February 13, 2024

The Chess team competed at the State Tournament in Peoria over the weekend, facing some tough competition. The team won five out of seven matches, coming in 9th. Sadkrith Malladi '25 represented IMSA on board one, winning a board-level medal for his excellent performance.

Congratulations to the entire team for a great season:

Aarav Lala '26

Jacob Plotnick '26

Aarav Shah '26

Will Cahill '25

Zhuoer Cai '25

Nikhil Kodali '25

Sadkrith Malladi '25

Himani Musku '25

Jeanmyung Yu '25

Ethics of AI in Images and the Arts

What does AI art mean, and how is it made?

How can AI art affect artists?

What are the ethical implications of AI art?

We need your voice as we discuss ethics! IMSA Art faculty Joyce Symoniak will also be there to share insights about "Copyright and Licensing in Art and AI Implications."

No laptop is needed this week. All students, staff, and faculty are invited to attend this community lunch and learn. Bringing your lunch is optional.

Have you missed AI Bytes sessions and want to catch up? Visit our AI Bytes Playlist or scan the QR code.

Thank you to BSU for planning fun and educational programming to celebrate Black History Month on campus. So far this month, students have been invited to participate in Back History Month Trivia, a student volleyball game, and a discussion about college life and the history of The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC).

Moderated by Anita Connors White, Ph.D.

Dr. White, Dean of Student Support and Equity, attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania and received her doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).

Meeting ID: 849 8406 5852 | Passcode: 970763

IMSA is excited to conduct a student survey with Challenge Success on Tuesday, February 27. This survey was developed by Stanford University researchers and overseen by Stanford’s Administrative Panels for the Protection of Human Subjects. The survey will help us understand the student experience related to well-being, academic engagement, and belonging.

We look forward to sharing the results with our community and using them to inform decisions as we advance. View sample questions and FAQs on the Challenge Success website.

Please take a moment to review the Parent Information sheet below. If you agree to have your child participate in this research, you do not need to return this form. If you do not agree to have your child participate, please sign and return the information sheet to the Office of Institutional Research at oir@imsa.edu no later than Tuesday, February 20.

If you have any questions, please contact Amber Stitziel Pareja, Ph.D., Executive Director, Office of Institutional Research, aspareja@imsa.edu, 630.907.5069.

The ITS HelpDesk Team has seen several computer problems that can be corrected and/or avoided by regularly rebooting or restarting devices. On average, 85% of computer issues can be resolved or avoided by simply rebooting or restarting the computer regularly. Just like the human body needs rest to clear its mind, a computer needs the same thing to clear its memory. This is true of Macintosh, Linux, Windows, and cellphone operating systems like iPhone iOS and Android.

IMSA IT Staff recommends that you restart your laptop, tablet devices, and phones at least once a week. Shutting down the devices for a few minutes is also recommended.

Restarting your laptop is not as simple as just pressing the power button. In most cases for laptops, this just puts the device to sleep, which is not the same as restarting or shutting down. Follow the directions below to properly shut down your devices.

For Macintosh Computers:

• Click on the Apple icon in the upper left corner of the screen
• A menu will pop up
• Click on: “Restart…”
• Click the Restart button

For Windows Computers:

• Click on the Windows icon in the lower-left corner of the screen
• Click on the Power button icon
• Click on: “Restart”

We can tell others about IMSA, but they might want to hear directly from you - our students. As a senior or rising junior, the story of your individual experience at IMSA has the potential to make a significant impact on the future of IMSA. As we strive to secure state funding for the aging residence halls and demonstrate IMSA's impact on your life, we can’t wait to hear your story.  

In a 60-second video selfie from your phone, please share your name and hometown and

• What experiences at IMSA have had the greatest impact on you 
• OR The best thing about IMSA

Upload your video, and we’ll enter you into a weekly drawing for a chance to win a $50 VISA Gift Card. Submissions will be accepted through February 29, 2024.

Select videos will be released digitally on imsa.edu and social media channels.

Workout Wednesdays

Every Wednesday

3:15 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Multipurpose Room

The class is set up so you can work out at your own pace with a variety of strength, cardio, and core drills. Bring water, wear active clothes and gym shoes. All IMSA students and staff are welcome!

I Day Yoga

Starting February 14, 2024

12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.

Main Gym (East Balcony)

At IMSA, we aim to provide transformative experiences that transcend educational boundaries through inquiry and innovation. One pathway is Student Inquiry and Research (SIR), where students work closely with a professional mentor for 160+ hours to complete a project, write a paper, and present their work at IMSAloquium (and sometimes beyond). Engagement in research allows students to push boundaries and feel part of a professional community that will change lives through new discoveries. Research provides students with lifelong skills to investigate the unknown.

Historically, IMSA has provided access to research through a Methods of Scientific Inquiry (MSI) course in 10th grade initially, and then students can use their Wednesday "I-Days" to conduct a research project in 11th/12th grade with a mentor. Some students express difficulty completing a research project on top of their academic coursework, so we have created new pathways for students to access research over the summer, both at IMSA and in partnership with other research institutions. Thanks to grant support, we implemented summer research programs on IMSA's campus and at Western Illinois University for 26 students last summer. These summer experiences not only increased participation in SIR, but also began to close equity gaps among those who were participating in research. I believe research should be part of all IMSA students' experience because they are our future problem solvers who will advance the human condition.

Strategically, we aim to elevate access to IMSA's research programs in new locations around the state. I'm pleased to announce that we will continue our residential experiences at WIU and IMSA and have a new one this summer at SIU-Carbondale. The residential programs are grant-funded, and priority access will be given to students who identify as Black or Latinae, live in a rural community, or have economic needs. In addition, we have established a relationship with the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI) to offer remote research experiences connected to AI and computing, and we will have commuting research experiences with the Kane County Forest Preserve and the University of Illinois -- Chicago. Please visit this form to learn about the different research experiences and for your student to apply by February 16. We will continue to update the form with new research opportunities as they arise.

Please don't hesitate to reach me at eglazer@imsa.edu if you have thoughts on this topic or wish that I discuss others.

Boys Tennis Informational Meeting

Sunday, February 25, 2024

5:00 p.m.

Room E121

This meeting is mandatory if you are interested in participating in Boys Tennis.

Michael Anderson '26 and Karthik Prasad '26 were given an honorable mention in the 2024 MIT THINK Scholars Program. Their project, "Klang: A New Technique to Boost Speed and Accuracy in 3D Printers Using Acoustics," was one of only 13 projects selected out of over 600 submissions, making this year's program one of the most competitive years to date.

Regarding their project, Michael states:

"The project submitted uses complex algorithms and analytic inputs to produce sonic radiation to alter and correct the flow of 3D printer filament to decrease the tolerances and increase the speed of 3D printing. The use case of this spans many fields, from metal 3D printing in industry, space printing, and even concrete and housing printing in hopes of impacting industrial markets and making housing more available and affordable via concrete printing."

Please complete the Spotlight Submission Form if you have been recently recognized in your field, celebrated for your academic or professional achievements, or are working on a project you'd like to share. If you have any questions, please contact Alex Johnson at ajohnson2@imsa.edu.

All sophomore students are required to attend the Student Leadership Exchange (SLX) to complete the LEAD program. SLX is a day-long event where students will present their LEAD projects surrounding social entrepreneurship, activism, and data journalism in correspondence with the UN's Sustainability Development Goals. and network with evaluators from IMSA and the wider community.

Parents - If you or anyone in your professional network is interested in serving as an evaluator for SLX, please submit this form this form. Evaluators will join us for a morning of listening to the Class of 26's projects in-person or virtually.

Check out the new search engine from the Illinois of Gifted Children for local STEM enrichment opportunities for all ages. This search engine was developed by IMSA Senior, Michael Meng '24!

Titan To Go is a resource for students to discreetly order basic toiletries when they cannot replace them before a trip home. Students may select from the following items:



• Shampoo and Conditioner
• Toothpaste and Toothbrushes 
• Dental Floss 
• Deodorant 
• Menstrual products
• Hand soap 
• Body lotion 
• Facial tissues
• Lip balm  
• Contact lens cases

Requests are confidential and can be made by clicking on the button above. Requests received by 8:00 a.m. will be processed daily, Monday through Friday. You will pick up your items in a Smart Locker once you receive a notification that your package has been scanned in.

For more information, contact Michelle Bemis, Volunteer Coordinator for Titan To Go at mbemis@imsa.edu.

Mark Your Calendars! 

February 12 - 16 - Clash of the Halls

February 16 - Clash Pep Rally (Shortened class schedule)

February 17 - Halls close at 1:00 p.m. Downstate buses leave at 8:00 a.m.

February 17 - 21 - Extended Weekend (President's Day Weekend)

February 21 - Halls open at 3:00 p.m.

February 22 - Classes resume

ILLINOIS MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE ACADEMY



1500 Sullivan Rd., Aurora, IL 60506-1000 |  630.907.5000 |  imsa.edu

To ignite and nurture creative, ethical, scientific

minds that advance the human condition.