Additional STEM related studies
9th grade Biology
The Effect of Pesticides on Soil Bacteria:
In the final semster of 9th grade biology, students focused on developing a research hypothesis, deisgning an experiment, and analyzing data from soil collection. Each group was tasked with desinging an experiment to test an environmental threat in the Roland Park backwoods. Our group chose to test the effect of pesticides used on the Roland Park campus on soil bacteria. Click here for formal report.
Diluting soil samples
Measuring Soil Plots
Petrifilm plates used to count bacteria populations
10th grade Chemistry
The Effect of Road Salt on Concrete: click here for formal report
After studying the dissolution process in depth as well as properties of freezing point depression, all students are tasked with researching about the effects of road salts on concrete. Subseuqently, students designed experiments to investigate the cause of corrosion of concrete due to ionic salts such sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and calcium chloride.
Environmental Science Summer Research Experience
The Effect of a Dominant Species on Iron Levels in Soil: Click here for formal report.
The first week of this internship program constituted of heavy data collection
of levels of different elements in the soil at 4 different sites located in the
Roland Park backwoods. After statistical anaylsis of the data, evident outliers
to the average levels of elements were chosen by each group to be studied in
depth. This in-depth study included developing an experiment that would
effectively test the hypothesis for the cause of the heightened or low levels of
these elements. Subsequently, a scientific report was written summarizing the
findings. My group and I focused on the high levels of iron present in soil in
one site of the backwoods and hypothesized that the presence of a dominant
species in that site was the cause of these high levels. Attached is our report.
Below are photos from the data collection and data analysis process.
Collecting the soil that will be checked for iron levels
Cutting leaves from a plant that is directly above soil sample location
Extracting iron from leaves