The NCSSSMST (National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology) and Keystone Science School co-sponsored two Youth Policy Summits during the summer of 2007. Forty students represented 10 high schools from across the country at each Summit, meeting for a week in June and August at Keystone Science School…

Current U.S. energy policy supports increasing the use of bio-ethanol as a gasoline substitute, which Brazil first produced on a large scale in response to the 1970s energy crises. Brazil's National Alcohol Program stood out among its contemporaries regarding its success at displacing a third of Brazil's gasoline requirements, primarily due to…

This article discusses the author's experiences as a planner for the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science & Technology (NCSSSMST) Fall 2007 Event titled "Tomorrow Never Dies." The author discusses how the NCSSSMST student conference helps students find common ground.

According to the Open Doors report from the Institute of International Education, more than a half million international students are currently studying in the United States. Over half of the international students are from Asia, both the subcontinent (India is the leading sending nation of students) and the Far East (China, Korea, and Japan…

There is much research that documents what many teachers know, that students struggle with many concepts in probability and statistics. This article presents two sample activities the authors use to help preservice teachers develop ideas about how they can use technology to promote their students' ability to understand mathematics and connect…

As a veteran teacher at a NCSSSMST (National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology) high school, the author takes pride in allowing her students to stretch their minds. But as a teacher of gifted juniors and seniors, it has always been a challenge to keep her students up to date with key events in…

If America is to succeed in the innovation-powered global economy, boosting math and science skills will be critical. This is why a wide array of task forces and organizations has recently raised the clarion call for more and better scientists and engineers. While the policy proposals offered are wide ranging, one key policy innovation has…

The purpose of this research was to determine how metal oxide used in a thermite reaction can impact the production of nanoparticles. The results showed the presence of nanoparticles (less than 1 micron in diameter) of at least one type produced by each metal oxide. The typical particles were metallic spheres, which ranged from 300 nanometers in…

Sediment oxygen demand (SOD) is the rate that dissolved oxygen leaves the water column in a body of water due to the build-up and decomposition of organic carbons in the sediment. The introduction of organic materials changes the chemistry of streams, and many chemical reactions occurring in bodies of water, with the exception of photosynthesis,…

Co-hosted by the National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science, and Technology (NCSSSMST) and The Keystone Center, the third annual Keystone Center Youth Policy Summit focused on Adolescent and Childhood Nutrition in America's K-12 Schools. In June 2006, 40 students from 10 math and science schools came together in…

With support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Siemens Foundation, and the Associated Colleges of Illinois (ACI), National Consortium for Specialized Secondary Schools of Mathematics, Science and Technology (NCSSSMST) hosted its third summer science program in June 2006 at Aurora (IL) University's Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, campus. This program…

In little more than a decade, the Web has become an essential medium for information, entertainment, and commerce, making its adoption among consumers quicker than any other medium before it. The majority of American classrooms have become connected to the Internet in the same short time span. Previously, science or mathematics students might have…

With clockwork regularity, the real or perceived shortage of scientists and engineers in the US pops up as a topic of debate in academic and industry circles. Discussions of an imminent shortage have deep impact for education, career prospects, immigration, and "The American Dream." The purpose of this article is twofold. First, it poses a…

It all started with an invitation from the Oxford Round Table. The author was summoned to participate in a lively debate at Exeter College in the Oxford University about, "Science and Faith: The Great Matter." If one has participated in an Oxford University summer experience, he/she will agree it is a once in a lifetime learning endeavor. The…

Investigates factors that have effects on conditioning. Tests nine mice with three types of reinforcement: (1) primary-need positive reinforcement; (2) secondary-need positive reinforcement; and (3) secondary-need negative reinforcement. Measures the effectiveness of the reinforcements by both rate of response and response strength. Discusses the…