Hard Science Abstracts

“Biogeography of Chemical Defense in Birch Trees”

Sarah Brown and Michael Stevens (Mentor), Botany

The Latitudinal Defense Hypothesis predicts that levels of defense are highest near the equator and decrease toward the poles.  This hypothesis is based mainly on insect herbivory that occurs during the summer.  Mammilian herbivory in the winter is a more likely driver of plant defense levels in northern latitudes.  Early successional trees such as birches are favored by fire and provide an important food source for mammals like snowshoe hares.  In order to test the Latitudinal Defense Hypothesis, we collected birch seeds from eight locations in northwestern Canada and grew seedlings in a common garden.  We assessed levels of defense by counting resin glands because resin glands are negatively correlated with snowshoe hare preference. This research will provide valuable information regarding the biogeography of defense and address the role of fire in plant-mammal interactions on a continental scale.

“Understanding Cell-Mediated Immune Responses Against Simian Immunodeficiency Virus (SIV)"

Sean Spenser and John Loffredo, David Watkins (Mentors), Primate Research Center

Each day 14,000 people become infected with HIV/AIDS, making the development of an effective vaccine one of the world’s top public health priorities.  David Watkins’ laboratory is attempting to develop HIV vaccines that elicit cellular immune responses utilizing the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) – infected rhesus macaque animal model.  A major component of the cell-mediated immune response are cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTL).  It is thought that CTL play an important role in controlling HIV and SIV.  Most standard immunological assays do not measure antiviral activity directly, limiting our understanding of CTL effectiveness. To address this, the Watkins laboratory developed a novel neutralization assay that quantifies the ability of virus-specific CTL populations to control viral growth. Evaluating the antiviral activity of CTL of different specificities will identify those CTL most effective against SIV.  This information will likely impact the design of future HIV vaccines. 

“The Genetics of Bone Strength in Mice”

Jonathan Vu and Robert Blank (Mentor), Endocrinology

The purpose of this study is to identify relationships between the physical and genetic characteristics of bones in mice.  The physical characteristics include size, density, and the force required to break the bone, while the genetic ones are the genes of the marker loci associated with the genes that affect these qualities. This study uses strains of mice with reduced genetic variation.  The two strains of mice that are the most phenotypically extreme, meaning those with the strongest and weakest bones, are crossed.  The F2 generation from that cross is then analyzed. The results of this analysis can be used to find which genotypes correlate with specific bone properties like size, density, and failure load.  The anticipated outcome of this lab is the identification of the genotypes that affect bone strength in mice. The findings may be useful in treating medical conditions that are related to bone strength. 

Sample Abstract

 

Advertisers are always touting more powerful and longer lasting batteries, but which batteries really do last longer, and is battery life impacted by the speed of the current drain? This project looks at which AA battery maintains its voltage for the longest period of time in low, medium, and high current drain devices. The batteries were tested in a CD player (low drain device), a flashlight (medium drain device), and a camera flash (high drain device) by measuring the battery voltage (dependent variable) at different time intervals (independent variable) for each of the battery types in each of the devices. My hypothesis was that Energizer would last the longest in all of the devices tested. The experimental results supported my hypothesis by showing that the Energizer performs with increasing superiority, the higher the current drain of the device. The experiment also showed that the heavy-duty non-alkaline batteries do not maintain their voltage as long as either alkaline battery at any level of current drain.

 

Science Fair Display Board
Rubric
1. Title: The title is phrased as a question. (5 points)
2. Problem Statement: State the problem that you will be researching.(5 points)
3. Introduction: Three paragraphs explaining your topic and should include research information (make sure it is properly cited). (20 points)
4. Hypothesis: One or two sentences that states what you are going to study. May be written as an if….then….statement. (5 points)  Identify the independent and dependent variables
5. Materials: All materials that you used for the experiment, including amounts. For example: (1/2 cup) (5 points)
6. Procedure: Tell what you did sequentially (step by step) be very specific. Remember, a good science experiment should be written so some else can conduct it the same way you did and get the same results. (10 points)
7. Data: graphs, pictures, charts, surveys, drawings, etc. (no faces in the photos please…) (5 points)
8. Analysis: Did your results prove or disprove your hypothesis? Any errors occur to affect your results?(15 points)
9. Conclusion: A summary of the experiment along with an analysis of the results or your experiment. Application/recommendations: How can your project benefit others? How can your project be applied to a real life situation. (15 points)
10. Difficulty/Creativity: The project should be appropriate for the grade level and a challenge for the student. The project is testable, with results that can be measured, counted, or recorded through charts, graphs, and photographs. (10 points)
11. References (5 points)
Total = 100 points

To be shared via Google docs to [email protected] - No other form will be accepted - No word docs and can not share in view only.
An abstract is an abbreviated version of your science fair project final report. For most science fairs it is limited to 250 words. The science fair project abstract appears at the beginning of the report as well as on your display board.
Almost all scientists and engineers agree that an abstract should have the following five pieces:
Introduction. (25 pts) This is where you describe the purpose for doing your science fair project or invention. Why should anyone care about the work you did? You have to tell them why. Did you explain something that should cause people to change the way they go about their daily business? If you made an invention or developed a new procedure how is it better, faster, or cheaper than what is already out there? Motivate the reader to finish the abstract and read the entire paper or display board.
Problem Statement.(5 pts) Identify the problem you solved or the hypothesis you investigated.
Procedures. (10pts) What was your approach for investigating the problem? Don't go into detail about materials unless they were critical to your success. Do describe the most important variables if you have room.
Things to Avoid
Avoid jargon or any technical terms that most readers won't understand.
Avoid abbreviations or acronyms that are not commonly understood unless you describe what they mean.
Abstracts do not have a bibliography or citations.
Abstracts do not contain tables or graphs.