Publications > High School Reports > 2007
During the summer of 2007, 14 students from Rochester-area high schools participated in the Laboratory for Laser Energetics' Summer High School Research Program. The goal of this program is to excite a group of high school students about careers in the areas of science and technology by exposing them to research in a state-of the- art environment. Too often, students are exposed to "research" only through classroom laboratories, which have prescribed procedures and predictable results. In LLE's summer program, the students experience many of the trials, tribulations, and rewards of scientific research. By participating in research in a real environment, the students often become more excited about careers in science and technology. In addition, LLE gains from the contributions of the many highly talented students who are attracted to the program.
The students spent most of their time working on their individual research projects with members of LLE's scientific staff. The projects were related to current research activities at LLE and covered a broad range of areas of interest including experimental diagnostic development and analysis, computational modeling of implosion hydrodynamics and electron transport, database development, materials science, computational chemistry, and solid-state switch development. The students, their high schools, their LLE supervisors, and their project titles are listed in the table. Their written reports are collected in this volume.
The students attended weekly seminars on technical topics associated with LLE's research. Topics this year included laser physics, fusion, holographic optics, fiber optics, liquid crystals, error analysis, and global warming. The students also received safety training, learned how to give scientific presentations, and were introduced to LLE's resources, especially the computational facilities.
The program culminated on 29 August with the "High School Student Summer Research Symposium," at which the students presented the results of their research to an audience including parents, teachers, and LLE staff. Each student spoke for approximately ten minutes and answered questions. At the symposium it was announced that Mr. Christian Bieg, a physics teacher at Fairport High School, was the recipient of the 11th annual William D. Ryan Inspirational Teacher Award. This award honors a teacher, nominated by alumni of the LLE program, who has inspired outstanding students in the areas of science, mathematics, and technology. Mr. Bieg was nominated by Rui Wang, a participant in the 2006 Summer Program and a finalist in the 2007 Intel Science Talent Search.
A total of 218 high school students have participated in the program since it began in 1989. The students this year were selected from approximately 50 applicants. Each applicant submitted an essay describing their interests in science and technology, a copy of their transcript, and a letter of recommendation from a science or math teacher.
In the past, several participants of this program have gone on to become semifinalists and finalists in the prestigious, nationwide Intel Science Talent Search. This tradition of success continued this year with the selection of two students (Katherine Manfred and Alan She) as among the 300 semifinalists nationwide in this competition.
LLE plans to continue this program in future years. The program is strictly for students from Rochester-area high schools who have just completed their junior year. Applications are generally mailed out in early February with an application deadline near the end of March. Applications can also be obtained from the LLE website. For more information about the program, please contact Dr. R. Stephen Craxton at LLE.
This program was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Inertial Confinement Fusion under Cooperative Agreement No. DE-FC52-92SF19460.
Comprehensive Report (includes all student papers ) (.pdf, 5.7 MB)
Introduction (.pdf, 25 KB)
High School Students and Projects (Summer 2007) |
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Name |
High School |
Supervisor |
Project Title |
File Size (pdf) |
Joshua Bell |
Churchville-Chili |
W. R. Donaldson |
256 KB |
|
Margaret Connolly |
Mercy |
T. C. Sangster, M. McCluskey, S. Roberts |
361 KB |
|
Juraj Culak |
Brighton |
P. B. Radha |
255 KB |
|
Daniel Fleischer |
Brighton |
R. Boni, P. A. Jaanimagi |
469 KB |
|
Jean Gan |
Pittsford Sutherland |
K. L. Marshall |
618 KB |
|
Roy Hanna |
Williamsville |
K. L. Marshall |
538 KB |
|
Katherine Manfred |
Fairport |
R. S. Craxton |
Polar Direct-Drive Simulations for a Laser-Driven HYLIFE-II Fusion Reactor |
502 KB |
Richard Marron |
Allendale Columbia |
R. Kidder |
113 KB |
|
Alan She |
Pittsford Mendon |
R. S. Craxton |
253 KB |
|
Benjamin Smith |
Webster Schroeder |
L. M. Elasky |
Expansion of Search Capabilities for the Target Fabrication Database |
452 KB |
Alexander Tait |
Allendale Columbia |
W. A. Bittle |
1.1 MB |
|
Ernest Wang |
Pittsford Mendon |
K. L. Marshall |
Computational Modeling of Spectral Properties of Azobenzene Derivatives |
96 KB |
Eric Welch |
Livonia |
J. P. Knauer |
83 KB |
|
Andrew Yang |
Fairport |
R. Epstein |
667 KB |
|
