National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium Inspired Innovation

At Awards Ceremony: Joseph Davide, Viviek Patel, Ashley Szabo-Johnson, Douglas Campbell and Taia McAfee

For over thirty years I have been taking trips for science. (Many thanks to my wife, Dr. Donna Banis for getting me ready for this trip, packing and taking me to and from the airport and encouraging me to go even after surgery - and for all supporting me in all those other trips!) This past week was one of the best. I had the distinct pleasure to be the chaperone for five very bright Mississippi students (pictured above).

At the Wright Brothers original restored bike shop where they first pondered manned flight.

I have a renewed respect for our military - The Army, Air Force, and Navy - sponsored over 250 students and chaperones to the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. They paid for air fair, hotel accomodations, a visit to the Air Force Museum, and for over $170,000 in college scholarships. It is a very wise investment for they hosted some of the brightest young people in the country.

On Thursday there were the poster competitions. Three of the five students from each region got to enter their poster in the Wednesday competition. The winners in each of the eight categories received a $350.00 scholarship. Here are the Mississippi Delegation posters.

The other two delegates got to compete in the oral presentation competition on Friday. First place received $12,000, second place $8.000 and third place $4000.00. Here are the two presenters from the Mississippi delegation.

The most impressive project that I heard was a senior from Maine. He lost one of his kidneys to disease as a child. He decided to do his research on kidneys. After writing and receiving several grants, he grew a kidney from stem cells and transplanted the kidney in a mouse. It functioned properly.  Another student used algae to take harmful phosphates out of lakes and streams. She also competed in the Science Technology and Society competition and won $150.000 in scholarships.

I was talking with parents of an Indian student in the restaurant. After visiting awhile, I asked him a direct questions, "what is up with you Indians?"  Every Indian student I have taught and all the ones I see at the competitions excel. He said it is easy to explain. He promptly drew a bell curve on a sticky note. Then he sliced off the A side at the top 5% end and said these are the Indians who come to the US. If you go to Indian you will see a mix of all the rest like here. We are highly driven and so are our children. I congratulated him on his son's second place win. He said thank you but it was not as good as last year's project when he won first. Arjun has $24,000 in scholarships already as he enters his senior year this fall.

Students I met were talking about a student last year who took 20 AP courses in high school and scored a five on all 20. She is completed her junior year in college this year after testing out of her freshman and sophomore years. And on the stories go.

I am meeting with my top 5% students next week and their parents. I hope to see many of you there. We will  begin the journey for Kosy's place in the scientific research pantheon.

Thanks so much to Michael and Peggy Davide for helping me chaperone!

Colonel Burpo has an undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering from Stanford, a Masters in Chemistry, and a PhD in Biology from MIT.

Some fun pictures along the way:

Only 12 years after Kitty Hawk we already had a guided missile.

1902 Kitty Hawk Flier

Two Fat Men: Unfortunately I have now seen both the Enola Gay in the Smithsonian and the Bockscar at the Air Force Museum

Two friends from Iowa: he runs a dye cast manufacturing company and she is a nursing student. They shook hands with Ted Cruz and really liked that he looked them in the eye.

B-52 - 181 foot wing span.

Travels at Mach 3.5+