• IUSL Photonics Training Program
  Provides high school students the opportunity to conduct applied research in the frontiers of photonic science and technology. A special focus of the program is to support members of underrepresented minority groups and women to enter these fields. It runs from July 9 to August 24. Visit www1.ccny.cuny.edu/ci/iusl/student_research.cfm or call (212) 650-5531 for more information.
• NOAA-CREST Summer High School Internship Program (SHIP)
  Six-week program that provides research opportunities in remote sensing to students in grades 9-12. Up to ten students are selected every summer to work with graduate students and CCNY engineering and science faculty members as mentors. For more details and to apply online visit: tinyurl.com/CREST-SHIP or call (212) 650-8099.

They also offer two summer enrichment programs for freshman, sophomores, and juniors looking to expand their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

• NOAA-CREST Weather Camp
  Two-week program for high school students from the New York City metropolitan area July 23 – August 3. Up to 12 students will participate in classes at CCNY and fieldwork at the National Weather Service office on the Brookhaven National Laboratories campus on Long Island where they will study weather phenomena and conduct field observations. Visit glasslab.engr.ccny.cuny.edu/u/brianvh/ for more information and to apply.
• STEM Institute at CCNY
  A challenging academic enrichment program to prepare and encourage minority students in grades 9 through 11 to pursue careers in engineering, computer science, science, business management, entrepreneurship and mathematics. It runs June 28 to August 4. Call (212) 650-6190 or visit www.ccny.cuny.edu/engineering/stem/ for more information and to apply.

Your basic spider has two main body parts — a cephalothorax at the front and an abdomen at the rear. In addition to the eight legs, spiders also have two long appendages for grasping food (called pedipalps) and two short appendages for injecting venom (called chelicerae). Spiders extrude silk for their webs from glands connected to a hollow set of appendages (called spinnerets) at the far back end of the abdomen.

Overhead view of the cephalothorax	Close up of four of the eyes	A slightly different overhead view showing the eyes, pedipalps (extended forward), and chelicerae (folded under the animal)
Underside view of the cephalothorax with a good view of the mouthparts (chelicerae closer to the mouth, pedipalps closer to the legs)	Underside view of the abdomen showing the spinnerets	Close up of the spinnerets

Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s CancerSmart lecture series features informative discussions on the most up-to-date issues on cancer and cancer-related topics. MSKCC believes the more you know, the better equipped you will be to make informed choices about your health. Lectures are presented at Rockefeller Research Laboratories, 430 East 67th Street (between First and York Avenues) on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. There is no charge to attend and all are welcome. Click on the links to individual lectures for more information and to register. (You should register as a courtesy so they know how many people will be attending.)

3. Tuesday, May 8, 2012, 6:00–7:30 PM
   MSKCC Experts Discuss the Latest Advances in the Treatment and Cure of Skin Cancers in the 21st Century
   Join Memorial Sloan-Kettering physicians Charlotte E. Ariyan, MD, PhD, Paul B. Chapman, MD, and Kishwer S. Nehal, MD as they discuss the latest information on screening and treatment of skin cancer. Information presented in this lecture will focus on prevention, screening, and treatment of melanoma (including surgical and medical oncology options) and non-melanoma skin cancers.

One half point of extra credit will be awarded to juniors who complete this assignment for each lecture they attend. Official attendance is taken by group photo at the end of each event. Give your completed (typed) assignment to your supervising teacher at any time during the following school day.

• Sophomores
  • Bring something to eat or drink.
  • Participate as contestants.
  • Feast.
• Juniors and Seniors
  • Bring something to eat or drink.
  • Help set up.
  • Participate as judges.
  • Feast.
  • Help clean up.
• Alumni and Teachers
  • Participate as judges.
  • Feast.

The first time I trimmed my turtle’s claws was a few weeks ago. This was before I found out about the vein and how much to cut off. As an inexperienced cutter, I took a pair of scissors, held out my turtle’s hand, and when I tried to cut about half, the turtle squirmed and tried to get away from me. I figured that it hurt him, so I tried cutting off a smaller portion. It was difficult to trim because the claw felt so dense. I finally cut if off, and let go. I could tell that he was relieved to get away from me.

For more turtle-related images, click here.

Image and text credit: Jasline Garcia

Text and image source: Notify NYC

Brooklyn College will be holding their Science Research Day on Friday, May 11 from 9:30 to 1:30. They are willing to take 5 projects (team or individual) from Midwood to compete in the high school division. (They also have a graduate and an undergraduate division.) This event is run basically the same as St. Joe’s and NYCSEF. Students who participate will be excused from class as if it was a field trip. If I remember correctly, they offer certificates and small gifts ranging in value from $5-20 as prizes. They also feed you a pretty nice lunch at the end.

Let me know if you are interested. Abstracts need to be submitted by Friday. And yes, extra credit will be awarded to those who participate.

1. The final draft of your NYCSEF Research Plan (or Alternate Assignment) is due before the end period 9 Friday, April 27, 2012. Ms. Sullivan’s students should give their papers to their temporary teacher.
2. The first draft of your PowerPoint presentation must be emailed to Mr. Elert before midnight Sunday, April 29, 2012.

NYCSEF Research Plan Grading Rubric	Alternate Assignment Grading Rubric	PowerPoint Presentations Assignment Description