student interested in researching Blue-Green Algae Toxic Bacteria and figure out how to test for it waterside or how to differentiate blue-green algae from regular algae, and selected following a competitive process, the student will receive $1,000 worth of supply funds and have access to a SME (subject matter expert) and/or mentor. The specific goal is to develop a pond-side test for the bacteria, rather than sending the bacteria to an out of state lab for confirmation. The teacher and student receive up to $250 based on milestone expectations when the project is completed. (One project opportunity available)
Honeysuckle – If you have a student interested in researching how to eradicate or prevent from spreading or populating invasive honeysuckle, and selected following a competitive process, the student will receive $1,000 worth of supply funds. The teacher and student receive up to $250 based on milestone expectations when the project is completed. (One project opportunity available)
Asian Carp Fish – If you have a student interested in researching Asian Carp – figure out how to herd or move them, direct or trap them, or something to repulse them from an area, and selected following a competitive process, the student will receive up to $1,000 worth of supply funds and have access to a SME (subject matter expert) and mentor. The teacher and student receive up to $250 based on milestone expectations when the project is completed. (One project opportunity available)
Medical Laboratory Sciences (MLS) – If you have a student interested in researching any aspect of the various medical laboratory sciences, for example virology, hematology, disease detection, antibiotic resistance, cell culturing, bacteria, white/red blood cell research, image detection in computer science, robotic automation for lab specimens, or other idea detailed in the MLS AIM Career, and selected following a competitive process, the student will receive up to $1,000 worth of supply funds and have access to a SME (subject matter expert) and mentor. The teacher and student receive up to $250 based on milestone expectations when the project is completed. (Ten project opportunities available)
Student eligibility is based on their teacher taking the MLS skills training.
MLS skills training is being planned right now. It will be a 3-hour training at Bridge Park at St. Louis Community College Campus, next to Danforth Plant Science Center. The same training will be offered at least twice, one late afternoon and a Saturday morning. Dates are to be determined. Mileage reimbursement will be provided. Email Shawn to be added to the MLS skills training list.
Participation Expectations and Milestones:
– $1,000 in a Science Coach account specifically for student project supplies (Provide links to requested items with company name and item numbers in the Teacher or Student Portals. Shawn purchases requested items and direct ships to teacher or lab)
– $500 Milestone payments for Student and Teacher:
1) $100/each – When donor-selected communications are completed (normally 3x/year via Portal)
2) $100/each – When the following media is uploaded in the Portal:
– 2 pictures of project work
– 1 PDF of the final slide show (PowerPoint saved as a PDF)
– 1 video is presented for Student Symposium consideration/website library inclusion, and student presents at the spring Symposium, if selected, in person or virtually (except in extenuating circumstances).
3) $50/each – When project information/research paper/competition/awards, etc. is COMPLETELY entered in the Portal and the project and competition statuses are marked as “Complete”.
-Other Research Project Opportunities:
Bees – If you have students interested in researching bees, we have a SME for bees and a St. Louis area beekeeper resource who has offered to set up a separate hive in the St. Louis area for a student to work with, if given a month’s notice. (This is not a Science Sponsor opportunity)
-Senior Stipend Teacher Referrals and Student Application process in the Teacher Portal is CLOSED for 22-23 school year. The 2023-24 opportunity will open in the spring of 2023.
There are three (3) Senior Stipend Scholarship Opportunities for junior students who will continue their research as seniors for 23-24. If selected, the senior student will participate in this milestone-based program and have the opportunity to earn up to $1,000 (and a $100 bonus) during their senior year.
– This is a competitive process and requires a Coach referral and student application. Referrals are made on the View My Students page of the Teacher Portal.
– Each Coach may refer up to three (3) junior students for consideration. The students should be informed of the Expectations and Milestones, most of which are met just by participating in Science Coach, and agree to participate.
– The referred students must then complete the competitive Application in the Student Portal.
– The selected students will be asked to complete the Senior Student Stipend Agreement, including a W-9 form in order to receive their (pre-tax) stipend payments throughout the year.
-Coach Cash Opportunities – Invented by Jill to remove the guilt from asking our teachers for their opinion. A guiding principle for Science Coach is that teachers should be compensated for their time. Teachers earn money for sharing their resources and tools, like brochure/poster designs, with Science Coach. This is how we draw on the expertise in our team on a more frequent basis. RESPONSE OR GUILT IS NEVER REQUIRED.
Here is how it works:
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- We contact you with the specific request for feedback/your opinion.
- You provide your feedback/opinion in the manner requested . (Sometimes an email response or a < 5 question survey)
- You get credited with Coach Cash and you help shape the future of Science Coach.
Right now, we will track your Coach Cash on a Google Sheet, but eventually it will be in the Teacher Portal for you to see and request payments. Accumulated Coach Cash will be distributed before Christmas and at the end of the year OR YOU can ask for it up to 2 additional times per year.
-Lab Shipping Approval for Science Coach Student Research Supplies – We are working to identify labs/organizations where students will need research supplies shipped. If you plan to have supplies shipped directly from a supply company to a university or public/private lab, please provide the following information in order to begin the supply company’s approval process:
Supply Company Name:
Organization/Lab Name:
Address (for Delivery):
Federal Tax ID #:
BSL Classification of Facility:
Name of Biosafety Officer:
Phone:
Email:
Name of Person Conducting Research:
Name of Person Accepting Delivery:
Phone:
Email:
-Bioinformatics, Data Mining, or Omics Project Opportunity for Serious Students:
This is the Bioinformatics site where students can take 1 or more free courses to learn the basics in bioinformatics/omics. Some of the other courses include a charge. This site uses a proprietary tool that helps students learn the basics of Bioinformatics without being bogged down in learning the coding. Once mastered, students will progress to the professional tools which include software programming languages. To start with the free courses, go to the login page and create an account. They offer “Courses” and “Programs”. Courses are self-directed. Programs are led by an instructor and includes students (often from around the world). We STRONGLY recommend that students complete the free Intro to Bioinformatics course which is accessible once students have made a new account.
This company – PineBio, also offers a ‘Program’ called, “Research Fellowship In Computational Biology” where you can work on your project and check in with a subject matter expert at scheduled times. This is not a true mentor, as the contact times are scheduled, but it does allow the student to email for other assistance. Contact Shawn if you have a serious student who wants to complete a bioinformatics, data mining, or omics project. Science Coach will pay the $120 fee for the student’s 3-month access to the PineBio research level pipeline software, a weekly mentor meeting, and responsive forum access. The student will be able to submit and run their own data pipelines.