2017 IMSAloquium Student Investigation Showcase

This is IMSA's 30th year of leading in educational innovation and the 29th year of the Student Inquiry and Research Program (SIR)! Welcome to another year of profound investigation and discovery! In these pages, you will find exciting abstracts on a variety of fantastic studies done by IMSA's great minds. Our students are carrying out studies on topics including Alzheimer's Disease, the Soviet Great Terror, genetic “switches” for cancer, epidemiology, genetics, satellite tracking systems, environmental pollution, entrepreneurship, public opinion, engineering energy, climate change, high energy physics, supersymmetry, market dynamics, water filtration, love, language, machine learning, diabetic pain, black holes, neural networks, and many many more! The subjects reflect our students’ diverse interests and the broad research community that supports them.

These studies have all happened during the past year in a variety of laboratories, real or virtual, on and off campus. Students were asked to not only learn a great deal about complex topics, but to contribute to them in meaningful ways. The presentations you hear today reflect the various stages of their work on a myriad of projects.

This work could not happen without the tireless work of the many Research Mentors in the Student Inquiry and Research program. The mentors, whether they come from IMSA or external institutions, give their time and resources to the cause of aiding our students' growth. Many also involve their research teams in the mentoring and molding of our students. Their efforts directly working with students, as well as supporting the scheduling, negotiation, and execution of the SIR program, are invaluable. We are deeply grateful for their dedication and generosity.

We would also like to express our gratitude to the SIR team, without whom this program could not possibly come together. These professionals are Dr. Vandana Chinwalla, Dr. Sara Goek, Mrs. Asheli Mann-Lofthouse, Ms. Julie Polz, and Mr. Ray Urbanski. This team rolled its sleeves up and dug in to enable our students’ transformational work.

Please join us in learning about and celebrating the fantastic work the students and research teams have done this year!