STR 2009-2010 Lab Guidelines

STR2 2009-2010 Lab Guidelines

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Congratulations ELECTRON 09!

You're done! Finished!

More importantly...

CLEARED.

Actually, until all of you submit your manuscripts, none of you will get your transcripts...

June 12

Happy Independence Day!

How to avoid crashing in STR2

I've heard, read and even talked with some of you about your cluelessness for an STR topic. So to make things a little "easier" for you, I'll give you an idea of why we reject topics.

1. Recycled topics. Spare us the usual antibiotic and antifungal stuff unless they are truly novel (ie. the quorum-sensing inhibition project). This is not science high school material. Strive to find NEW topics. This is often the pitfall everyone cannot seem to avoid.
2. Very simple topics. Challenge yourself a bit. Don't submit a topic whose entire testing phase will be finished in one day. This includes food topics that are not well thought through (but we do accept interesting food tech projects)
3. Vague topics. Sometimes what you want to do would be both novel and interesting, yet it gets rejected... Why? The most probable reason is that you did not explain it fully. Please understand that we cannot evaluate your ideas if you cannot communicate them effectively. To avoid submitting again, make sure to fully thresh out your topic proposals.
4. Unfeasible topics. I actually like this kind of rejection. It means you have exercised your imagination and thought about something novel, but as it turns out, it just cannot be done due to one or a number of reasons - it's beyond you, it'll kill you, no one has what you need, or science won't allow it. Note that sometimes this gets mixed up with Number 3 because you probably did not fully explain the scientific basis for your solution.

Now to really make it "easy" for you, let me give you some suggestions on what I personally think are interesting fields to explore for your topics...

1. Mathematical Biology. This is quite interesting as these two fields are not usually thought to intersect. These explore the world of biology and try to explain it in terms of mathematics and algorithms.
   One of this year's special award winners in ISEF worked on "sex determination of Philippine Eagles" using anatomical wingspan and claw data only because as it turns out, finding out whether a Philippine Eagles is a boy or a girl is not as simple as it sounds.
2. Physics. Nobody works on physics projects. That alone gives you an edge. Physics is the most fundamental of all sciences and all sciences can be analyzed by Physics so why don't you give it a try. There was one promising physics topic last year, but it lacked the steam to plow ahead.
3. Computer Science. If you do not want to do labwork after classes or resent the fact that you cannot cram your work at home because you lack the equipment, CS projects are perfect for you - all you need it a computer and notepad (and perhaps a compiler).
4. Engineering. Another rarity during YMSAT, almost no one pushes through with an engineering topic yet these are usually the most successful! Cases in point - alternative PCR device won in UP and the microtremor kids went to ISEF.
5. Chemistry and Materials Science. I believe this is hard because we have no equipment but that need not be the case- we can always collaborate! Inventive new materials will not only win awards, but also be relevant in everyday life.
6. Systems Biology. Everything these days seem to be interdisciplinary and systems biology is probably its best example. A new paradigm in biology is emerging, that is, looking at the big picture instead of scrutinizing just one pixel of information. The goal of systems biology is to find emergent properties that are not obvious when we look at things individually. It is in the intersection of biology, chemistry, physics and computer science and mathematics. How exciting.

I'm not dissuading you from doing traditional biology projects, but more often than not, it is the default. Try to explore your options.

There are quite a lot of opportunities waiting for good projects. Aside from the competitions, the prizes, the trips abroad and the TV airtime... there is the fulfillment that when you look back at your fourth year in Pisay, you can proudly say that you had a meaningful research project.

Welcome SY 2009-2010

Welcome to STR2.

For those who were my students in STR1, I believe I have adequately prepared you for the deadlines, requirements and sheer load STR2 brings though you probably hated my guts for it.

Since the official start of the school year has been moved back a week (start on June 15) and you seem to have plenty of time on your hands right now, I'll prepare you already for what's to come...

DEADLINES FOR THE FIRST QUARTER:

• June 19 - Topics Identification (MINIMUM of 3 topics per student, see below for details)
• June 29 - Capsule proposal of approved topic by group
• July 6 - Task list, Network Chart and other project planning work by group
• July 13-24 - Oral defense of approved topic by group

*All email submission of paperwork must be received by 9PM that day.

For your proposed topic, please make sure to state your PROBLEM, PROPOSED SOLUTION and SCIENTIFIC BASIS/CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK behind your solution.

Please avoid common topics that are done year-in year-out (test for antibiotic activity of plants and the like). I suggest you take a look at the past winners of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair to see if what you are thinking is up to par with our expectations. For those who took up SSIP, you still have to apply your topic for approval. It is not automatic.

Good luck. At least now you have something to do. Deadline is Friday, June 19, 2009.