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The Junior Academy: Advancing Aspiring Changemakers

Rising young stars in science are celebrated for their innovative ideas in artificial intelligence and sustainability applications.

By Kaitlin Green, Senior Program Manager, Education

Published July 11, 2024

The New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy celebrated the hard work and dedication of students from the 2023-24 academic year on June 27th, 2024, during the annual Virtual Student Symposia.

More than 80 students, mentors, coaches, sponsors and partners, in 29 countries, were invited to celebrate a successful year of innovation. Meghan Groome, PhD, Senior Vice President of Education at the Academy, opened the proceedings with an inspiring address.

Meghan Groome, PhD, Senior Vice President of Education at The New York Academy of Sciences, presents during the live streamed Virtual Student Symposia on June 27, 2024. Photo by Nick Fetty.

“The Junior Academy was formed to provide a pathway for students and scientist mentors to begin a journey together – to do research together. As you give your first scientific talks today at The Academy, know that we’re so proud of your game changing research.” she said, reflecting on its history.

The strong bond between working scientists and students provides insights into the real-world scientific workplace to ensure a future pipeline of qualified STEM professionals.

“Science is about working together – working across differences, and we know that diversity drives innovation,” Dr. Groome concluded.

The Junior Academy proudly embodies that scientific diversity and creativity, which is evidenced by the creative solutions proposed by this year’s winners. The projects were judged on their overall presentation quality, scientific quality, innovation and design thinking, sustainability, potential, and collaboration.

The Winning Ideas

In order to hone their presentation skills, winning teams work with a communication coach to shape their presentations into five-minute informational speeches. As a result, the students delivered succinct team research project summaries.

Team: AI4Access: Redefining Accessible Classrooms

In the Cognitive Classrooms Challenge students were asked to consider potential applications of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality/augmented reality (VR/AR) towards creating a more inclusive, equitable, and efficient classroom environment. The six person AI4Access team from Qatar, India and the United States developed a tool that not only enriched the students’ education towards achieving an individualized learning experience, but also improved the workload and efficiency of the educator in maintaining a harmonious and well-managed environment where everyone can thrive. Mentor: Aryan C.

Team: Destination: Green

In the Green Homes, Green Schools, Green Communities Challenge, students were given the opportunity to think critically about environmental challenges that impact their lives and what they could do to improve those challenges. As a result, the six person Green team from Poland, Slovakia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Tunisia designed a solution to enhance access and education to sustainable farming practices. Their solution can be applied both to large-scale and at-home farming practices, making it an excellent solution to improve environmental problems at all levels of a community. Mentor: Adeola A.

Team: MINnovators

Students were tasked with designing an innovative approach to secure the supply of critical minerals in the transition to a fossil-free society in the Minerals of Technology Challenge. The six person MINnovators team from India and the United States researched the feasibility of using asteroid mining to reduce carbon emissions. Their solution has the potential to support a more environmentally sustainable ecosystem when compared to conventional mining practices. Mentor: Ilayda G.

Team: VisionXcelerate

In the spring Wearables Challenge, students were required to design or employ a wearable technology, or network of wearables, that can be utilized to address either public health issues surrounding non-communicable diseases or natural or manmade disaster response. The six person VisionXcelerate team from the United States and India focused on helping individuals with dementia by developing a pair of smart glasses integrated with AI and AR technologies to assist with daily tasks such as medication reminders and person recognition, along with fall detection systems and GPS tracking to assist caretakers.

The VisionXcelerate team during their presentation.

Team: EcoFashion

Students in the Circular Textiles challenge were tasked with choosing one aspect of the “take-make-waste” textile supply chain, and to design an innovative adaptation to fit the circular textile model. The six person EcoFashion team from India, Colombia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and the United States developed an innovative approach to the Circular Textile model by developing a synthetic cellulose fiber using agricultural waste, sustainable color dye methods, and an app to educate users on sustainable fashion practices. Mentor: Xanthhi C.

Each team presentation was followed up by an audience Q&A.

The Immeasurable Impact of Mentors

What sets the Junior Academy apart from similar STEM education programs are the international professionals, graduate students, PhD candidates, and postdocs who understand the importance of mentorship and offer their time and expertise to the program. This year’s event included two distinguished mentors: Tomaz Maria Suller and Katherine Wert, PhD.

Tomaz joined the Junior Academy as a secondary student in 2018, participating in many challenges on the online platform Launchpad. He earned his bachelor’s in computer engineering at Poli-USP in Brazil and is currently pursuing a master’s in computer science and engineering at Politecnico di Milano in Italy. He became a Junior Academy mentor in the winter of 2023, advising five teams in four challenges. One of his teams, ZynoFiber, was recognized as a finalist in the Spring 2024 Circular Textiles challenge.

“Why are we here today?” Tomaz asked, reflecting on his time as both a Junior Academy student and now as a mentor. “We want to create a community of engineers, scientists, and innovators who will shape our future – and shape our present.”

Dr. Katherine Wert discovered the impactful mentoring opportunities at the Academy in 2012 during her time as a PhD student at Columbia University. She joined the Junior Academy in 2016 as one of the first cohorts of mentors onto Launchpad and has since mentored over 25 teams.

“I love that this program works hard to include anyone who has a true motivation toward STEM and does not simply focus on their global location or what resources they’ve had available to them,” Dr. Wert said.

Dr. Wert ended her address by advising both students and mentors to take advantage of the Junior Academy community, emphasizing the importance of communication and networking.

“You never know when someone’s crazy idea will mesh with others. The most successful teams I’ve worked with let everyone’s voices be heard – even the most out-of-the-box ideas. You are part of a very special and unique community of passionate STEM professionals and peers,” she said.

Looking Forward

As the 2023-24 academic year ends, Dr. Groome and the Education Team expressed their pride in this incredible community of innovators. They recognize that support for these programs is made possible because of the Academy’s generous partners and sponsors. These supporters’ belief in our mission of “science for the public good” ensures the Junior Academy opportunity is free for all students.

“To our mentors, your support, volunteerism, and deep understanding of the importance of STEM role models in our global community is unmatched. Thank you,” said Dr. Groome. “The Junior Academy students never cease to amaze us with their creativity, innovation, and willingness to connect with peers from around the world. Together, we create a truly special and welcoming environment. Cheers to a fantastic year.”

Appy Bhattacharya

PhD Scientist
NYU Tandon School of Engineering 

Some of the highlights of my membership in NYAS are being selected for Science Alliance Leadership fellowship, participating in Scientist-in-Residence to mentor middle schoolers and getting them excited about a career in science, and also gaining valuable mentorship through their mentor-mentee pairing program. It’s been an incredible experience!

Amanda Obidike

Executive Director
STEM Makers of Africa 

The New York Academy of Sciences has provided a platform to engage younger voices who view science as a solution to the world’s challenges. It has been an opportunity to leverage on solid networks, collaborate, and demonstrate leadership through Science and Technology.  The Academy has built my belief in the capacity of mentorship.

Faria Khan

Postdoctoral Fellow
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health  

I joined as a mentor in 2018 when I was a PhD student. I took part in academy’s mentoring programs, interacted with young students who wanted to learn more about STEM and in turn benefited by learning how to be a good mentor to young students.

From The Lab To The Classroom

A high school teacher poses for the camera inside her science lab classroom.

Inspired by her father’s appreciation for education and giving back, Chuhyon Corwin became a high school science teacher.

Published February 17, 2023

Neuroscience researcher and EnCorps Fellow, Chuhyon Corwin, traded her research lab for the classroom in a New York City public high school where she works as a science teacher.

Thanks to a partnership between The New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS) and the EnCorps STEM Teachers Program, Korean-born Corwin, an accomplished scientist, was able to explore her interest in teaching high school. For 10 weeks, with support from program staff, she was a volunteer guest teacher in the classroom of a skilled high school science teacher while, in parallel, exploring pedagogical techniques through the program’s online learning modules.

The EnCorps Program

Launched in 2007, EnCorps has already helped over 1,360 seasoned STEM professionals transition from industry or academia to public middle or high school education to ease the acute shortage of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teachers across the United States.

NYAS teamed up with EnCorps to launch the program in New York City in 2022. Corwin was part of the first cohort of New York EnCorps Fellows who had an opportunity to explore becoming a STEM teacher before committing to a career change.

“During my 10-week guest teaching, I fell in love with the students,” explains Corwin. “The joy I experienced gave me the confidence that I was making the right decision in becoming a high school teacher as a long-term career choice.”

Although Corwin had taught university students, she found the work very different in high school. Teachers have to actively engage with their students and ensure they are paying attention. They also have to make sure that students who struggle get the assistance they need to prevent them from falling behind.

Effectively Engaging Students

Maintaining discipline among 30 teenagers and keeping them interested requires a great deal of creativity as well as solid classroom management methods.

“With lab activities, you have to be conscious of their safety and make sure they have enough materials,” says Corwin. “The class itself is short, only 43 minutes, so it has to run like clockwork.”.

While teaching STEM to high schoolers requires dedication and hard work, Corwin finds nurturing young people’s innate curiosity hugely rewarding. She has witnessed the amazement that lights up her students’ faces when their lab experiments succeed. Her own enthusiasm for science and discovery has never abated and she appreciates the opportunity to transmit her passion to the next generation.

“I hadn’t realized how much I would enjoy talking with these students. They come up with good questions,” says Corwin. “At that age, students are so frank. They let you know exactly what they think and I love that.”

After completing her volunteer guest teaching experience with the EnCorps program, with the support and guidance from EnCorps and NYAS, Corwin enrolled in an accelerated program to gain her teaching credentials.

She doesn’t see her move to teaching as a major break in her life.

“I’m simply redirecting my energy to continue my journey as a scientist to make a greater impact by raising more capable future scientists,” she says. “I think a teaching career is very appealing to people who love research. As a scientist, you explore different options, you try things out and reflect to find out what works best.”

Using science fiction novels to engage students with STEM subjects is one of the innovative approaches Corwin discovered while studying for her educational degree.

Inspired by her Father

Corwin sees her father in the students she teaches. While he never had the opportunity to finish high school, he greatly valued education and encouraged her to pursue her studies. He also instilled in her the importance of giving back.

“Hopefully, people who have been in the STEM industry will see the value of giving back,” Corwin says.

Today, Corwin is a science teacher at the High School for Health Professions & Human Services in Manhattan, where she completed her guest teaching as an EnCorps Fellow. Corwin recommends the EnCorps STEM Teachers Program to scientists exploring entering the teaching profession.

“They should try it. Even if in the end you decide not to become a teacher, it’s a valuable experience.”

Learn more about the Academy’s School & Community Programs.

#IAmNYAS: Jacqualyn Jade Schulman

Meet an Academy Member and mentor who believes that, through science, anything is possible.

Jacqualyn with her Mentee

Jacqualyn Jade Schulman is a scientist of many talents. As a Graduate Assistant working in Dr. Richard Wojcikiewicz’s lab within the Pharmacology department at SUNY Upstate Medical University, she conducts research that might one day lead to vital therapies for cancer. As a mentor, she volunteers her time to participate in multiple programs of the Academy’s Global STEM Alliance. And when she’s out of the lab, you might find Jacqualyn bowling strikes at her local bowling alley.

What has been one of the most rewarding moments of your scientific career?

I have just been selected to give a presentation at a conference at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories in August 2017. I am so honored, excited, and nervous at the same time!

What are you currently working on in the lab?

There is a family of proteins that work together to either promote or protect against cell death. I am studying a specific protein in this family named BOK, and the field currently does not know if Bok’s role is to promote cell death or to protect against it. Our lab discovered that Bok binds to a calcium channel that sits in the endoplasmic reticulum. I am working on understanding what Bok’s role is in cell death and how binding to this calcium channel affects its function. If we understand how this family of proteins work we can figure out how to either promote or protect against cell death, which could be vital therapies for diseases such as cancer.

At the Global STEM Alliance Summit

My personal definition of science is…

Constantly questioning everything, remembering that anything is possible, and accepting that negative data is a positive thing.

When you’re out of the lab, what are some of your hobbies?

My biggest hobby is bowling! I have been bowling in leagues since I was 5 years old and was able to bowl competitively in college and travel to tournaments. I haven’t bowled a 300 yet, but my high game is a 289!

What drew you to become a mentor in the 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures and Next Scholars programs?

I chose to get involved because I did not have any mentors in the STEM field while I was in high school. When I heard about 1000 Girls, 1000 Futures, one of the first things I thought was that I wished I had this while I was in high school. I wanted to be the mentor that I wished I had. These girls just amaze me with everything they are doing while in high school. It’s inspiring to see girls in high school so involved in their communities and gaining work experience in STEM fields. It is such a rewarding experience to know I played a role, even if it is just a small one, in helping them determine which college to attend or which major to study.

Why do you think it is critical to mentor girls and women in STEM?

We are still struggling with a gender gap. When I took a computer science course in college, I was the only woman in a class of about 50 students. Each field of STEM has such a plethora of jobs within it and I want to make sure these young women know about all the opportunities that are out there. When I turn my laptop on, the log-in screen always displays a different image with some facts. Recently, the background image was a landscape with stars and it included the fact that only 6.7% of women graduate with STEM degrees. I want to have a part in increasing that percentage.

Peruse our mentorship opportunities, and sign up today!