PINHEAD SCHOLARS IN THE SCHOOLS

John Straub, Professor of Chemistry at Boston University and Past-President of TSRC, returned to the Telluride region in February 2009 to present his now famed, "A Lively Tour of the Periodic Table," with explosions, demonstrations, and a music video to 700 K-12 students from Telluride, Naturita, Norwood, Ouray, and Ridgway Schools. Straub reached all 1800 regional students in five school districts, in five different "Lively Tour" presentations in the fall of 2005 and winter of 2006. He was called back in 2009 by popular demand.

Susan DeSensi, Boston University, presented “The Secret Life of Glue: Bouncy Balls & Goober Goo” with fun demonstrations and interactive experiments, to 160 students 1st through 7th grades at Nucla and Telluride schools in March of 2009.

Josef Francisco, Professor of Chemistry at Purdue University and President-Elect of ACS participated in the Pinhead Scholars in the Schools program in May 2008. He gave talks on the chemistry of the atmosphere and impact of pollutants on climate change. Francisco’s clear-thinking lecture style allowed students to understand climate change at a deeper level.

David Coker, Boston University Chemisty Professor, presented a demonstration of "The Science of Steam" at the Telluride Mountain School to all first grade through eleventh grade students. This was the first all school assembly presesnted by Pinhead Institute at the Mountain School and it was tremendously well received. Coker's sense of humor and drama caught the attention of the teachers as well as students. 

Scott Tenenbaum, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Gen*NY*Sis
Center for Excellence in Cancer Genomics, University at Albany-SUNY, visited four regional school districts and presented two lectures, “Demystifying Genetics” and “Eugenics” in the winter of 2007. Tenenbaum’s honest and frank discussions caught the attention of even the most recalcitrant teenagers.

Kieron Burke, University of California, Irvine, Professor of Heretical Physics and Chemistry, presented quantum mechanics to the regional middle/high school students freshingly using a blackboard, tennis balls, and a cardboard box, rather than powerpoint. And as is usual with this subject matter, some students went away with their heads hurting from the mind blowing ideas, while others clambered to learn more. He also spoke with students in classroom settings, and presented chaos theory games to 7th graders.

TELLURIDE UNEARTHED LECTURES
David Coker, Boston University Professor of Theoretical Chemistry and TSRC Board Member, participated in this annual lecture series hosted by Pinhead Institute and the Telluride Historical Museum. His talk, "The Science of Steam," was given on November 9, 2007 in the series entitled “A Railroad in the Valley.”

John Straub, President of TSRC (2006-2008) and BU Chemistry Professor, gave a talk on “The Chemistry of Mining” for the Unearthed series in November 2005.

PINHEAD INTERNSHIPS WITH TSRC MENTORS
Andrew McCammon: During six weeks in the summer of 2008, Meghan Cain, Telluride High School, Class of 2009, mentored with Andrew McCammon in his UC San Diego lab for her the Pinhead Internship. She worked on Avian Flu inhibitors.
“We very much enjoyed having Meghan as a member of our group this past summer! She participated at the level of a good graduate student – some real contributions on the research front and a lively presence.”
J. Andrew McCammon, PhD, Joseph E. Mayer Professor of Theoretical Chemistry at University of California, San Diego

“I'm discovering a whole new ‘world’ of science and education. Honestly, the rate at which I'm gaining scientific knowledge and understanding is incredible - it doesn't compare to high school. I'm glad to be challenging my mind and entering a line of work that is very needed.”
Meghan Cain, Telluride High School, Class of 2009 

R. Stephen Berry, University of Chicago distinguished professor of chemistry, McArthur Fellow, and National Academy of Sciences Officer mentored Mesa Hollinbeck of Norwood High School at the University of Chicago, during the summer of 2006 for six weeks.

Mark Tuckerman, New York University Professor of Math and Chemistry, mentored Harley Hollenbeck, of Ouray High School in Bochum, Germany at the Ruhr-Universitaet, during the summer of 2006 for six weeks.R. Stephen Berry, University of Chicago distinguished professor of chemistry, McArthur Fellow, and National Academy of Sciences Officer mentored Mesa Hollinbeck of Norwood High School at the University of Chicago, summer 2006

TSRC SUMMER INTERNS IN TELLURIDE

Philip Straub, 2010 TSRC Intern, grew up in Boston. The son of former TSRC President John Straub, Phil has been romping around the office since he was four years old. He has worked with TSRC since he was fifteen, writing various articles for newspapers and Websites.Phil's duties in 2010 included interviewing the speakers and writing all the PR for the Town Talk series.  When Phil was 16, he moved from Boston to Bozeman, Montana, where he lived in a yurt while he finished high school and pursued his passions, rock and ice climbing, mountaineering, and skiing. Phil is currently a sophomore at the University of Montana, working towards his journalism degree, and if he doesn't set aside all of his homework to climb, will graduate in 2013.

Lisa Christadore, 2009 TSRC Intern for science writing and science communications, is a third year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry at Boston University working in the laboratory of Professor Scott Schaus. She investigates the molecular targets of bioactive compounds in yeast and human cell systems and is currently developing a microarray expression profiling model that accurately measures drug-induced gene perturbations and metabolic pathway disruptions. A segment of her research is also dedicated to deciphering the molecular mechanism behind dendrimer fluorescence. Lisa has served as Treasurer of Boston University Women in Chemistry for the past two years and recently joined the staff of the WhizKids Foundation where she guest teaches science lessons to third and fifth graders. Lisa graduated from Loyola College Maryland in 2006 with a B.S. in Chemistry and a minor in Spanish. She was enrolled in Loyola’s Honors Program for four years and inducted into the Alpha Sigma Nu National Honors Society. Alongside studying science, Lisa studied a semester abroad in Alcalá, Spain and traveled to El Salvador as a member of Loyola’s International Immersion Program. With a passion for the Spanish language and an awareness of solidarity, she volunteered as a Spanish translator for the Greater Baltimore Medical Center and a tutor for the East Baltimore Latino Organization’s after-school program. She swam for two years on the Loyola College Varsity Swim Team and has worked as a lifeguard and swim instructor since she was fifteen. Lisa has always enjoyed reading and writing and developed an enthusiasm for scientific journalism while conducting research at BU. She has published two articles this year: BU Today, “BU Scientists Give Local Students a Boost” 3/11/09 and The Nucleus, “Massachusetts Best Science Athletes Compete for Regional Gold” May 2009, and has two pending scientific manuscripts for publication in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and the Journal of Organic Chemistry (second author). Lisa joins the Telluride Science Research Center this summer to manage and write press releases for the Town Talks and assist with communication projects generally. She is eager to increase public awareness of the TSRC’s science seminars and educational events and is dedicated to working with the TSRC to convey emerging and relevant scientific issues to a wider public audience.

Mila Re, 2007 TSRC intern, in between her junior and senior years in high school,  from Davis, California. She almost single-handedly ran the Pinhead Punk Science program, helped with the Town Talks, wrote Ask a Pinhead columns, and assisted Nana in all aspects of TSRC operations. Mila was brought to TSRC’s attention by Brian Fisher, an entomologist at the California Academy of Sciences and a Pinhead Scholar. Mila is now an undergraduate at Stanford University.