Fifteen High School Teens Present Physics Research

Local Mathematics Teacher Also Honored with Inspirational Teacher Award

Fifteen students from area high schools will present the results of their physics research at the 2008 Summer High School Student Research Symposium, on Aug. 27. The symposium concludes the Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) Summer High School Research Program, where students spend eight weeks working on individual research projects supervised by LLE\'s scientific staff.

This represents the twentieth year of LLE\'s summer program, which provides a unique opportunity for highly motivated students to work in a modern research environment under realistic conditions. The students, selected from approximately fifty applicants, are:

Jay Amin (Rush-Henrietta)
Christopher Baldwin (Honeoye Falls-Lima)
Husain Bawany (Brighton)
Krysta Boccuzzi (Mercy)
David Brummond (Honeoye Falls-Lima)
Nicholas Hensel (Fairport)
Rachel Kurchin (Harley School)
Alexis Kurmis (Greece Arcadia)
Mangala Patil (Pittsford-Mendon)
Angela Ryck (Fairport)
Collin Sowinski (Penfield)
Jack Stokes (Fairport)
James Tsay (Phillips Academy/Brighton)
Brian Wang (Webster Thomas)
Bradley Wideman (Fairport)

In addition, Jane M. Bowdler, a calculus and pre-calculus teacher at Brockport High School, will receive the LLE\'s 2008 William D. Ryan Inspirational Teacher Award at the symposium. This award is made to a teacher who motivated one of the participants in LLE\'s Summer High School Research Program to study in the areas of science, mathematics, or technology. Bowdler was nominated by Priyamvada Rajasethupathy, a participant in the 2000 program. The award includes a $1000 prize.

LLE is a major multidisciplinary teaching and research unit of the University, and is the only laser facility of its kind at any American college or university. The primary research focus at LLE is the area of laser-driven fusion. The Laboratory\'s principal research tool is Omega, currently the world\'s most powerful fusion laser. In addition to LLE scientists, many scientists from U.S. national laboratories carry out experiments on Omega. The Laboratory has recently completed construction of Omega EP, a new, ultra-powerful laser with unique capabilities.

To learn more about the program and to obtain directions to the symposium, contact Jean Steve at (585) 275-5286 or Stephen Craxton at (585) 275-5467.