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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
This Code of Conduct (this “Code”) applies to your participation in our Launchpad programs.
Digital citizenship is a critical component of the Programs. Our Services are continuously monitored to promote internet safety and security.
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Communication. Mentors and students will not use offensive language or transmit offensive images to other students or mentors.
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Mentor-Student Personal Relationships. Mentors and students are strictly prohibited from establishing and engaging any form of personal relationships other than a relationship that is appropriate and strictly within the mentor-student context, either at or outside Academy/GSA sponsored group events.
Reporting Your Concerns
We strongly encourage mentors and students to report violations of this Code via the concern form. Download documents below:
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The New York Academy of Sciences and the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology are teaming up to advance science and innovation on a global scale.
Published March 12, 2024
By Nick Fetty
Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences, shakes hands with Zhiqiang Han, Executive Vice President of the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology, after signing a memorandum of understanding for a new collaboration between the two institutions.
Science diplomacy took a significant step forward recently, when Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO, The New York Academy of Sciences met with representatives from the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology (SAST) in Shanghai, to discuss hosting international science and technology forums. The resulting agreement codified a partnership dedicated to advancing long-term collaborations between the two institutions, as well as collaboration on youth scientific and technological education and innovations.
“Global issues require global solutions,” said Dirks. “This new partnership will be an excellent way for us to strengthen the relationship with our partners in Shanghai and other parts of China where promising STEM education, research and innovation is taking place. Given the current geopolitical climate, it is critical for us to develop these kinds of international collaborations to advance solutions for the public good globally.”
This sentiment was echoed by Professor Zhang Jie, President of the SAST. “A small step today is a giant leap for the future to promote scientific and technological cooperation between China and the United States, and even globally,” said Zhang. “Through the collaboration, we hope that more American scientists and even global scientists will understand Shanghai and China better, come to Shanghai and China, and carry out borderless scientific and technological cooperation.”
Enhancing the Junior Academy
A follow-up visit by Meghan Groome, PhD, Senior Vice President of Education at the Academy, advanced the conversation on potential in-person and virtual collaborations for students studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The Academy’s award-winning Junior Academy provides a scalable and impactful way for students to participate in virtual exchange programs. The Academy plans to expand its partnership with students of Shanghai through increased outreach to schools in the region.
Nicholas B. Dirks, President and CEO of The New York Academy of Sciences, and Jie Zhang, President of the Shanghai Association for Science and Technology.
While in Shanghai, Dr. Groome also addressed the Deeper Learning China conference, an event dedicated to building a community of educators in China focused on Project Based Learning. in collaboration with Deeper Learning Global. Dr. Groome encouraged educators to take a light-hearted approach to implementing AI in the classroom, while building their knowledge base about the strengths and weaknesses of different AI products. She also discussed future plans with the Deeper Learning China leadership, to explore ways to expand The Junior Academy, a “game changing” student collaboration and research network, to more schools in China.
The Role of Artificial Intelligence
Groome also participated in the first “China-United States Seminar focused on the Vision and Future Feasibility of Artificial Intelligence in Arts Education”. At the Nine Trees Performing Arts Complex in Shanghai, she spoke about the importance of understanding the impact AI will have on our societies as a whole, including the arts.
“Although my focus is STEM, I’m increasingly relying on my background in the arts to help explore and explain these large, technological shifts in our lives. We can no longer teach in siloes but must expand how the integration, or convergence of subjects can lead to a better understanding of our changing world,” she told the audience. “I believe that AI can expand access to the highest quality arts [and STEM] education through AI-driven software and instruments. Like with sports, AI can enhance our practice time, providing us with expert feedback anytime, anywhere. Finally, it can dramatically enhance our creativity and allow us to collaborate like never before.”
Meet the winning team of the Spring 2023 Junior Academy “Healthy Snacks” Challenge
Team members:Natalie O. (Team Lead) (United States), Lara K. (Jordan), Connie H. (United States), Mariem M. (Egypt), Ibrahim S. (United States), Amena S. (Jordan)
Mentor:Leticia Mendoza-Martínez (Mexico)
Childhood obesity has become a major public health issue around the world. In the United States alone, 1 in 5 children is overweight or obese– a particularly prevalent issue in the Hispanic community, where lack of access to affordable, healthy food along with other socioeconomic factors create major disadvantages. For the Junior Academy’s 2023 Spring Innovation Challenge on “Healthy Snacks”, six students formed an international team to develop “The Adventures of the Nutritional Kingdom”– a campaign to encourage healthy eating aimed specifically at Hispanic children in the southern U.S. Collaborating across continents and time zones, the students met online to create the winning project. “Cooperation enhances the goal because when a group from different countries of the world gathers to work on one goal, this undoubtedly confirms its importance,” Meriem says.
According to the CDC, 26.2% of Hispanic youth are obese. Childhood obesity can have broad consequences, from long-term health implications like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease, to psychological impacts like anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem, (often related to bullying). Before devising their solution, the team conducted a survey of Hispanic families in both Spanish and English to help them identify a novel approach. Natalie assumed the role of Team Lead. “I was in charge of overseeing everyone’s collaboration efforts, notifying team members of their weekly tasks, and was the head website developer for the team. It was a surreal experience being a leader of such intelligent and motivated students. Our ideas were productive, and our final results are absolutely spectacular,” she says. “I learned valuable leadership and time management skills that will help me in future years to come.”
To reach the target audience, the team created an interactive, kid-friendly website with a vibrant jungle theme and gender-neutral animal characters, as well as a series of articles providing useful information on healthy nutrition and eating disorders. They also explored recipes, recreating a popular snack using alternative, healthier ingredients, and created an app with 13 different games that incorporated important nutritional information.
Meriem worked for hours on developing the games, using vivid colors attractive to young users. “I contributed by writing four articles on healthy eating habits and summarizing the problem and background of our solution,” explains Connie. “I also researched (former First Lady) Michelle Obama’s ‘Let’s Move’ campaign, alternatives to unhealthy snacks and previous initiatives introducing healthy snacks.” Ibrahim conducted research and contributed extensive data on physical exercise and hydration. “I read articles and answered questions such as how people got their nutrients during the Great Depression, foods that can be cooked at low temperatures as well as foods that keep hydration in your body and more,” he says. Among her many contributions, Amena focused on how to reach the target audience for the app. “I provided my knowledge and skills in business and marketing the product to help us reach children, whether they were high or low-income children, as well as designing the product’s packaging,” she explains.
The team is excited to see their carefully considered, multi-faceted project create social impact, hoping to find ways to even further reduce mental stress and health problems among Hispanic children. In particular, they want to make their website available in Spanish as well as English to expand its reach. “This experience has fostered a deeper understanding of the power of teamwork and its capacity for optimizing collaborative efforts between human agents,” says Lara. “Future pursuits will undoubtedly involve enhanced focus on cooperation among individuals to promote more effective outcomes.”
The Junior Academy was supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute.
From March 25th to May 6th, 2020, over 2000 young innovators from 74 different countries came together to join the fight against COVID-19. In response to the coronavirus outbreak and global shutdown, the New York Academy of Sciences invited creative problem-solvers from around the world to participate in the challenge for a chance to receive a $500 travel scholarship to attend the Global STEM Alliance Summit. The winning solution, GOvid-19, is a virtual assistant and chatbot that provides users with accurate pandemic-related information. Learn more about the winning solution and the solvers who designed them.
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic in March 2020. As scientists and public health experts rush to find solutions to contain the spread, existing and emerging technologies are proving to be valuable. In fact, governments and health care facilities have increasingly turned to technology to help manage the outbreak. The rapid spread of COVID-19 has sparked alarm worldwide. Many countries are grappling with the rise in confirmed cases. It is urgent and crucial for us to discover ways to use technology to contain the outbreak and manage future public health emergencies.
After signing up to participate, students self-selected into teams and worked together on Launchpad, a virtual interactive platform that safely facilitates global collaboration and problem-solving. Using Launchpad, students from around the world participated, in teams or individually, to design a technology-based solution to the challenge question.
A virtual assistant that provides users with accurate information about government responses, emergency resources, statistics on COVID-19 while utilizing grassroots feedback, streamlining medical supply chains with blockchain and AI techniques address potential accessibiliy issues among the most vulnerable groups.
A global centralized contract tracing solution that addresses the underlying issues of existing technology by integrating GPS and Bluetooth as well as combining RSSI modeling with analytics.
An AI-supported, 3D-printed rapid serological (saliva) testing kit and chest X-ray scan analyzer that detect SARS-CoV-2 in high-risk individuals, within the in- and out- patient settings.
From May 8th to June 19th, 2020, over 250 innovators from 21 different countries worked together to develop syndromic surveillance systems that help us better understand the current pandemic and prevent future outbreaks. The New York Academy of Sciences invited solvers from around the world to participate in the challenge for a chance to win a $5,000 USD grand prize. The winning solution, SYNSYS: Tracking COVID-19 created by Esha Datanwala, is a syndromic surveillance system that uses online data to predict outbreaks. Learn more about the winning solution and the solver who designed it.
In the last two decades three new Corinaviruses have jumped from animals to humans – called the spillover effect– causing serious illness and fatalities. Scientists and researchers in various sectors are racing to develop treatments and a vaccine while also investigating fundamental questions about the virus such as the seasonality, full range of symptoms, true fatality rate, viral latency, dose response curve of the viral load, long-term immunity, mutation rate etc.
The lack of Syndromic Surveillance for Coronavirus has grossly exposed the global and local preparedness for pandemics making us vulnerable as well as putting extreme stress on our government, healthcare facilities, medical supply demands and economies.
After signing up to participate as individuals or teams, solvers worked together on Launchpad, a virtual interactive platform that safely facilitates global collaboration and program solving. Using Launchpad, solvers from around the world participated in teams or individually, to design a solution by answering the question proposed. Ten finalists teams were invited to a Virtual Pitch Event where they presented their model in front of a panel of judges. Watch the Virtual Pitch recording here.
SYNSYS is a syndromic surveillance system designed for the public & private healthcare sectors. This system uses public domain mined data from Google Trends, various social media sites, census data, and satellite data to predict outbreaks, both before they happen and while they’re happening.
Textiles play a vital role in our lives from our clothes, to our homes to everyday products in the background of our TikTok feed. But how often do we think about those textiles – who made them? How are they made? How do they get from the raw materials to our hands?
The vast majority of textiles have a linear path – raw materials are made into textiles and then go from the sales rack to the landfill. With the rise of fast fashion and other rapid textile production in different industries, there is an urgent need and business opportunities for innovative, sustainable, and circular flow of textiles within the supply chain. How can we draw upon the concepts of a circular economy and inject innovative approaches to sustainable and circular practices within the textile supply chain.
Winners
The winning team, EcoFashion, developed a unique 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.
Team members: Rachita J. (India), Mariia H. (Ukraine), Sofía R. (Colombia), Alex B. (United States), Sylvia X. (United States), Altynay N. (Kazakhstan)
From watches to implants to sensor-enabled clothes, tiny, “wearable” microprocessors are all around us both in consumer and industrial uses. With the explosion of the Internet of Things (IOT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI), the current and near-future possibilities for wearable technology are only limited by our imagination. Used widely and connected in a network, wearables hold the potential to be powerful tools for responding to some of the world’s trickiest issues.
How could you use today’s wearable devices, or design new wearable technology, to address challenging issues in disaster management or non-communicable diseases?
Winners
The winning team, VisionXcelerate, focused on a solution to help elderly individuals with dementia by developing a pair of smart glasses integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (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.
Team members: Riya K. (India), Shreeniket B. (United States), Sysha R. (India), Prakul P. (India), Tisha S. (India), Medha T. (United States)
Our Unique Approach to Working with Teachers, Students and Families
The scientists in the Academy’s network view their job as blend of research and community outreach. Our scientists have a desire to directly engage the public to demystify science and foster science literacy, especially among young people and families. Therefore, our three signature programs — Afterschool STEM Mentoring, Scientist-in-Residence, and Family Science Nights — provide professional scientists with opportunities to do outreach that aligns with their interests as well as their professional time constraints.
Ways to Work with Us
There are several ways external organizations can become involved with our community outreach initiatives.
You can sponsor our “Chat with a Scientist” virtual event series, and even collaborate with us to plan the events using subject matter experts in your network who would like to give back to elementary and middle school age students.
We can create an Employee Engagement initiative whereby your employees with STEM expertise can be recruited as mentors in either our Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program or our Scientist-in-Residence program.
You can support our Family Science Nights as a sponsor or a host venue to hold an FSN at your school, library, or other community center location.
We can collaborate to develop a new event series aimed at younger students to spark their curiosity in STEM, or expose them to STEM careers through the eyes of working scientists.
Impact Report
Download the New York Academy of Sciences STEM Education 10-Year Impact Report, 2024.
GENERATION STEM: Empowering Scientists of the Future
