During a 6-week program this past summer, Ladue Horton Watkins High School students participated in the Students and Teachers as Research Scientists (STARS) Program at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. The 32-year-old program pairs high school students with prominent area scientists to conduct undergraduate-level research in the fields of biology, chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering, environmental science, medicine, and psychology.
This year, a group of 88 students participated in the six-week, pre-collegiate program. Rising seniors were awarded an opportunity to work within a laboratory research setting with top scientists at Cortex Innovation Community, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Saint Louis University, Washington University in St. Louis, and the host institution, the University of Missouri-St. Louis. On July 19, at the conclusion of the program, students presented research papers to their peers, parents, and research mentors. Out of a total of 88 program participants, 29 seniors were determined to have produced work strong enough to receive the Partnership of Research Institutions Award for Excellence in Research.
“The evaluation scores from the panel of scientists who reviewed the research papers were the best in the history of the award,” said STARS Director Kenneth R. Mares, a member of the Department of Biology at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. At this year’s confirmation ceremony, Chancellor Tom George extended each STARS graduate an offer of a scholarship covering tuition, up to $750 for books per semester, as well as undergraduate research opportunities in their intended major should they gain admission and choose to enroll at UMSL in the fall of 2020.
Included in the 29 students to receive the award are five seniors from Ladue Horton Watkins High School. Below are listed the names of the students and the subjects of their research. Award winners will receive their awards during ceremonies at their schools or during school district boards of education meetings. Congratulations to Hannah Abraham, Connie Chen, Shelei Pan, Allison Rea, and Jacob Sheldon for your significant works and impressive acknowledgements in the field of science!
2019 AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH WINNERS
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AS RESEARCH SCIENTISTS (STARS)
Friday, July 19, 2019
Hannah Abraham, Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “Lifetime Trauma History and Sleep Impairment in Women Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence.” Dr. Kim Werner, University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Connie Chen, Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “pH Profile of Oxidation Reactions by Peroxidase with Various Substrates.” Dr. Dana Morrone, St. Louis College of Pharmacy.
Shelei Pan, Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “Heart Rate Patterns During Sleep and Incident Dementia in the Cardiovascular Health Study.” Dr. Phyllis Stein, Washington University School of Medicine.
Allison Rea, Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “The Relationship Between Seed Traits and Germination Time and Early Growth Traits in Wild Populations of Sainfoin, (Onobrychis viciifolia).” Dr. Allison Miller, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center.
Jacob Sheldon, Ladue Horton Watkins High School. “Transforming Carbon Dioxide into Chemicals; Thermodynamic Analysis of Scenarios.” Dr. Grigoriy Yablonsky, Washington University.