Supporting Student STEM Research Since 1949
Henry Disston, President and Executive Director
Paul Martino, Chairman, Board of Trustees
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DVSF Winners will compete in BroadcomMASTERS!
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Two DVSF 2019 middle school winners are BroadcomMASTERS finalists!
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DVSF Congratulates
Alaina Gassler and Rachel Bergey!
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CONGRATULATIONS to the two DVSF middle-school winners who will be competing in the national BroadcomMASTERS competition Oct. 25-30. Alaina Gassler and Rachel Bergey have been selected among the top 30 middle-school projects in the country!
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THE ANNOUNCEMENT
Broadcom Foundation and Society for Science & the Public on September 18 announced the 30 finalists in the 9th annual Broadcom MASTERS®, the nation’s premier Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) middle school competition. Broadcom MASTERS, a program founded and produced by the Society for Science & the Public, seeks to inspire young scientists, engineers, and innovators who will solve the grand challenges of the future.
The finalists will travel to Washington, DC from October 25-30 where they will participate in a rigorous competition that leverages Project-based Learning to test and demonstrate their mastery of 21st Century skills of critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration in each of the STEM areas. The finalists will also meet with government officials and showcase their projects for the public during a free event at the University of the District of Columbia on October 26 from 1-3:30pm. Winners will be named during an awards ceremony on October 29 at the Shakespeare Theater Company Sidney Harman Hall.
The finalists include 18 girls and 12 boys covering 13 states and representing 28 schools. California has the most finalists with ten, followed by Texas and Utah with three finalists each, and Louisiana, Ohio, Oregon and Pennsylvania with two finalists each. Finalists were selected by a panel of distinguished scientists and engineers from among the Top 300 MASTERS and over 2,300 applicants in 47 states, Washington, DC and two US territories.
Congratulations to the Broadcom MASTERS® 2019 finalists!
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The announcement today included the following two DVSF students who will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, DC to compete for more than $100,000 in awards and prizes:
Rachel
Bergey
, 8th Grade
Home School, Harleysville, Pennsylvania
Project Title: Spotted Lanternflies: Stick'em or Trick'em?
Alaina
Gassler
, 8th Grade
Avon Grove Charter School, West Grove, Pennsylvania
Project Title: Improving Automobile Safety by Removing Blind Spots
Read on to find out how they came up with their topics, their tactics, their results, and their other interests.
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Project Title:
Improving Automobile Safety by Removing Blind Spots
Project Background: Alaina’s family owns a Jeep Grand Cherokee, but her mom doesn’t like driving the vehicle because of its large A-pillar design. Those pillars are the vertical supports on each side of the windshield, and their large size provides more protection in case of a rollover crash. However, their size and angle also result in blind spots. Blind spots are areas that drivers can’t see from their usual sitting position at the wheel, either directly with their eyes or with help from the car’s mirrors. “I started to think about how blind spots are a huge problem in all cars,” Alaina says. She decided to design a device to deal with the problem.
Tactics and Results: “My prototype had to reduce blind spots in a safe, efficient way,” Alaina says. The materials had to be affordable and easily accessible. The device had to be practical and work in different lighting conditions. She also noted that the design should not lead to other kinds of car accidents. The solution she came up with uses a webcam mounted outside the passenger side A-pillar. The camera images are then displayed on the inside of the pillar so the driver can see them. Alaina’s first prototype used a projector inside the car to show the images. She used 3-D printing to make a special part so the projector’s image would focus properly at close range. The system worked in test drives with her dad. However, bright light sometimes made it hard to see the projector’s images. Alaina plans to use LCD screens (liquid crystal display screens) for her next prototype. “LCD screens are easier to see in daylight than projected images,” she explains.
Other Interests: “I have always loved dancing,” Alaina says. She has studied lyrical, hip hop, ballet and jazz styles. She’s performed in the school musical and plays the string bass as well. Alaina is a senior Girl Scout and also enjoys field hockey. “I really want to go into the field of physical therapy because I love to work with and help people,” Alaina says. “I would also love to design new machines/prosthetics that will help people develop skills to get better,” she adds.
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Rachel Bergey, 8th Grader from Harleysville, PA
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“Spotted Lanternflies are most likely the largest economic threat facing Pennsylvania today...," says Rachel Bergey.
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Project Title: Spotted Lanternflies: Stick'em or Trick'em?
Project Background: “Spotted Lanternflies are most likely the largest economic threat facing Pennsylvania today, and thousands of them have invaded my family’s maple trees,” says Rachel. The invasive species originally came from China, Bangladesh and Vietnam. The insects can cause oozing sap, leaf curling, wilting and dieback on trees. One way to try to trap the pests is with yellow sticky bands around trees. However, that strategy has weaknesses. Tape has a limited surface area. It needs frequent replacement. Some Spotted Lanternflies can jump off the tape. And the tape can catch and kill helpful insects and even birds. “I thought there must be a better way to combat this invasive species,” Rachel says.
Tactics and Results: Rachel designed her own Spotted Lanternfly traps with tinfoil and netting. As the insects climb up the tree, they come to a tinfoil dome that wraps around the tree. A small tunnel at the top leads into a bag made from netting. Once inside, the insects are trapped. Rachel set up some of her traps on maple trees. As a variation, she painted parts of some tree trunks white. She also tested a BugBarrier tree band for cankerworms and gypsy moths. And she compared all the traps’ performance to the yellow sticky tape that’s commonly used to trap the pests. For two weeks, Rachel counted more than 3,000 Spotted Lanternflies that built up in or on each trap. “The tinfoil and netting trap without paint caught 103 percent more Spotted Lanternflies and 94 percent less other insects” than the yellow sticky tape control, she reports. And the trap is environmentally friendly. “It does not use chemicals, it saves other insects and it is reusable,” she says.
Other Interests: “One of the things I love most is fishing!” Rachel says. “I love spending time in the great outdoors and appreciating natural bodies of water.” She enjoys skating, skiing, hiking, basketball and gymnastics. She also sings in choir and plays the piano, violin, guitar and recorder. “I want to be a pharmacist because it would give me a great opportunity to help people get better,” she says.
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Want Science Fair Tips and Up-to-the-Minute News for Delaware Valley Science Fairs?
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Join us on social media. You'll be glad you did!
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Regene
ron STS Application Deadline November 13 at 8pm
High school seniors
, this announcement is for you! The
application
for the Regeneron Science Talent Search is open through Wednesday, November 13, 2019, at 8pm ET. Eligible students are invited to apply to the nation's oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. From the entrant pool, the Society for Science & the Public and Regeneron will award $3.1 million dollars to top students and their schools.
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Mentors Wanted
Delaware Valley Science Fairs needs mentors in all categories so that we can match students with mentors who have the expertise needed for the science project.
Mentor requests are made after a sponsor has approved the student's research proposal, and mentors have an opportunity to review each request before accepting it. Most mentors are able to provide advice by email, so location is not an issue. Willingness to give assistance to our future scientists is key. Volunteer today at
DVSF.org
.
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Mentorship Program - Delaware Valley Science Fairs
DVSF Mentorship Program connects students to the benefits of the rich, scientific community around us. Engagement with mentors sparks enthusiasm in research and the fascinating world of engineering and science. Share your skills, knowledge, and...
Read more
drexel.edu
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Easy Ways to Give to DVSF
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Designate Delaware Valley Science Fairs as a donor option for United Way:
Number for Southeastern PA - 10412
Number for Bucks County - 10501
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Use the Smile program at Amazon.com to donate to DVSF without having to spend any extra money. Choose Delaware Valley Science Fairs as the charity of your choice. Every time you shop at smile.amazon.com, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate a small amount to DVSF.
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Dates for science fairs in 2020:
Delaware Valley Science Fairs (DVSF)
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April 7-9, with judging day on April 8
at The Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks
International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF)
- May 10-15 in Anaheim, California
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Delaware Valley Science Fairs, Inc. (DVSF)
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Henry Disston
President and Executive Director
Mickey Disston
Director Special Awards/Volunteers
Sheila Romine
Director, Communications & Mentorship
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John Disston
Director, Judging/IT
Susanne Johnston
Director, Student Research
Suzanne Mecouch
Director, Teacher Development
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Major Sponsors of DVSF
Braskem America
Bullpen Capital
Dietrich Botstiber Foundation
Dow Chemical Company
Drexel University
DuPont
FMC Corporation
GSK (GlaxoSmithKline)
Insaco
Janssen R&D
Pfizer, Inc.
Teva Pharmaceuticals
Universal Display Corporation
USciences
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
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