— The Wayne State University College of Education will host the 58th annual Southeast Michigan Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), Friday, Feb. 25. Log-in for the virtual event will begin at 8:30 a.m. on Zoom.
In addition to discussing their research, students will take a virtual tour of Wayne State’s campus and select research labs, and hear from a variety of speakers, including Ingrid Guerra-Lopez, Ph.D., interim dean and professor of learning design and technology in the College of Education; Amanda Bryant-Friedrich, Ph.D., dean of the Wayne State University Graduate School and professor of pharmaceutical sciences; research faculty from the university; and an alumnus of the regional JSHS program.
“The college is proud to provide high school students in Michigan with the opportunity to share their original research; strengthen their skills in communication and critical thinking; and network with their peers, Wayne State faculty, and others engaged in research,” said Sandra Yarema, Ph.D., clinical associate professor, program coordinator of science education and regional director of the Southeast Michigan Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. “We hope this experience encourages participants to engage in research activities as college students and exposes them to career opportunities in STEM, education, government and other fields.”
Sponsored by the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force and administered by the National Science Teaching Association, the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium seeks to encourage high school students to engage in original research focused on science, technology, engineering and math and to recognize them for their accomplishments. Students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in public, private or home schools and conduct an original research project are eligible to participate in their local regional symposium. The Southeast Michigan Regional JSHS at Wayne State University is cooperatively sponsored by the Army Educational Outreach Program and the National Science Teaching Association. Participation is free for all eligible high school students and their teachers.
Student research projects are focused on one of eight areas: environmental science; biomedical sciences; life sciences; medicine and health/behavioral sciences; engineering and technology; mathematics and computer sciences; physical sciences; or chemistry.
“The regional symposium is an excellent opportunity for students to explore their interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics; to begin developing their skills as researchers; and to earn college scholarships in the process,” said Yarema. “Many of our past alumni have gone on to conduct research at the undergraduate and graduate levels and to pursue careers in STEM fields.”
Students selected to present their research at the regional symposium will have the opportunity to win scholarships and cash awards ranging from $100 to $2,000. The top three oral presenters will receive scholarships of $2,000, $1,500 and $1,000, while the top three poster presentations will win cash prizes of $250, $150 and $100.
The top five oral presenters will advance to the national Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, where two students will deliver oral presentations and three will give poster presentations. National JSHS scholarships of $12,000, $8,000 and $4,000 will be awarded to each of the eight first, second and third place winners in the national research paper competition. The national symposium is scheduled to take place April 20-23, in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
For more information, contact Sandra Yarema at sandra.yarema@wayne.edu or 313-577-5754.
For details about scholarships, awards and the national JSHS, visit jshs.org.
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About the College of Education
The College of Education is anchored by its commitment to social justice, equity and inclusive excellence, and offers degree programs in 31 areas, including teacher education, counseling, educational leadership and policy studies, educational psychology, educational research and evaluation, exercise and sport science, learning design and technology and sports administration. To learn more, visit education.wayne.edu.
About Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution offering approximately 350 academic programs to nearly 25,000 students. For more information, visit wayne.edu.
About the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
The Junior Science and Humanities Symposium program is a Tri-Service — the Departments of the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force — sponsored STEM competition that promotes original research and experimentation at the high school level and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement. By connecting talented students, their teachers and research professionals at affiliated symposia and by rewarding research excellence, JSHS aims to widen the pool of trained talent prepared to conduct research and development vital to our nation. To learn more, visit jshs.org.