Intel ISEF Rocks Cleveland, 2003
Mr. LaBanca's Newsletters
SUNDAY, MAY 11, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
Greetings from Cleveland home of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Cleveland Browns and Indians, but most importantly the 2003 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Our students Lisa Glukhovsky of
New Milford High School, Anna-Katrina Shedletsky of Brewster High School, Joia Ramcahndani of Greenwich High School, Emily Cersonsky of Sacred Heart Academy, Hamden, and Alex Mittal of Greenwich High School are proudly representing the Connecticut Science Fair at this exciting event.
Before arriving in Cleveland, family joined the Connecticut Delegation for a lunch at Bradley Airport. We shared interesting stories, learned more about
each other, and discussed exciting events to come. We said our goodbyes to parents with hugs and smiles. Arriving in Cleveland we made our way to
our hotel, which is directly adjacent to the Key Tower the tallest (800+ feet) building in town. We shared a great Italian family-style dinner with, in
typical Italian tradition, entirely too much food. Our students anxiously packed the leftovers to bring back to the hotel, and Iıve been told that one of the room coffee pots will never be the same after it had been used to reheat the food!
This morning, after sending Motherıs Day wishes to all of our parents we had brunch, took a trolley ride and really began to question if Cleveland was more deserving of the slogan WINDY CITY than Chicago. Most certainly sailing or flying a kite in this environment would lead to some tragic result!
We checked into the Fair this afternoon, getting our credentials and then proceeding to the massive convention center floor. We expect over 1000 student with 700+ projects to be here. We determined our locations and followed the complicated set up regulations. The students carefully assembled their magnificent posters and made small edits and corrections. Each student was successful in clearing Rules and Regulations. While setup was occurring, our students took the opportunity to meet and greet other
students from around the world. One of the great ISEF traditions is to exchange pins and Emily in particular went full throttle perhaps making the greatest collection of new pins for herself. Everyone agrees that the best pin was from the Peru delegation, which features a woman and man in traditional clothing.
We retired for the evening at the hotel over pizza and soda, excitedly discussing our day and future plans.
We will report again tomorrow to let you know of our progress. The next five newsletters will include a feature of each student so you can get to know these amazing young women and man.
Until then . . .
Frank LaBanca
Science Teacher, Stamford High School
for the Connecticut Science Fair
MONDAY, MAY 12, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
The excitement continues to build as we enjoyed day three of the International Science and Engineering Fair in Cleveland today Monday, May 12th. The wind continues to howl in Cleveland. As we look out our
windows from the 12th floor of the hotel we have an unobstructed view of Cleveland Browns Stadium and Lake Erie all the way to the horizon. There is a rock jetty barrier that separates the open Lake from the shore. We watched today as the waves effortlessly barreled over. Maybe tomorrow's weather will be better!
The weather did not dampen our spirits though. We took the opportunity to go to the convention center to check projects, attend workshops, and continue trading pins with our new-found friends from around the country and around the world. Our big event was the opening dinner and ceremony.
After dinner for 2500, we headed to the auditorium an old arena-style building that Intel had retrofitted with a rock concert style sound system, lighting system, and giant projection screen televisions.
The governor of Ohio and mayor of Cleveland gave their greetings and then the MC revealed a giant television set mocked up like Family Feud, complete with electronic game board and buzzers. We watched as the CEO of Intel, Nobel Prize Lauriats, and students including our very own Alex Mittal, played. Alex got a strike for his answer to the question "Name a rodent." (His answer was mole not on the survey even though porcupine was we are still debating the merits of the top 5 answers . . . ) The game was strategically interrupted when the keynote speaker came out to address the students and adults John Glenn. Senator Glenn mesmerized the crowd and
inspired the students to challenge themselves in their endeavors.
Returning to the hotel, we found out that while Alex was backstage, he got to meet John Glenn and get his autograph.
Tomorrow should bring more excitement . . .
Frank LaBanca
Science Teacher, Stamford High School
for the Connecticut Science Fair
TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
Itıs a bird, itıs a plane, no wait, ITıS THE SUN! We awoke this morning (Tuesday) to bright rays streaming through our windows. Looking out over Cleveland towards Cleveland Browns Stadium and looking at the flagpole, we realize that the wind is still whipping as strong as ever!
Todayıs adventures bring a bit more relaxed atmosphere. As we enter the exhibition hall at the Cleveland Convention Center we notice a new, refined
appearance. Long after all the students have left, the package peanuts and bubble wrap had been swept away with scraps of duct tape and a few dust bunnies a magical transformation has occurred. The plush green carpet has been rolled down each aisle and enhances the purple backdrop. What once appeared to be a dingy warehouse has been transformed into a polished exhibition forum, centered with student projects. An air of professionalism permeates the hall. Judging time is rapidly approaching.
The morning brings several activities as well. Our students, Joia, Anna, Lisa, Emily, and Alex travel off with Mr. Muller and Dr. Cooper to visit Clevelandıs famed art museum. Mr. Wisner and Mrs. Muller attend a fair directorıs meeting, and I head off to several teachersı workshops. Alex returns early to meet with other ISEF dignitaries. We all gather in the late afternoon to attend the dinner at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Science Museum - two adjacent facilities on the shore of Lake Erie. We eat a little (some shovel down a lot!) and we go to the IMAX theater for a viewing of Space Station. What an amazing depiction of the assembly of the International Space Station! Although we have broken up into several
smaller groups it is amazing how in a crowd of around 3000 people, we keep banging into each other. We take time to meet new people, exchange more pins, and listen to some music.
Once we return to the hotel, Emily, Anna, and Joia ask to meet one on one with Mr. Wisner and myself to practice their project presentations for tomorrow. Each will have approximately 15 minutes with each judge. Our informal judging sessions last approximately an hour a student. I find these discussions with the students amazing. I am awed by their enthusiasm, intelligence, but most of all their passion for science. I am humbled by the opportunity to work with each of them, even if itıs just in a small way. I am confident they will represent their schools and our state with pride and honor. We are wrapping things up with Joia at about 12:30 a.m. I
think we all need a good rest now for the exciting day tomorrow brings.
Frank LaBanca
Science Teacher, Stamford High School
for the Connecticut Science Fair
WEDNESDAY, MAY 14, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
Happy Wednesday. It appears to be a beautiful day outside. The flag at Cleveland Browns Stadium for which we have an amazing view is clinging to the pole. Is it possible that the wind has finally subdued? We all meet for breakfast in the hotel this morning before judging. All of the students are dressed casually with the exception of Anna. She is poised and ready to go. I hope she doesnıt spill any food on her suit! Everyone else is working the buffet line. Someone wants to know what grits are. Mr. Muller informs us that he does not like them and simply suggest not eating them.
I hope this does not offend any Southerners. Back at the table there is a nervous anticipation for what the next several hours will hold. Thinking stomachs first, the girls order some turkey wraps to smuggle into the exhibition hall to munch on when no one is looking. Alex concurs and orders one as well. Slowly, the students start to dissipate and head back
upstairs to get ready. The girls are all prepped. Mrs. Muller spent the previous night ironing the wrinkles out of their dress best.
We all meet back at the Mullerıs room at 11:45am. Everyone is dressed so professionally. Everyone meaning the students. The adults are in jeans, shorts, and t-shirts. We walk over to the convention center. The exhibition hall is not yet opened. A few yellow-jacketed security guards are attempting to hold back the crowd. We give our last-minute good
lucks and the hall opens.
The students are judged.
Lisa reports she was confident--only one hard judge. She spent most of the time talking with judges. After the dinner break she was tired but ready to
go back. She liked that the judges were excited about her project. She reports that they got most excited by the precision of her data. Joia informs us that it went "all right." She liked that some of the judges were very familiar with the apparatus she used. She also told me that the judges asked some of the stuff that we had focused on the previous night in our "practice run". She also felt excited about the process. Alex, Emily, and Anna also had good experiences. The common theme was mostly good, a few
challenges, but a successful and rewarding experience.
We knew things were a little different than usual. It has been common routine when there is food in our hotel rooms that the kids pick it up and wander off to their rooms. Tonight, they congregated in the Mullerıs room to talk about their experience and stayed the majority of the time. The night ended with a brief stint at the student mixer, then a return back to the hotel to enjoy a movie in the room.
First set of awards tomorrow . . .
Frank LaBanca
Science Teacher, Stamford High School
for the Connecticut Science Fair
THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
Connecticut continued its long tradition of science excellence at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. Today the fair was opened for public viewing and Connecticut representatives Emily Cersonsky, Lisa Glukhovsky, Alex Mittal, Joia Ramchandani, and Anna Shedletsky manned their poster booths from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. The purpose was to
informally discuss project ideas and results with the general public. The Convention Center in Cleveland was filled with parents, adults, local students, and community members who all had a keen interest in science and student research. The students flawlessly discussed the significance of their research with all who asked questions. Ms. Glukhovsky had an extended interview, complete with high-tech audio and video equipment, at her booth with members of the Intel
Press Corp. The students joined United Technologies/Otis Elevator Engineer Richard Hollowell for a dinner in a local restaurant for the annual Sponsors Dinner. United Technologies is the title sponsor for the Connecticut Science Fair.
Returning to the convention center, the students gathered on the floor of the public auditorium
for Special Awards. Special awards are presented by scientific, professional, and educational
organizations and include scholarships, summer internships, book and equipment grants and
scientific field trips. Three members of the Connecticut delegation were honored with the
following awards:
Lisa Glukhovsky: 1. American Astronomical Society and the Astronomical Society of
the Pacific: Priscilla and Bart Bok First Award - $5,000 scholarship and $1,000 grant for
New Milford High School Science Department. 2. Eastman Kodak Company: First
Award - $1,000 scholarship plus a photo kit including cameras and films
Alex Mittal: Eastman Kodak Company: Honorable Mention Award - $250 scholarship.
plus a photo kit including cameras and films
Anna Shedletsky: National Anti-Vivisection Society Award - $2,000 scholarship.
The students will return for two additional award ceremonies tomorrow: the Government
Awards from 8:30-10 a.m. and the Grand Awards from 2:00-4:00 p.m.
FRIDAY, MAY 16, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
Our ISEF time is starting to wrap up. Tonight, after the grand awards and a great dinner, the students and Mr. Wisner, Dr. Cooper, and myself went to see the new Matrix movie. Returning back we talked about the merits of the movie or really the lack thereof. Joia and Emily joined me for a midnight talk to discuss some ideas.
FEATURED STUDENT OF THE DAY JOIA RAMCHANDANI
I first had the opportunity to meet Joia three years ago when she was a sophomore. She was trying to extract some genomic DNA from Daphnia (small crustaceans) if I recall correctly, but was having trouble. Her teacher and a great friend of mine brought Joia and another student over to my lab in Stamford and we did an isolation and separation. I saw what a motivated student Joia was at that time and it is exciting to see how she has blossomed into the amazing student and young woman she is today.
Joia is a senior at Greenwich High School and will be attending MIT next year. She has a strong interest and plans to pursue a career in Biotechnology, but is not sure where her degree will take her. She informs me that she is interested in teaching, research, perhaps even a medical doctor. She will feel out her likes and dislikes at college. Joia has completed her research this year at MIT as part of an outreach program. She
has dutifully traveled to Boston for the past couple of years on weekends and extended holidays to conduct her research. (Letıs talk about motivation!)
Joia was not too thrilled with the Matrix movie. I asked her what kinds of movies she did like and she listed titles including an Audrey Hepburn movie Wait Until Dark. I asked Joia what one of her favorite places to go was. She talked about going to Greenwich Beach. She likes all of the different things you can do there including swimming, jogging, rollerblading, and sailing. She thinks of it as a good place to unwind and a good place to get away.
FEATURED STUDENT OF THE DAY EMILY CERSONSKY
Emily didnıt even get out of the theater before she told us how bad she thought the new Matrix movie was. I asked her what movies she liked and she listed an eclectic group including: Breakfast at Tiffanyıs, The Princess Bride, and Ferris Buellerıs Day Off. She told us that part of Ferris Bueller was filmed on a street perpendicular to the one she lives on, and although she does not remember it, she met Matthew Broderick while
filming.
Emily is a senior at Sacred Heart Academy in Hamden. She makes a 30-minute commute everyday from Oxford. She loves science, especially genetics
and would like to make a career in that field. She was inspired to do so when her teacher Sister Mary Jane took her to the Tiger Conference in Boston. She went to a talk on Evolutionary Genetics and found it to be one of the most interesting things she had ever heard.
I asked Emily how she got into her project and worked at Yale. She informed me that after her freshman year she begged her teacher to get her a job at Yale for the summer. She finally go a fellowship there to conducted her research. Emily really hopes to continue doing research and said she would seek out opportunities to attend symposia or academic meetings where she could share the result of her research.
SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2003
To the Connecticut Science Fair Sponsors, Friends, and Families,
Perhaps a day late, but we wanted to inform you of our final days at the fair. After an exciting Thursday evening from Special Awards, our students gorged themselves on ice cream back at the hotel. The room service folks said it was one scoop weıre debating whether it was one pint . . .
Friday morning, with the leftovers melted outside the rooms, we gathered for a quick breakfast and headed over to the auditorium for the Government Awards. As many of you have heard by now, Anna socked up a number of awards including a trip to Space Camp in Alabama this summer. Lisa also cashed in from the US Navy and Marine Corps. Wow! The totals keep adding up after working with these students, I can definitely say that it is well deserved.
We gathered together for lunch in the hotel; most were enjoying soup and sandwiches. Then it was back to the auditorium for the Grand Awards. The hall was set up for this grand event. All of the lights and video were up and running again. Music was blaring through the sound system and there was certain excitement in the air. After several speeches, the host began to announce category placement. "Fourth place" first no one from Connecticut announced is this a good or bad omen? "Third place" awards no one announced again. Tension building. "Second place" awards In the category
of Biochemisty Alexander Mittal, a few more names, Joia Ramchandani. The students walk to the stage, background music gently playing, they shake hands with a dignitary, they line up on stage, the camera passes and we see them close up on the jumbo screen. "First place" awards in the category of Earth and Space Sciences Lisa Glukhovsky - - - - in the category of Medicine and Health Anna Shedletsky. Now for category winners Lisa wins her category! More speeches, more special awards, the final award Intel Foundation Young Scientist ($50,000) the three best in the entire fair.
How excited were we when we heard them announce Lisaıs name. The confetti falls from the ceiling of the stage and the rush of emotions fills the halls. This has truly been an amazing experience. Science Horizons can be justly proud. Lisa was the top winner in the Science Horizons regional fair in Danbury this past March and is their representative to ISEF. She was also one of the top winners in her category in the Connecticut Science Fair.
We head to the stage to take pictures and give congratulations. There are many members of the press on stage snapping pictures and recording video.As the stage slows down, we head to the press area, which is just as electric. More pictures, phone calls home, more interviews.
We are now back at the hotel, things begin to calm down. Chatter changes to dinner we head out to a Greek restaurant down the street. Everyone is joking with Lisa "Can I have a loan," "The big winner has to pay for dinner." We enjoy a meal together and head back to the hotel because we are going to the movies later that evening. We are proud and in awe of all of our students. In total all of our students have collectively earned over $80,000.
Saturday brings an early rise, bags packed and our candy apple red stretch limo arrives with a town car. We were supposed to have three town cars, but we wonıt complain. As we drive away from the city towards the airport, we watch the buildings get smaller. We play some CDıs on the limoıs sound system. Cleveland was good to us and we will miss her. After a brief lunch in the airport, we board our plane. How did we all get the exact same seats again? Returning to Bradley, we say our goodbyes, promise to keep in touch, and smile. Words just canıt express the magic of this past week.
