Students
Students, welcome to the FSI website! As this website continues to evolove and the summer programs begin, we hope to offer resources and forums for you, and much more! For now, please have a look at past events and projects.
View the 2009 Student Projects!
Institute Schedule (2009)
Summer classes were held approximately three days per week from 8:00am to 12:00pm. This time was used for classroom lectures, activities, and discussions, laboratory and fieldwork, and guest speakers. Class size was approximately 12 students. Research was conduced throughout the rest of the afternoon. Daily and weekend trips to mountainous and prairie environments, scientific laboratories, and industries were also available two days per week.
Organization of Study
The Frontiers of Science Institute curriculum consists of a series of daily blocks involving either single disciplinary or team interdisciplinary teaching, depending on the science topics being taught. Class blocks normally involve combinations of discussions and hands-on laboratories. On-campus blocks and laboratories are integrated with fieldwork and visits to industrial, government, or institutional research and production facilities along the Colorado Front Range.
Science Component I
Neuroanatomy—The Secret Life of the Brain: The human brain is one of the most complex organs in our body. Most people, though, do not have a clue as to how the brain really works. Well, in this course, you will find out! You will learn the general anatomy and physiology of the human brain. We will discuss the sensory, motor, and integrative aspects of the human brain and explore what happens to these systems when the brain is damaged by disease, stroke, or blunt trauma. This class will be interactive and you will use critical thinking and experiential learning to better understand topics covered in the classroom. At the end of this class, you will have a broad depth of understanding about the human brain and how it functions. However, one of the most important goals, of this class, is to impress upon you that this stuff is
unbelievably cool!
What are your biomedical science interests? The last topic of the session will be voted on and picked by the class. This will be an interactive class that will allow you to discover the biomedical field, and hopefully prompt you to ascertain and foster your individual interests.
Science Component II
Reporting Research—PowerPoint Development, Presentation Skills and Scientific Poster Design: Students are required to take some sort of writing and speech class before graduating high school, but these classes do not teach the basics of reporting scientific research. This course will give FSI students experience with the correct format of a scientific paper, creating and presenting a scientific PowerPoint presentation, as well as designing a poster and website to best display their research results. Deadlines are set throughout the summer to provide the students constructive comments on their work through each step. The goal is to prepare students to effectively communicate their research, in a clear and concise manner, to professionals and peers.
Guest Educators: Laura Marschke & Eileen Duncan whorecently received Master’s degrees in Earth Sciences from UNCwill present an Earth Science workshop; Gwyneth Holston received a Master of Science, Engineering Systems degree from the Colorado School of Mines and taught at FSI in 2005. She is returning to teach a one-day workshop on an Engineering topic of her choice. Myles Crane & FSI student Tawney Bleak will present a CoreData™ Workshop, where FSI participants will learn about the circulatory and musculo-skeletal systems by utilizing Maniken® Pro human skeleton models. Stewart Crawford of Biographix Media will present a two-day workshop teaching students how to build a website using DreamWeaver™ software. He will assist each student with building their own website to display the results of their 6-week research projects. Nissa Schmidt, an FSI alumnus, and UNC Biochemistry major will present a four-day Reporting Research Workshop.
Science Component III
Keepin’ It Green: This course covers two general concept areas that include ecology and human impacts on the environment. The first concept area covers basic ecology, food webs, and ecosystem function. The highlights of this first section will involve various hands-on field ecology experiments in the field. The first unit will then provide the base of understanding for the second concept area. The second concept area will cover human population and the environment, waste and consumption, and energy use. The highlight of this section will be each student figuring out their own ecological ‘footprint’ and learning how on an individual basis people can become ‘green’ and how as a society we can become ‘green’. The overall goal of the course is for students to learn ecologically why it is important for humanity to learn how to live within the limits of our environment (Planet Earth) and what are the consequences if we are not able to live within those limits.
Science Component IV
Designed for FUNction: Many great inventions come from a simple desire to solve a problem. This course will explore the methods of problem solving and design in the areas of physics and engineering. By utilizing the laws of nature we will discover the fun in design. A variety of topics will be covered, including: ballistics, acoustics, optics, hydrodynamics and other ‘ics. Students will be given the materials, information and direction to produce the desired result, but given the freedom to create their own path to victory, by looking forward on the shoulders of giants. The study of design in an array of fields will enhance the ones ability to observe and diagnose problems in every arena of life.
Residential Life Component
Beyond the Frontiers of Science: Finally summer is coming, and coming with it is the Frontier’s of Science Institute. You may be asking yourself, “Why in the world am I thinking of spending my summer break doing more studying?!” Sure, this camp is an Institute of Science with classes to attend, research to be explored, and papers to be written, but don’t be fooled into thinking it’s going to be the bane of your summer existence! Any strain from the workload will be offset with activities outside of the classroom. Many evenings will be spent at the on-campus recreation center playing basketball, racquetball, volleyball, swimming, or even rock climbing. Belford Hall’s basement has a ping-pong table and just down the block there is a field, perfect for a game of ultimate Frisbee. If the paddle or disk aren’t your forte, nights can be spent playing cards, watching movies, or maybe just hanging out with your fellow scholars discussing life’s most interesting questions.
Research Experience
All students will conduct scientific research projects where they will design an experiment, collect data, analyze the data, write a scientific paper, prepare a poster for display, develop a PowerPoint presentation, and design a website. Some students will work directly with their advisor, while others will work with faculty mentors. Students will formally present their findings to peers, staff, & research mentors; projects will also be displayed for sponsors, family, & the public at the 50th Anniversary Open House on July 24th.
Students are required to take some sort of writing and speech class before graduating high school, however, these classes do not teach the basics of reporting scientific research. During your FSI research experience, you will learn the correct format of a scientific paper, creating and presenting a scientific PowerPoint presentation, as well as designing a poster and website to best display your research results. Deadlines are set throughout the summer to provide you constructive comments on your work through each phase. The goal is to provide you with the skills to effectively and professionally communicate your research results.
Think-Tank Seminars & Field Trips
Every effort is made to expose FSI students to scientific researchers, professors of science on the UNC campus, and experts at nearby universities and industries. These experts from the industrial and scientific community, many of whom also sponsor the program, will conduct think-tank seminars in many science areas. Such interactions will allow elucidation of current research projects, demonstrate how scientists think and work, and provide first-hand insight into scientific careers. Seminars will often be on topics concerning the relationship of scientific knowledge and research to social problems and philosophical questions. In addition, field trips to sites of scientific interest, helps participants with real-world science application.
Lori Ball