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Science & Technology Entry Program (STEP) student contest winners

March 8-10, 2013 @ Albany, NY

Suffolk County Community College’s STEP students’ research posters and accompanying oral presentations were well received in two competitions this month. At the 2013 STEP STATEWIDE STUDENT RESEARCH POSTER COMPETITION (March 8-10, Albany, NY), our two student representatives received awards.

Giselle A. Feliciano (10th grade, Brentwood High School) secured 2nd Place, Biological/Life Sciences- Junior Division, for her project, The Effect of Titanium Dioxide Nano-particles on the Regeneration Rate and Motility of PlaneriaDugesia. This research explored the effect of nanoparticles on regenerating organisms which could lead to medical applications such as regenerating body parts and healing wounds.Giselle was mentored by SCCC Professor Vladimir Jurukovski (Biology) along with biology mentors at Stony Brook University. After graduating high school and going to college, Giselle would like to pursue her career goal of becoming a doctor.

John Mele (12th grade, Central Islip High School) secured 3rd Place, Physical Sciences-Senior Division,for his project, Stretching DNA Molecules on a Flexible Substrate Probed by Polarized-Dependent Fluorescence Microscopy. This research focused on the ability to stretch DNA strands by using polymers. Applications of this work could lead to deeper understanding of the genomic sequencing of the human DNA molecular structure.John was mentored by SCCC Professors John Jerome (Mathematics) and Vladimir Jurukovski (Biology), along with materials science mentors at Stony Brook University. John plans to attend Stony Brook University and study biomedical engineering. He hopes to one day become a medical research scientist.

At the Long Island STEM Diversity Summit Student Research Poster Competition (March 19, Farmingdale State College), three of our students received awards.Both Giselle (4th place, high school division)and John (3rd Place, high school division)received awards for the research described above. In addition, Javier Sanchez, an 8th grade student from Brentwood East Middle School, received a 2ndPlace award (middle school division) for his project, Rocket Power. Javier developed his project with the help of another STEP student, Corey Eltime and the guidance of his SCCC STEP mentors. Javier and Corey were interested in studying the shapes of wings and rocket flight.

Student Winners were featured in this Newsday Article: Click Here for more information