Future Science Leaders (FSL) is a Science World teen program that inspires and challenges passionate students to excel in science and technology. In weekly meetings, students learn essential skills, meet top experts and innovators and apply their new knowledge and skills. Students gain experience with a range of relevent tools, such as 3D printing, soldering, circuitry, computer coding, carpentry, data analysis, report writing and much more.
At the beginning of year 2, our students will have learned the skills they would need to develop a project of their own. Here is a quick look at what our researchers and engineers have been up to with their original projects.
Canine microbiomes by Woo Joo Kwon
The microbiome of the human body is a topic that is rising in the research world. It is known that each body is unique and changes with the environment we live in, the food we eat, and who and what we live with. The goal of my project is to study the difference between the microbiome of dogs that stay mostly indoors versus that of dogs that spend most of their time outdoors.
Antibiotic resistance by Julia Handra
Antibiotic resistance is becoming a global threat. As the over usage of antibiotics continues, we are gradually isolating strains of bacteria that have built resistance to the medication, allowing them to grow invincible. As an alternative, I am looking at the effect of a combined treatment of Tetracycline (an antibiotic) and Phages (viruses that specifically attack bacteria) on E. Coli.
Brainwaves and neurofeedback by Hebah Hussaina
Electroencephalograms, commonly known as EEGs, are used for measuring the electrical activity in the neuron, called brainwave patterns. EEGs have now become easily available and cheap. They are commonly used in many parts of the world to try to improve one’s conscious state through training with the brain. Companies are capitalizing on the idea that, through repetitive exercises, one can be taught to have control over their brain. Yet, some still remain skeptical, especially when the companies claim neurofeedback as a “short-cut to elation and enlightenment.” My project looks at the reliability of data from the NeuroSky's Mindwave headset.
Vasoconstrictors and pharmacology by Ryan Chan
My project is in collaboration with a spinal cord research centre and compares the effects of two blood vessel constricting drugs currently used in a clinical setting: norepinephrine (NE) and phenylephrine (PE) following a spinal cord injury. I will be looking at the the microscopic anatomy of the injured spinal cords of Yucatan minipigs. I found that on average the damaged cords respond better to treatment using NE. This knowledge may be useful to clinicians, when treating acute spinal cord injury.
Carbon filters for automobiles and other vehicles by Devansh Babla
Cars are one of the biggest contributors to air pollution globally due to their greenhouse gas emissions. The car carbon filter aims to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles and can be easily attached to the exhaust pipe of most cars. The carbon dioxide from the exhaust reacts with the potassium hydroxide in the filter to produce water and potassium carbonate. These products can be later processed and used for a variety of purposes such as fire extinguishers. Using basic materials commonly found in households makes this a simple yet impactful project. The device can eliminate a large portion of the emitted carbon dioxide can in turn reduce air pollution in cities.
Cold weather running mask by Ayush Bansal
Cold air can be a deterrent for physical activity, especially running in wintertime. While this cold air has no long term side-affect or damage to one's lungs, it feels constricting and painful, dealing asthma like affects, due to the constriction of airways. Currently most "masks" that attempt to solve this problem rely on trapping humidity that one exhales. This leaves the user feeling uncomfortable and stuffy. My solution to this is to create an active heating mask/respirator that will cycle and heat air regularly. My project increases performance for runners in the cold, and makes being outside more comfortable.
Heat transfer by Christine Park
My project looked at modes of heat transfer including radiation and convection to determine which makes you warmer. In order to assess these modes of heat transfer, I compared air circulation heating and under-floor heating/radiant heating at the same temperature over a period of time to see which would make you warmer.
Sleep pattern alarm clock by Maggie Ding
In the past, people were awakened by the rising sun and not a blaring alarm. I want to recreate something that can do the same. The alarm I am building will sense your movements in your sleep and wake you up during the lightest phase of the sleep cycle where you move the most.
Does this sound like just the thing for you or a high school student you know? Future Science Leaders applications are open for next fall. Apply now until May 20, 2016!