Congratulations to middle school sixth grader Julia D’Amico and Hampton second grader Valerie D’Amico for winning an Honorable Mention award for their presentation at the Institute for Advanced Computational Science (IACS) at Stony Brook University. The sisters were the youngest of 13 teams selected for the IACS Challenge finals, which fielded nearly 200 submissions from K-12 students throughout New York State.

As part of the challenge, Julia and Valerie were tasked with researching a famous female scientist and submitting a one-minute video on their findings. The learners selected Mildred Dresselhaus, also known as the “Queen of Carbon,” who is known for her research into the fundamental physics of materials such as graphite and carbon nanotubes as well as her advocacy of equality in science.

During the finals, which took place on Feb. 7 at Stony Brook University, Julia and Valerie screened their original submission video followed by a three-minute presentation including an overview of their selected scientist and the reason behind the selection.

“It was awesome to watch the students take on a challenge that not only enriched them in science, but also gave them an opportunity to develop and practice their presentation and public speaking skills,” said AGP teacher Ms. Giard. “I am grateful to Stony Brook's Institute for Advanced Computational Science for hosting this competition and for empowering young women to explore opportunities for careers in the sciences.”

The IACS Challenge is an initiative that celebrates the achievements of women in science and engineering and coincides with International Day of Women and Girls in Science on Feb. 11.

Watch Julia and Valerie’s original IACS Challenge submission and finals presentation below:

,br>

Date Added: 2/16/2024