Project Exploration Blog

K'Maja and Dr. Kim Coble survey galaxies using the Global Telescope Network.

For the past six weeks, K’Maja has been studying the Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy at Chicago State University, by using a proxy telescope based in Cerro Tololo, Chile.  That sounds like graduate level work. K’Maja, though, just graduated from eighth grade at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School (YWLCS) and is working with Dr. Kim Coble, an astrophysics associate professor.

How does a curious young female student create an internship opportunity with an astrophysics professor at a local university? Project Exploration’s programs and mission provide the platform and resources to connect these two seemingly disparate worlds.

K’Maja joined Sisters4Science, our middle school afterschool program for girls, two years ago when she was entering 7th grade. Since then, K’Maja has explored topics that interest her and her classmates – forensics, chemistry, biology – with professional women scientists that are members of our Women in Science program. She has always had an interest in the stars. K’Maja says, “When I learned about Pangaea, I got interested in the stars. I thought to myself, if this can happen on earth, imagine what else can happen in the universe!” So this past year in Sisters4Science, K’Maja requested a session on astrophysics.  Tasked with K’Maja’s request, I called Dr. Kim Coble, an astrophysics associate professor at Chicago State University.

In Kim’s session, K’Maja learned about the galaxies, stars, and planets. She loved the session so much that she made a presentation about it for her final project in Sisters4Science. For Kim, having a student so excited about astronomy and physics was motivating and inspiring for her personally. Driven by their mutual curiosity and passion for the universe, K’Maja and Kim teamed up for an internship.

Under Kim’s guidance, K’Maja has been using the StarGazer program to study the universe. She has also been reading about astronomy in a college-level textbook, The Essential Cosmic Perspective. “This is my reading at home. It’s so interesting!” says K’Maja. While conducting her survey of the universe, K’Maja became really interested in galaxies. So Kim trained K’Maja to use the Global Telescope Network to look at some named galaxies. They decided to use the Gort Telescope, based in Santa Rosa, California. The Gort has a number of proxy telescopes in Cerro Tololo, Chile. K’Maja has been using one of those proxy telescopes to capture images of the Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy.

Throughout the internship, K’Maja has been talking to college students who are always surprised to find that one of Professor Kim Coble’s students is going into ninth grade! “They don’t even realize I’m in high school until Dr. Kim tells them. It’s been great to meet with college students that research the universe. They are people that are interested in what I like.”

For Kim, it’s been a great experience to work with a young student who is passionate about the universe. “She’s my prodigy! She likes astrophysics so I want to make her an astrophysicist! Having her around keeps me excited and motivated.”

K’Maja’s relationship with Kim hasn’t been limited to science. “Dr. Kim is so nice. She’s a real mentor and we talk about things in everyday life.”

Dr. Kim Coble and K'Maja have formed a great mentor relationship.

The internship has been so successful that Kim and K’Maja have decided to continue long-term throughout the year. K’Maja intends to continue capturing images of her galaxy and see how it changes over time. She also plans on doing a science fair project on the Small Magellanic Cloud images that she is taking. When I asked K’Maja if she was planning on going to Chile to observe her telescope and galaxy, she replied with an exuberant “of course!”

Congratulations to K’Maja on forging a path towards a fruitful career in astrophysics. Thank you, Dr. Kim Coble, for being such a positive role model and mentor for our young women!

Bola, Jehad, and Kathleen finish work on a 110-million year old Ouranosaurus femur.

This summer, three Project Exploration students interned in Dr. Paul Sereno’s famous Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago:

• Jehad B., 12th grade, Amundsen High School
• Bola O., 12th grade, Lake View High School
• Kathleen L., graduate Amundsen High School

This annual internship is a leadership opportunity for students who have participated in Project Exploration programs in the past. With funding from the Leo S. Guthman Foundation, students are able to learn and practice the skills of fossil preparation at a working research laboratory. The internship is an important step in students’ pathway towards understanding and practicing science. Students not only learn how to clean and prepare fossils, but also about the daily operations of a lab, technical workforce skills, money management, employment etiquette, data collection, and communication skills.

Sara ElShafie and the lab interns examine a T.Rex fossil in the lab.

As Jehad said, “The work of a paleontologist goes beyond the field. In the lab I, as a paleontologist, developed skills involving concentration and patience. I know these skills will continue to develop further into the future.”

Jehad, Bola, and Kathleen had the opportunity to work with lab intern supervisor, Sara ElShafie. Sara developed an incredible experience for the students, including mini-presentations by graduate students, discussions with Dr. Paul Sereno, and teaching sessions on paleontology and evolution. After learning how to use the tools of fossil preparation, Sara had the students work on a 110-million year old ouranosaurus femur. After six weeks in the lab, the team completely uncovered the femur! The students were very proud of their work – and rightfully so!

Jehad and Bola prepare fossils with patience and precision!

Bola described his experience in the lab, “I felt like I was legit and a real scientist. Everyone was treated the same. The fossils were really amazing because that’s what you see in a museum and can’t touch it but I could.”

Throughout the internship, the lab intern team shared their experiences through Project Exploration’s blog. Click on the students’ names to read some of their blog posts from this summer! In addition to developing skills in digital communication, the students worked on independent final projects under the guidance of Sara ElShafie. On Friday, August 13, students presented their projects to family, friends, and Project Exploration staff.

Bola developed a PowerPoint presentation on the evolution of whales and their presence in the fossil record. Did you know that paleontologists recently uncovered a “valley of whales” in Egypt with fossils dating from 50-millions years ago?! Bola has always been interested in zoology and psychology so his choice of whale research (an incredibly intelligent mammal) was perfect!

Jehad has always been interested in art and science. After a mini-presentation by renowned paleoartist Tyler Keillor, Jehad used clay to build a scale skeletal and flesh model of a theropod. In his words, “I learned many skills during my six week period at the fossil lab. More than I expected. One unexpected goal I achieved was enhancing my skills as an artist.  For my final project I modeled theropod anatomy out of clay. I had never worked with clay before and it was a surprising challenge. I am proud of the work I completed.”

Jehad's clay theropod, complete with artistic and biological detail!

Kathleen has participated in the Dinosaur Giants program for two consecutive years. Kathleen said, “I love dinosaurs and want to get in the field of paleontology.” For her final project, Kathleen created a short video on Sue, the T. rex, to celebrate her tenth anniversary at the Field Museum.

Congratulations to Jehad, Bola, and Kathleen on completing this summer internship! Thank you to their families, Dr. Paul Sereno’s Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago, Sara ElShafie, Tyler Keillor,the Leo S. Guthman Foundation, and to Project Exploration’s students, board, and staff for creating this wonderful leadership opportunity!

Kathleen, Bola, and Jehad smile with lab intern supervisor, Sara ElShafie.

All Girls Expedition team member Constance is excited to intern with University of Chicago graduate student Heather King!

At Project Exploration, all of our student programs provide opportunities for youth to meet and work with professional scientists and graduate students. It’s no surprise, then, when some of these relationships blossom into long-term mentorships.

One mentorship opportunity that has emerged this summer is for All Girls Expedition team member, Constance, a 12th grader at the University of Chicago Charter School – Woodlawn campus. Constance has teamed up with All Girls Teaching Fellow and Women in Science member, Heather King. Heather is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago’s Department of Organismal Biology and Anatomy where she studies lungfish motion.

While in Yellowstone National Park, Heather discovered Constance’s interest in car mechanics. When Constance was young, she was always interested in how cars move and how their engines work. To answer her questions, Constance turned to her uncles who were always fixing their cars. “I helped work on their cars in their garages. They taught me vocabulary and terms about mechanics, ” says Constance. In fact, her knowledge about car mechanics has improved so much that neighbors ask her to fix their cars in the summer and on weekends. As she says, “I love engines!”

Constance’s natural interest in mechanics and her school work have resided in two separate worlds. When she joined the All Girls Expedition team this summer, she learned about Heather’s work in biomechanics – the study of how living organisms move. For Constance, the mechanics of car function was a direct connection to understanding how animals move.

On the plane trip from Yellowstone, Heather encouraged Constance to visit her lab at the University of Chicago. That invitation has now turned into an internship that Constance will begin in September. Constance will be helping Heather collect data on lungfish movement.

Constance examines the movement of a lungfish.

While most fish swim, lungfish use tentacle-like fins to walk on the freshwater floor. Older studies have described their motion as salamander-like, which is incorrect. In fact, no one has formally described lungfish movement accurately. Heather’s dissertation will be one of the first quantitative studies to describe the biomechanics of lungfish locomotion. Why is this research important? Lungfish are more closely related to four-limbed organisms , called tetrapods, than any other living aquatic organism. Understanding lungfish movement will provide us insight into the evolution of tetrapods, like us!

Heather shows Constance some of the digital equipment that will be used to record lungfish movement.

Throughout the fall, Constance will be collecting digital data and recording video of lungfish in Heather’s locomotion experiments. She is particularly excited about the opportunity to contribute to a study that will change the way people have traditionally viewed lungfish. Constance describes science as a way to find things out for yourself, ask questions, and debate evidence.

Constance’s internship is just one example of the opportunities that science in out of school time provides for connecting with students’ natural curiosity. In her words, “All Girls Expedition has altered my view of science. I thought science was studying one simple thing, but now I realize that in science, many things connect.”

Congratulations on your internship, Constance! Thank you Heather for being such a great role model and mentor!

It's so exciting to be in Yellowstone!

Bison, yellow-bellied marmots, grizzlies, elk, and American black bears….just some of the amazing wildlife that the All Girls Expedition team witnessed in America’s first national park – Yellowstone! We just returned from the field and have many exciting stories about our experiences and adventures out West.

Each year, nine middle and high school students are selected from Chicago public schools to join the All Girls Expedition team. Throughout the two-week program, students work with scientists and become experts on the various organisms living within the park.

We're dressed like colorful thermophiles at Grand Prismatic hot spring!

The program began with one week at the University of Chicago where girls worked with graduate students Hilary Christensen, Kristen Jenkins, Charlene McCord, and Christopher Schell to understand the unique geology and ecology of Yellowstone National Park. Professor Melina Hale introduced students to the study of animal behavior, honing their skills of observation and description.  The girls explored Yellowstone’s geology with Dr. D’Arcy Meyer-Dombard of the University of Illinois at Chicago. We are grateful again to Dr. Stanley Gehrt of Ohio State University who joins us every year to discuss the wildlife in our backyards in Chicago, such as urban coyotes.

Kaylor and TyKesha put together a bison spine they found on a hike!

Once in Yellowstone National Park, the students had an opportunity to explore all of the major hydrothermal features: geysers, steam vents (fumaroles), hot springs, mudpots, and the travertine terraces. We worked with park rangers and scientists from Montana State University’s Thermal Biology Institute. This year was full of hiking opportunities! Did you know that 99% of Yellowstone visitors stick to the boardwalk? Well, we are the 1% that consistently went hiking in the backcountry! MacNeil Lyons, an expert guide and photographer of Yellowstone, took us on an amazing hike in a little-explored area of the park. The girls found bones, horns, antlers, and even an unused wolf’s den!

Of course, no one can describe the All Girls Expedition like the students themselves. Here are some of the things that students had to say:

“What Yellowstone means to me is a new experience and adventure. It is my chance to see what wildlife has to offer. And it means to see the natural beauty of the world and to visit many places I have never seen before – to see things out of the ordinary. “ Constance, 12th grade, University of Chicago Charter School – Woodlawn

“When you are an All Girls Expedition team member, it means that you have to make new friends, work together with people you hardly know and stay together until the end. It doesn’t matter what shape, size, or color you are but it is your characteristics that shine, such as leadership, kindness, love, and friendship.” Brianna, 10th grade, Jones College Prep

The All Girls Expedition experience lasts for a lifetime. That’s why we say at Project Exploration, “Once an All Girls Expedition team member, ALWAYS an All Girls Expedition team member!”

Stay tuned for more pictures and stories!

Noelani is the youngest of the girls, explaining to her mom all the fun she plans to have.

Mariama shares a smile with Jameela during the orientation.

With the summer now in full swing, Project Exploration is excited to begin field programs with our students. This month, nine middle and high school young women embark on the All Girls Expedition, a two-week science and leadership program where students work alongside scientists in Chicago and Yellowstone National Park. This year, students will be studying Yellowstone’s unique geology, thermal features (like Old Faithful!), extreme water environments, and wildlife.

The All Girls Expedition kicked-off on Wednesday, July 7 with an orientation for students and their parents. It was a great opportunity for Project Exploration and the All Girls Expedition team members to meet one another and get excited for the program.

To tell us more about the orientation, we have our very own Project Exploration correspondent, Jasmine Fleming. Jasmine is a junior at Dr. Martin Luther King College Preparatory High School and has been participating in Project Exploration programs since middle school. Jasmine has been a team member of the All Girls Expedition twice – once as a team leader! In her words, here is what Jasmine had to say about this year’s All Girls Expedition orientation:

One could tell that the girls were full of anticipation and becoming anxious. Some with faces ready to learn, others that had never even been away from home. But none the-less smiles glowed because they all knew they were ready to try new things. As Jameela asked them to state their names and what they were looking forward to the most, “exploring wildlife” was the most common answer.

Looking forward to things that they wouldn’t normally see in Chicago was exciting to them all. Parents had very few questions knowing their children were in good hands.

And right before orientation ended “It is important to step out of the box in different ways to contribute to the outside world. So it doesn’t matter what grade you’re in, it’s what you bring to the table,” Jameela reminded them all with a grin from ear to ear full of anticipation herself.

The All Girls Expedition class starts on Monday, July 12. Stay tuned for more blog postings about our exploration in Chicago and Yellowstone!

Congratulations to our All Girls Expedition team members on beginning this journey together:

• Tykesha B., 10^th grade, Perspectives Charter School – Calumet High School of Technology
• Brianna B., 10^th grade, John Hope College Prepartory High School
• Mariama J., 10^th grade, Perspectives Charter School – Rodney D. Joslin
• Noelani O., 8^th grade, Telpochcalli Elementary School
• Kaylor O., 9^th grade, Perspectives Charter School – Calumet High School of Technology
• Shamerea R., 12^th grade, University of Chicago Charter School – Woodlawn
• Constance R., 12^th grade, University of Chicago Charter School – Woodlawn
• Kenisha S., 12^th grade, University of Chicago Charter School – Woodlawn
• Genesis V., 12^th grade, Perspectives Charter School – Rodney D. Joslin
  

  Shamerea talks about what she is most excited about.

Dr. Jane Goodall (http://davidkiyokawa.com/blog/?p=6258)

Last Friday, May 7, Dr. Jane Goodall delivered a memorable lecture at the University of Chicago’s Rockefeller Chapel. Dr. Jane (as she is known) is a world-renowned primatologist, conservationist, and United Nations Messenger of Peace. In 1960, she started studying chimpanzees in Tanzania. Over the course of 50 years, she has worked to show how people, the environment, and animals are all interconnected. A large focus of her work has been to develop a youth program called Roots & Shoots.

As Dr. Jane reflected upon her experiences, I thought about the valuable work we do at Project Exploration.

It turns out that Dr. Jane wasn’t the student with the highest grades in school or science. However, she (like all children) had a curious mind full of wonder about the natural earth. What’s under those rocks? Why is the sky blue? Why does that animal behave like that? Dr. Jane wanted to explore and discover the answers to her questions. She spoke about how she patiently hid in a hen house to figure out where eggs come from. It took her five hours and was effectively her first animal observation experiment.

What’s important is that this is the same curiosity that all scientists and students share. It doesn’t matter if you are a Noble Prize winner or a middle school girl in a public school on the South Side of Chicago. We’re all curious. We want to know why. Arguments made about the need to get kids interested in science assume that they never had that curiosity in the first place. That’s not the case. The question is, what happens to that curiosity?

Here’s where Dr. Jane comes in again. When she returned from the hen house after five hours, her mother didn’t scold her for disappearing. Instead, Dr. Jane’s mother validated the experience by asking questions, supporting her, and telling her to search more. When Dr. Jane got older, she decided that she was going to travel to Africa and study animals. The problem was that girls’ didn’t do that type of thing. Everything in culture was telling Dr. Jane to give up on the idea of exploring Africa. But she didn’t. Why? Dr. Jane had her mother, who encouraged her to save up money. In fact, Dr. Jane’s mother joined her for part of the trip! In Africa, Dr. Jane worked with the famous Dr. Louis Leakey who not only encouraged her to study but assigned her the project of observing chimpanzees in Gombe, Tanzania.

This is another important piece of effective science programming in out-of-school time: caring and nurturing adults. Positive relationships with adults can foster engagement and interest in science. At Project Exploration, we believe that learning is based in relationships. Learning is not something that happens in a vacuum, but is connected to the people from whom we learn. This is why we provide opportunities in all of our programs and events for students to interact in meaningful ways with scientists.

Finally, what happens to the students that don’t follow the cookie-cutter path to a career in science? There’s a great deal of emphasis on girls moving through a “pipeline.” On one end, they are self-motivated learners who take advantage of science programs in their communities. On the other end, they come out as research scientists. The reality is that a great deal can  happen in between. More importantly, what if you never entered the pipe? How do you get in? There’s talk about a “leaky pipeline” being a bad thing for our young women. Even if we go with the pipeline metaphor, don’t we want multiple entry points?

Dr. Jane’s experience sheds lights on how we can define a successful path (as opposed to a pipe) towards science. She never went to college to get her bachelor’s degree. Instead, Dr. Jane studied chimpanzees and had to jump straight into a doctorate program in England. Talk about not following the pipeline!

The reality is that there are students who are not academically successful, who don’t have all the resources to attend the best science programs that money can offer, or who have something going on in their lives (Pregnancy? Babysitting siblings? Work?) that takes a higher priority than marching into the pipeline. This is our work at Project Exploration: to provide meaningful science opportunities that are free, staffed by caring adults, built by design to introduce kids to real scientists and, most importantly, that support students to naturally wonder and be curious about the world.

The Sisters4Science of Perspectives Charter School - Rodney D. Joslin

Sisters4Science is not just about learning and experiencing science with professional women scientists – it’s about students sharing their interests, thoughts, and knowledge with their community. It’s about young African American and Latina women being recognized for working together to find out more about their everyday world.

That’s why the Sisters4Science students of Young Women’s Leadership Charter School and Perspectives Charter School – Rodney D. Joslin hosted culminating events called “Reflection of Knowledge” at each of their schools. These annual events are an opportunity for the girls to share their experiences after spending every week with each other and a female scientist in meaningful and interesting ways.

Temia, De'Nye, Morgan, and K'Maja describe the communication skills they gained from the retreat.

On Monday, April 27, Morgan, K’Maja, De’Nye, and Temia of Young Women’s Leadership Charter School presented their favorite sessions to an audience of parents and Project Exploration staff and supporters. Morgan, a future forensic scientist, shared a journal entry she wrote about Lisa Gilbert-Hill, a latent print examiner who has been a role model and inspiration to Morgan through the various sessions that she has facilitated. K’Maja pointed out the interesting things she learned about the universe from Kim Coble, an astrophysicist at Chicago State Univeristy. When Christian Greer, Senior Director of Teaching and Learning at Project Exploration, asked K’Maja to consider where she would like space travel to go, K’Maja responded, “Jupiter!”  Temia (future chemist) and De’Nye (future criminal justice lawyer) described the team-building, trust, and communication skills they gained from the outdoor leadership retreat.

6th grade student Micah shares her experiences from her favorite session - engineering!

The following day, approximately 40 parents, teachers, administrators, and Project Exploration staff joined the Sisters4Science at Perspectives Charter School – Rodney D. Joslin for their Reflection of Knowledge. It was incredibly inspiring to listen to the girls tell their stories about their favorite sessions and most valuable experience through the program. Overall, what the girls enjoyed the most about the program was the opportunity to decide what they wanted to study and to work with professional women scientists. The chance to make Sisters4Science girl-driven clearly gave the young women a sense of ownership of the program.

Thank you to the Sisters4Science students and all the Women in Science members that have worked together in meaningful ways every week. Thank you also to Ms. Cichon at Perspectives Charter School and to Ms. Grimes at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School for helping to manage the program at the school. Project Exploration is grateful for the support of all the parents, teachers, principals, and scientists that support the program.

Rolonda and Nyeelah with their beautiful poster on their favorite session...chemistry!

Our wonderful after-school science and leadership program, Sisters4Science, is winding down for the academic year. After so many great sessions with scientists, the girls have a wealth of knowledge and experience to share with their friends, families, teachers, and community. Last Thursday, April 22, Sisters4Science participated in Reavis’ Showcase for Extended Day Learning. This school-wide event highlights all the amazing programs in which Reavis students participate after-school, such as cooking, writing, martial arts, and of course…Sisters4Science!

April tells her friend about the reptiles that visited S4S this year.

To prepare for the event, the Sisters4Science girls made posters about their favorite session and practiced their public speaking skills. Eighth grader Rolonda had a great idea! She suggested that every group thinks of a question to draw the public into the presentation. For example, 8th grader April and 6th grader Kayla asked guests, “Would you like to know the difference between reptiles and amphibians?” Eighth grader Madison’s question was, “Would you like to know how to make pop from juice and dry ice?”

After presenting their favorite sessions to guests, the Sisters4Science students participated in a school-wide assembly on after-school programs. We were all excited to see Project Exploration’s friend and supporter, Alderman Toni Preckwinkle at the Reavis Showcase!

Ariel explains some differences between birds and bats to a guest.

Thank you to the Sisters4Science at Reavis for a wonderful year. We can’t wait to begin the program again in the Fall!

Nigersaurus welcomes guests to the Dinner with delegate Miguel R. and scientist Sara ElShafie.

On Friday, March 12, Project Exploration celebrated its tenth anniversary at our annual gala, Dinner with a Dinosaur. At the heart of PE are all the students that bring their curiousity about the world and enthusiasm for science to every program. Dinner with a Dinosaur is a celebration of student work. So, at this year’s gala, students from Sisters4Science, Dinosaur Giants, Junior Paleontologist, and the Fossil Lab Internship Program shared their experiences and knowledge with over 450 guests!

Women in Science members, Heather King and Sarah Weyandt, help students and guests at the Dinner.

Junior Paleontologists Genesis, Kayla, and Isaac  helped guests understand comparative anatomy of vertebrates. With all their experience digging for mammoth bones last summer in South Dakota, they were able to help guests identify dog and chicken bones using skeletons as models. It turns out that you can use your chicken dinner to do an anatomy lesson! Women in Science member, Heather King,  discussed the evolutionary relationships between vertebrates, like dogs, fish, rats, and humans. Kayla is a ninth grader at Young Women’s Leadership Charter School, Genesis is tenth grader at Perspectives Charter School – Rodney D. Joslin campus, and JP team leader Isaac is completing his senior year at Pritzker College Prep.

Kayla and Genesis are ready to do some comparative anatomy!

JP Team Leader, Isaac, holds up a coyote mandible for guests.

With Brittany as guide, guests learn the differences between birds and bats.

At the Sisters4Science station, middle school students Brittany and Ariel explained the differences and similarities between birds and bats. Working with evolutionary biologist and Women in Science member Sarah Weyandt, Brittany and Ariel clarified misunderstandings about bats. For example, did you know that bats are not blind?  That a bat’s wing is actually it’s entire arm and stretched out skin? That birds don’t have teeth? To help guests understand our local Illinois bats, Brittany and Ariel passsed out Lake County’s Guide to Bats - a brochure with lots of great information. Brittany is seventh grader at Perspectives Charter School – Calumet Middle School and Ariel is completing eighth grade at Reavis Elementary School in Hyde Park. Ariel was very excited to meet her alderwoman, Toni Preckwinkle of Chicago’s 4th Ward. Thanks for supporting the students, Toni!

Alderwoman Toni Preckwinkle is excited to be at the Dinner with Sisters4Science participant Ariel and PE cofounders, Paul Sereno and Gabrielle Lyon.

The Fossil Lab interns explain the steps of fossil prep to guests.

At a third station, Randy, Bianca, and Jacklyn helped guests understand fossil lab preparation. As summer interns, they worked in Dr. Paul Sereno’s Fossil Lab at the University of Chicago, cleaning and preparing a variety of dinosaur and crocodile fossils. Working with Joe Cottral, a fossil preparator in Dr. Sereno’s lab, the students explained all the steps of fossil work, from locating and jacketing it, to cleaning and preparing it. Bianca helped guests understand the work involved in preparation by providing real fossil fish from the Eocene (55 million years ago) preserved in limestone. It’s really hard work! Randy is a senior at Lane Tech High School and Bianca is a junior at Amundsen. Jacklyn is completing her senior year in Milford.

And of course, no Dinner would be complete without a dinosaur. This year, guests were greeted by a full-sized adult Nigersaurus skeleton. This 110-million year old dinosaur was discovered by Dr. Paul Sereno on an expedition to Niger in 1997. When unveiled by the National Geographic Society in Washington DC two years ago, Project Exploration sent a delegation of teachers and students to take part in the scientific announcement. Miguel, a senior at Amundsen High School, was a member of the renowned delegation. At the Dinner, Miguel shared his experiences on the delegation with guests. Sara ElShafie, a Women in Science member and undergraduate at the University of Chicago, answered questions about the famous dinosaur. You can read all about Nigersaurus and meet all the student delegates here: http://www.nigersaurus.org/nigersaurus/

Miguel shares his experiences as a Nigersaurus delegate with a guest.

It was evening full of teaching and learning. Thank you PE students for broadening our world and sharing your experiences with so many people. Thank you to our scientists for being such positive role models and inspiring our students with the wonders of science. Here’s to ten years of Project Exploration’s work towards changing the face of science!

“One thing I have learned is that I can make new friends by just being myself.” Mianna, 7th grade, Perspectives Charter School - Calumet Middle School

“I’ve learned that helping others is only a different way of helping yourself. I’ve learned kindness can be the key in any situation. If you swallow your pride and let your mind flow in the way of the wind, amazing things can happen.”  K’Maja, Team Leader, 8th grade, Young Women’s Leadership Charter School

“Connection is a skill that I will take back with me and trust, because it’s always good to have someone to trust.” Tamia, 7th grade, Reavis Elementary School

“I have learned that sometimes being a follower and putting forth ideas can help you be a leader.” De’Nye, 8th grade, Young Women’s Leadership Charter School

These are some of the thoughtful reflections of thirteen Sisters4Science students that participated in the annual Outdoor Leadership Retreat on Saturday, February 27 – Sunday, February 28 at JCYS – Camp Henry Horner. These amazing young women are participants of the Sisters4Science program in three schools: Perspectives Charter School – Calumet Middle School, Young Women’s Leadership Charter School, and Reavis Elementary School.

Mianna takes part in a trust fall activity with her team members.

Over the weekend, the girls participated in intensive leadership and team-building activities, specifically focused on developing their communication and trust skills. After each activity, the girls reflected on their experience, shared their thoughts, and welcomed the next challenge.

With their eyes closed and without speaking, the girls had to lower a circular rope into a star. It's much harder than it looks and takes a lot of teamwork!

In addition to the leadership activities, students were joined by Women in Science members Lisa Gilbert-Hill from the Illinois State Police and Sara ElShafie, an undergraduate student at the University of Chicago. Both Lisa and Sara have facilitated numerous Sisters4Science sessions so the girls were thrilled to spend the weekend with them. Lisa engaged the girls in a hands-on forensic science activity in which team leader, K’Maja, played an excellent role as the suspect! Students learned how to identify latent prints through the patterns of whorls, loops, and arches. They also used shoe treadwear analysis to examine and identify our suspect’s shoe print. In the evening, the girls embarked on a night hike through the pine forest under a nearly full moon. Even though the snow was deep, the Sisters4Science students enthusiastically learned about night vision and why winter green mints make “lightning” in their mouths – triboluminscence!

Temia and Sara ElShafie compare a shoe to the treadwear prints held by Lisa Gilbert-Hill.

Congratulations to the following Sisters4Science students for participating in this wonderful science and leadership opportunity!

Perspectives Charter School – Middle School Campus:

• Mianna A., 7th grade
• Brittany C., 7th grade
• Nafatari H., 8th grade
• Nailah H., 7th grade
• Dilyleah H., 8th grade
• Kaylor O., 8th grade
• Megan P., 8th grade

Young Women’s Leadership Charter School:

• K’Maja B., 8th grade
• Morgan H., 8th grade
• Temia H., 7th grade
• De’Nye H., 8th grade

Reavis Elementary School:

• Laurel D., 7th grade
• Tamia W., 7th grade

Power in Numbers: With the combined strength of their single hands, all the Sisters4Science girls lift Morgan.