Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Tuesday, April 14, 2009

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Azita Bahrami and Stuart Ewen were among the seniors who explained their research projects April 11 at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School's MSTC symposium.

For the past year and a half, 28 exceptional students at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School put in overtime on their senior projects for the love of it. Last Saturday they rolled out their elaborate research in a grand-scale version of show and tell – Math, Science and Technology Center style.

“These kids have really worked hard and put well over 360 hours into their research projects. It is their time to shine,” said Bev Smith, the MSTC facilitator.

At the half-day symposium, each senior displayed a professional poster and offered a 15- to 20-minute presentation. Stuart Ewen, who investigated bone mineral content in children, and Azita Bahrami, who studied neuron regeneration in spinal injury patients, were among the first to present. They agreed the MSTC process will give them a boost at the next level.

Azita acknowledged some early apprehension, but “now I can do microscopic dissections in my sleep,” she said confidently. “I’ll know what to expect (in college) and know what I’m looking for and am ready to start more research,” said Azita, whose mentor said she could probably expand her work into contention for professional publication.

“She’s a regular kid, and she’s still a great scientist,” said Diane Snow, a professor in the Spinal Cord and Brain Injury Research Center at the University of Kentucky. “She has come into my lab and performed at the level of a graduate student. She really seems to understand and has a good grasp of the whole project.”

Stuart, who thanked his mentor in UK’s kinesiology department, said sitting in on university lectures helped him better understand his topic. Working alongside professionals on a research campus also benefitted him and fellow students, who often met for lunch downtown while toiling away on their projects last summer.

“The more you put into it, the more it’ll help you in college,” said Stuart, an aspiring engineer who used a lot of math and physics in comparing the bone mineral content data.

Azita and Stuart said their senior projects were not all-consuming, but could have been – sort of like a part-time job. “It’s something we’ve all just learned to balance,” said Azita, who planned to coach a kids’ soccer game after Saturday’s presentations.

There was a celebratory air at the symposium, where proud parents walked amid the posters and chatted about the long haul and the rewards.

Lynne Stephan said her son Richie, a junior, transferred to Fayette County Public Schools after attending an MSTC open house three years ago. “He wanted a challenge, and he saw it,” she said.

Mary Johnson, whose son Michael is a senior, mentioned that most of the MSTC students are well-rounded teenagers whose days are packed with activities like orchestra practice, newspaper staff meetings and sports competitions.

Time management and self-discipline are crucial, she said. “You need that whole package. Those are the kids who are successful.”

More about MSTC

• Facilitator: Bev Smith, (859) 381-3558

Students apply for the Math, Science and Technology Center during their eighth-grade year. They must be in the 96th percentile in math or science on national tests. Of some 200 who apply, about half qualify; this year it was 82. The top 40 freshmen are admitted; a handful of students join as sophomores as slots open up.

“It’s very competitive,” Smith said, adding, “MSTC is very much a family and sort of like a school within a school.”

The experience culminates with the senior project. The students write a paper that’s publishable and present their research at the spring symposium.

“It’s the capstone of the whole program, and it’s what opens a lot of doors to scholarships,” Smith said. “When they go to Vanderbilt (on a college visit) and start talking about nanotechnology, ears really perk up.”

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