Upward Bound Math-Science planning summer research
In a renewal of a long-standing annual tradition, high school students from rural Maine and urban Massachusetts will gather at the University of Maine for six weeks to participate in the Upward Bound Math-Science Program. One highlight of the intensive academic program is a group research project featuring experimental design and research taught in an inquiry-based setting.The program will run from Sunday June 26 through Wednesday Aug. 3.
The 2011 summer research subject is food, nutrition and exercise. Participants will study the foods we eat, examining biochemistry and how food works in the human body. They will also investigate nutrients to learn more about whether typical diets provide sufficient health and energy benefits. By examining their own diets, and those of others in the Upward Bound program, student researchers will develop questions and hypotheses, which they will test by collecting and studying data from food journals kept by program volunteers.
“We will also be working with one of UMaine’s athletic trainers, who will help us take baseline measurements related to flexibility, strength and speed,” says Kelly Ilseman, assistant director of UMaine’s Upward Bound Math-Science Program. “We will learn which training methods are most effective in improving performance.”
Each individual and group will set goals and design experiments to test their hypotheses related to flexibility, strength and speed, Ilseman says. A variety of options will be available to each group as they work to improve performance. Examples will include running, swimming, weight training and yoga.
“The students will learn about ways to improve – simple things that can be done at home or in a residence hall room,” she says. “As we consider what we eat and how we use our bodies, we will also discuss the journey from farm to plate and the environmental impact of our food choices.”
Jason Munster, former Upward Bound Math-Science student and staff member who is currently a Harvard doctoral student studying global climate change, will provide unique insights on the relationship between food and the environment, as it relates to climate change.
Other experts who will speak during the program include Dr. Clifford Rosen, a UMaine graduate who serves as director of the Center for Clinical and Translational Research at Maine Medical Center Research Institute. He will also introduce a summer internship program available for Upward Bound alums (undergraduate college students) majoring in biomedical science-related fields.
Dr. Rosen and Munster will provide their talks during a session scheduled for 8-11:30 a.m. Friday July 8.
UMaine Professor Emeritus Katherine Musgrave, who still teaches UMaine classes at 90 years of age, will share the story of her personal and professional journey on Monday July 11, 9:15-10:15 a.m.
Locations for these forums have not yet been determined.
Upward Bound (from the Dept. of Education Web site)
Upward Bound provides fundamental support to participants in their preparation for college entrance. The program provides opportunities for participants to succeed in their precollege performance and ultimately in their higher education pursuits. Upward Bound serves: high school students from low-income families; and high school students from families in which neither parent holds a bachelor’s degree. The goal of Upward Bound is to increase the rate at which participants complete secondary education and enroll in and graduate from institutions of postsecondary education
May 20, 2011
Contact: Kelly Ilseman
(207) 581-3720