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Long Term and Unexpected Effects of Stress

4/27/2021

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BY: CAPRI MILLS
Hi! My name is Capri Mills. I'm a junior in high school and have a passion for science, psychology, and writing. I also enjoy giving back to the environment and my community in any way I can. After high school, I plan to continue on a neuroscience path throughout college and beyond.

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Recently, the COVID-19 pandemic hit its one-year mark, and it’s a subtle reminder of everything we’ve experienced in the past year, stress being the main part of that. And while Americans tend to be pretty stressed in general, the pandemic has brought stress levels to new heights. In a recent survey, 78% of adults reported that the coronavirus is a significant stressor in their life (“Stress in America™ 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis”). This number is clearly indicative of the current mental health crisis. Out of every generation, though, Gen Z seems to carry the most stress, as their future will be the most impacted by current decisions- ones they have little to no control over. Over 50% have reported feeling stressed about high suicide rates, presidential elections, and widespread sexual assault/harassment (“Stress in America™ 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis”). Now, when we tend to think of stress, we see it as something fleeting, coming and going with new changes and such. Unfortunately, stress is not this short-term. It can actually have long-lasting impacts on your life, which is quite concerning after hearing those statistics. Now, more than ever, it’s important to be aware of the effects of stress, as well as strategies to deal with it, with all of the political and mental discourse occurring. But before we get into the effects of stress, let’s state the facts on what stress actually is. 

When approached with danger, your brain floods your body with chemicals and hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. This leads to an increase in heart rate, energy level, and blood pressure (“Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk”). Back in the Stone Age, these increased vitals were a good thing, as they helped humans keep alert and face predators. Nowadays, however, stress signals aren’t actually needed most of the time they happen. Instead, they are merely a product of evolution that we’re stuck with for the time being. On top of all of this, a lot of the time, stressors don’t actually “shut off”. When the “threat” (such as a looming presidential election, worrying about being sexually assaulted, etc.) doesn’t go away within a certain time period. Your heart and blood pressure don’t return to their baseline before the next “stress attack” hits (“Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk”; Dhabhar). This opens a whole other can of worms; stress begins to affect your mental health and body on a greater level.

Long-term stress puts you at risk for anxiety, depression, and reduced happiness, and these are only the mental effects (“Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk”). Physically, stress can weaken your immune system, trigger headaches and stomachaches, cause excessive sweating, tightness or soreness in joints, and more (Wellness Team). It can even become life-threatening; too much of that pesky hormone cortisol can cause stroke, heart disease, and asthma. Clearly, stress isn’t exactly the best thing. People tend to underestimate just how much of an impact stress can have, brushing their stressors away and claiming themselves to be fine. But this is only more detrimental in the long run. In order to avoid the adverse physical and mental effects of stress, it is necessary to identify key stressors in one’s life and try to manage, and possibly eliminate them.
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Fortunately, all hope is not lost. There are numerous doctor-approved strategies to treat and overcome stress. These include cognitive therapy, volunteering, eating healthy, creating strong friendships, trying yoga or meditation, and more (“Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk”). Most of the time, stress doesn’t actually get you anywhere and only makes things worse, especially in the future. So, employing techniques like these will be incredibly helpful, and you’ll thank yourself in the long run. Currently, with the ongoing pandemic, it’s more important than ever to face and conquer stress. The bad news: stress can be super serious if left untreated. The good news: stress can certainly be handled and decreased. So don’t stress it.
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Works Cited
“Chronic Stress Puts Your Health at Risk.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 19 Mar. 2019, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20046037. 
Dhabhar, Firdaus S. “The Short-Term Stress Response - Mother Nature's Mechanism for Enhancing Protection and Performance under Conditions of Threat, Challenge, and Opportunity.” Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology, U.S. National Library of Medicine, Apr. 2018, www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5964013/. 
“Stress in America™ 2020: A National Mental Health Crisis.” American Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, www.apa.org/news/press/releases/stress/2020/report-october. 
Wellness Team. “7 Strange Things Stress Can Do to Your Body.” Cleveland Clinic, Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic, 7 Oct. 2020, health.clevelandclinic.org/7-strange-things-stress-can-body/.



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What’s the Deal with mRNA vaccines?

4/21/2021

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BY: CAMERON YUEN
Hello! My name is Cameron Yuen, a current senior in high school. I'm going to be attending Tufts University, and I intend on studying Computer Science. I want to use technology to incite change, whether it's bridging the digital divide, aiding public health or bolstering sustainability efforts. Outside of academics, I'm a competitive diver and an avid Overwatch player!

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With life being anything but predictable in recent times, the advent of new COVID-19 vaccines only contributes more to the uncertainty. Scientists and doctors are preaching this modern mRNA vaccination method, but what does this even mean? What’s the difference? Is it safe? All questions will be answered, here.
 
First off, it is important to understand what mRNA even is, and how that relates to vaccination. Short for messenger ribonucleic acid and a pivotal component in our cells’ protein production, it is “the intermediate step between the translation of protein-encoding DNA and the production of proteins by ribosomes in the cytoplasm” (Pardi 262). Essentially, it bridges the encoding and the expression of certain proteins in our cells. This is critical because viruses such as coronavirus contain what is called “spike proteins… [which are] found on the surface of the virus… [and] causes COVID-19” (“Understanding MRNA”).
 
In the traditional method of vaccination, dead or weak viral particles with the aforementioned spike proteins will be injected into our body for our immune system to recognize as a possible threat. With the spike proteins working as blueprints, our bodies can then use them to produce the appropriate antibodies to stop future infections. 
 
Sinovac, a Chinese-produced vaccine, follows this method by employing dead coronavirus particles. First, they kill the cells with “beta-propiolactone,” removing their ability to replicate, but leaving their spike proteins “in-tact.” From there, the dead cells “are swallowed up by a type of immune cell called an antigen-presenting cell,” which essentially downloads the viral information, and creates the proteins to help destroy the infection (Corum and Zimmer). Although this way is more researched, it also requires far more resources, space, and time. Scientists already know of many viral antigens, but the sampling and replication of “target pathogens or antigens ha[s] to be produced in dedicated cell-cultures and/or fermentation-based manufacturing production processes,” which takes a lot of time and effort (“MRNA Therapeutic Areas”).

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The new-age mRNA vaccines like Pfizer and Moderna possess key differences that could revolutionize immunology for years to come. Instead of injecting the viral particles, they contain mRNA that was developed in-vitro, or in a test tube, and coded to stimulate specific protein production in our cells. The mRNA “gives instructions” to our cells on how to produce viral antigen proteins to elicit an antibody-producing immune response, preventing present and future infections. In terms of COVID-19, it helps create a “harmless piece… of the spike protein,” making the injection of viral particles completely unnecessary (“Understanding MRNA”).
 
But aside from just that, mRNA technology may allow for large-scale improvements over its counterpart in efficacy, discovery, and efficiency. mRNA can be encoded to address many viral proteins in a single dosage of a vaccine to produce more complex antigens which helps fight more complex viruses. This is called “multimeric antigen” production in which proteins with multiple polypeptide chains are created. For example, Moderna’s CMV vaccine has the capability to form a “pentameric protein complex that is a potentially critical antigen for immune protection against CMV” with the power of “six mRNAs” (Corum and Zimmer).
 
And unlike the traditional method, new ways to experiment with preliminary-stage vaccines are far more simple and expend less with mRNA. Scientists are capable of beginning designs through computer simulations, or “in silico,” which rapidly speeds the production of schematics, “dramatically accelerat[ing]... vaccine selection.” And along with that, traditional vaccines demand “dedicated production processes, facilities, and operators,” while mRNA vaccines’ more consolidated manufacturing can allow for “a single facility” (“MRNA Therapeutic Areas”).
 
But as promising as this all sounds, it is imperative to remain prudent. Although mRNA research is not new, it only recently has been explored out of the field of oncology. mRNA technology is relatively new to combat viruses like COVID-19, and that raises questions on its effectiveness, as tumor research efforts vastly differ from that of viral ones. As of right now, it is not specifically known if the vaccine will be strong enough to evoke a “sufficiently protective immune response,” or simply “which quantities of mRNA will be needed to [fight viruses]”  (“Five Things You Need to Know”). But just like how scientists vigorously tested and refined the traditional method, we’ll eventually reach confidence in our understanding of mRNA vaccines.

Works Cited
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​Pardi N, Hogan MJ, Porter FW, Weissman D. mRNA vaccines - a new era in vaccinology. Nature reviews. Drug Discovery. 2018 Apr;17(4):261-279. DOI: 10.1038/nrd.2017.243“Understanding MRNA “COVID-19 Vaccines.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html. 
Corum, Jonathan, and Carl Zimmer. “How the Sinovac Vaccine Works.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 24 Dec. 2020, www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/health/sinovac-covid-19-vaccine.html. 
“MRNA Therapeutic Areas in Infectious Diseases.” Moderna, www.modernatx.com/pipeline/therapeutic-areas/mrna-therapeutic-areas-infectious-diseases. 
“Five Things You Need to Know about: mRNA Vaccines.” Horizon, horizon-magazine.eu/article/five-things-you-need-know-about-mrna-vaccines.html. 
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COVID-19 & Neurological Function

2/10/2021

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BY: DILARA HACIOGULLARI
Hi! My name is Fatma Dilara Haciogullari. I’m currently a high school sophomore who is passionate about research, biology, and cybersecurity. I cherish learning new things and sharing my knowledge with others.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has taken, and continues to take, the lives of many around the globe. Some manage to survive this pandemic; however, new research is suggesting that there may be long-term neurologic consequences to surviving the virus. Patients that test positive for COVID-19 exhibit some of the following conditions related to the brain: confusion, loss of consciousness, seizures, stroke, loss of smell and taste, headaches, trouble focusing, and behavioral changes (Collins). The blood-clotting system in these patients is highly abnormal in that many develop blood clots. Blood clots pose a high risk to patients as clots can block or narrow arteries leading to the brain, thereby also increasing the risk of stroke. Strokes, especially silent ones, are common within patients, especially those over 70, and they are a risk factor for both dementia and larger strokes. Silent strokes usually affect the wiring between brain cells that allow them to communicate with different parts of the brain. This wiring is vital for focus, and attention loss will occur when they are harmed (Budson). Getting in enough oxygen through damaged lungs also makes patients vulnerable to hypoxic brain damage. 

According to a study done by Zhou et al., this damage continues to affect patients even after they recover from the virus. This study investigated various aspects of cognitive function in 29 individuals who have recovered from COVID-19. In sustained attention, the capacity to attend to essential information, they found a recurring deficiency (Zhou et al.). The explanation for this, Zhou et al. concluded, could have been related to the inflammatory mechanism. This is, nevertheless, not to reject the possibility that lack of oxygen or silent stroke contributes to the long-term, detrimental effect on the neurological functioning of recovered COVID-19 patients.

Works Cited
Collins, Francis. "Taking a Closer Look at COVID-19's Effects on the Brain." National Institutes of Health. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 26 Jan. 2021. Web.
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Budson, Andrew E., MD. "The Hidden Long-term Cognitive Effects of COVID-19." Harvard Health Publishing. Harvard Medical School, 08 Oct. 2020. Web.
Zhou, H.; Lu, S.; Chen, J.; Wei, N.; Wang, D.; Lyu, H.; Shi, C.; Hu, S. The Landscape of Cognitive Function in Recovered COVID-19 Patients. Journal of Psychiatric Research 2020, 129, 98–102.
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NASA’s Newest Space Exploration Mission - And How You Can Get Involved

8/21/2020

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BY: SARAH WANG
Hello! I'm Sarah and a senior in high school interested in research biology and education equity. I love to teach others using my knowledge and resources, while also learning and growing as a scientist myself!

In early 2021, NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia is projected to initiate CAPSTONE, NASA’s Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment. CAPSTONE will launch a “microwave oven-sized” CubeSat that weighs only 55 pounds. The CubeSat will be the first spacecraft to test a special elliptical lunar orbit. 

It will take approximately three months for CAPSTONE to reach its target destination, and it will remain in orbit for at least another six months in order to fully understand the orbit’s characteristics. CAPSTONE will validate NASA’s model calculations on both power and propulsion requirements for spacecraft orbit, getting rid of any uncertainties. 

The unique orbit that CAPSTONE will follow will exhibit an efficient path to the Moon from the Earth and will also establish an ideal staging area for missions to the Moon. It will demonstrate inter-spacecraft navigation services that will potentially allow spacecraft to pinpoint their locations relative to the Moon without exclusive reliance on tracking from Earth. It will, simultaneously, test the reliability of communication abilities with Earth. By testing navigation technologies while exploring this unique orbit, CAPSTONE will reduce risk for future spacecraft missions. 

NASA’s CAPSTONE is the pioneer for a future of ever-expanding possibilities for smaller and more affordable space exploration missions to the Moon and various destinations throughout the solar system. 

Students can also get involved with the mission to open doors to endless opportunities for space exploration. The U.S. Department of Education launched the CTE Mission, a new space exploration mission challenge for high school students. For more information about the CTE Mission and how to participate, refer to the below information!

Source: https://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/capstone
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U.S. Department of Education Launches Space Mission Challenge for High School Students  
CTE Mission: CubeSat Challenge seeks to inspire, prepare students for a future in aerospace

Building on the Administration-wide commitment to expand student interest in the booming science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, the U.S. Department of Education launched CTE Mission: CubeSat, a national challenge to inspire students to build technical skills for careers in space and beyond. High school students from across the country are invited to design and build CubeSat (cube satellite) prototypes, or satellites that aid in space research, bringing space missions out of the clouds and into the classroom. To learn more, schools can join a virtual information session on September 1, 2020.

“This is such an exciting way to rethink education and get students engaged in hands-on learning in the growing aerospace and technology fields,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. “I look forward to seeing the innovative prototypes students develop and hope this challenge inspires our next generation of American space explorers.”

Investors predict that space will be the next trillion-dollar industry, and as missions in space continue to expand, so do the career opportunities. This multi-phase challenge offers high school students across the United States the chance to build CubeSat prototypes while learning creative, collaborative, and technical skills for 21st century careers.

Schools interested in entering CTE Mission: CubeSat should form a team and submit a mission proposal by 5:59 p.m. ET, on Oct. 16, 2020 — no in-person collaboration or prior experience with CubeSats is required. The online submission form asks for school information, a team profile, a project proposal, and anticipated learning outcomes. Curated educational resources are available to students and teachers online in the CTE Mission: CubeSat resource hub. 

Up to five finalists will be selected to receive prizes and participate in Phase 2, which runs from January to May 2021. Finalists will have access to expert mentorship and additional virtual resources as they build CubeSat prototypes and plan flight events to launch their prototypes. The Department understands that due to current conditions, schools will need flexibility to safely collaborate when designing and building prototypes during the challenge. The Department looks forward to the creative solutions in the mission proposals it receives as challenge entries.
Each finalist will receive an equal share of the $25,000 cash prize pool, as well as satellite development, hardware, and software kits. Challenge sponsors include Arduino, Blue Origin, Chevron, EnduroSat, LEGO Education, Magnitude.io, MIT Media Lab, and XinaBox.

“Developing a CubeSat prototype is an opportunity for students to learn competitive skills and explore a wide range of careers in space — or their own communities,” said Assistant Secretary for Career, Technical, and Adult Education Scott Stump. “Through CTE Mission: CubeSat, we aim to bring students new learning opportunities to build valuable technical skills for in-demand and rewarding careers.”

About Ed Prizes

CTE Mission: CubeSat is part of Ed Prizes, a series of prize competitions to develop new products and services to both increase access to, and expand the capacity of, career and technical education. The Department has awarded $1.7 million in prizes through three previous challenges. Learn more at edprizes.com.
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P.S. Join us August 25, 2020, 1:30-3:00pm ET for the next STEM Webinar on Cybersecurity Education.  Live streamed here.

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Mathematical Explanation of Social Distancing

4/20/2020

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BY: EKREM KAYA
Hey! My name is Ekrem Kaya. I am a high school student with a great passion for science and research. Recently, I've started writing blogs about scientific topics and making information from trusted sources readily available.

With most of the world under the threat of the coronavirus epidemic, many countries have declared national quarantines and encouraged social distancing. How exactly does social distancing help the situation? Even before that what exactly is social distancing. 

Here are the three elements of social distancing: 
  • Staying at least 6 ft apart from anyone 
  • Avoiding all nonessential gatherings
  • Limiting contact with those who are vulnerable

The U.S. has now been under quarantine for almost a month, has over 553,822 confirmed cases and this number is only continuing to grow. 

Currently the data suggests that the growth of COVID-19 is exponential. Exponential growth means that the rate of the spread of the coronavirus only increases as time passes. This is explained by the fact that every infected individual is capable of infecting more than one person. In fact, looking at the numbers, we can say that each sick person infects ~3 others every 5 days (assuming people are asymptomatic for 5 days), after three generations there would be 27 infected people. See our infographic below for a visual description. 

According to this piece of early COVID-19 research, the number of cases doubled every 6 days in the city of Wuhan. This indicates an exponential growth rate and is now clear as a similar pattern has continued on the global scale. For example, on March 31st, the number of global new cases was 57,610 and on April 5th, the number of new cases was 82,061. As you can see with each day the number of cases grew exponentially. 

The United States has become more serious in social distancing and it has proven effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19. State officials have warned citizens to take quarantine seriously and avoid non essential contact with others. On April 9th the number of new cases in the U.S. was 31,709 and five days later on April 14th the number of new cases was 29,308. Looking at these numbers we can see that the rate of spread has actually decreased. 

Here is an infographic that mathematically explains how social distancing helps in flattening the curve:
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By limiting the amount of people an individual can infect, social distancing reduces the rate of infection. The main reason behind applying this procedure is to not overload hospitals and run out of internal care units. There is a limited number of ICUs at any given time so by preventing everyone from getting sick at the same time, social distancing attempts to make sure that those who do immediately need intensive care can have access to it. In a sense, social distancing is making the pandemic last longer in order to maintain available ICUs for those in critical condition. If the government had allowed everyone to go out and get sick, most of the population would build immunity and recover and the pandemic would go away. However, this would result in great losses of life as those who would need intensive care would not have access to it with the increased number of cases. 

So, continue to stay inside, listen to authorities, and take this seriously. The more of us that participate in social distancing, the better care our most vulnerable can get.
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Academic Olympiads in College Application Process

3/29/2020

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BY: EKREM KAYA
Hey! My name is Ekrem Kaya. I am a high school student with a great passion for science and research. Recently, I've started writing blogs about scientific topics and making information from trusted sources readily available.

It’s easy to feel mediocre in a world where everyone seems to be involved in a lot of extracurricular activities for colleges these days. Over the past decades, colleges have become more and more competitive and the standard student has progressed just as much. Students are told to volunteer, do sports, join clubs, and maintain good grades but all of this doesn’t seem to be enough for those top, prestigious colleges. There is not a set recipe for being an Ivy league candidate but many counselors and alumni would agree that you need to have unique qualities to get distinguished among your peers. So with such competition, how do you even get noticed? I am not a college admissions expert however, as mentioned by Allen Cheng in this informative article, you need some sort of spike to set you apart from everyone else. 

A spike is something in your application that is extremely good. Something not many others would have.This can be an amazing talent, or a respected achievement. Allen recommends being really good at one thing over being well rounded at many things. But at that one thing you’re good at, you have to be the best of the best.
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Academic Olympiads. They are kind of like the olympics for nerds. The best of the best high schoolers compete in Math, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics. However nerdy they sound, the science or math olympiads are the perfect way to create peaks on your resume, to show you’re world class at something. These olympiads occur every year and have national and international scales. Almost every country has an organization that runs these contests at the national level. Of course getting to compete at the international level is a lot harder. The generic olympiad process looks a little like this
  1. Open Exam
    1. A more general level exam that will be used to eliminate most of the competitors
  2. Rounds of Elimination
    1. More tests to eliminate more and more of the competitors to get the top talents in each category
    2. The number of elimination rounds are based on how many people are competing. For example, Math Olympiads usually have more applicants than Bio Olympiads so Math has more elimination rounds
  3. Camp
    1. Camp happens after the nation has identified the top 20 students in the field of contest. These 20 students are taken to a venue, usually a college, where they are lectured and tested by some of the top professors in the country, all expenses paid. From here, only 4 are selected to represent team USA at the international olympiads. 
  4. International
    1. Internationals happen when each country competing has their top students ready. Each year the International Olympiads happen in a different city across the world.(ex. 2019 Chem Olympiads were held in Paris) Here, high schoolers compete at the global stage for some of the most prestigious awards for their age. 
I put together the links for major olympiad events at the national or international level for you:

  • Math Olympiads
    • National
    • International
  • Biology Olympiads
    • National
    • International
  • Chem Olympiads
    • National
    • International
  • Physics Olympiads
    • National 
    • International
  • Astronomy Olympiads
    • National
    • International
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These academic competitions by no means are easy. However, with enough prep and time, they are great ways to validate your talents to colleges. Signing up is quite easy, and even if your school does not have a club for these events, you can take the exams at a nearby school. On that note if your school does not have a relevant club, think about starting one yourself! You may approach a teacher and ask if they would like to sponsor. Be prepared to explain the details.

I cannot stress enough that the success in these olympiads are not guaranteed and requires dedication and hard work. However, with their potential to set you apart from the rest of your peers, they may be worth the effort.
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CORD-19

3/28/2020

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BY: EKREM KAYA
Hey! My name is Ekrem Kaya. I am a high school student with a great passion for science and research. Recently, I've started writing blogs about scientific topics and making information from trusted sources readily available.

​Since the emergence of COVID-19 in Wuhan City, the whole world has been attempting to treat the disease and ultimately eradicate it. Hundreds of scientists and researchers are hard at work trying to rid the world of this disease. There are already thousands of completed studies with diverse conclusions and thousands still going on today. In order for the scientific community to have a better response to COVID-19 and for the U.S. to have a better plan dealing with it, the White House has ordered for the formation of a public database with the most up to date research and data on the coronavirus with over 45,000 articles called the COVID-19 Open Research Dataset(CORD-19).
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Hosted by Kaggle, CORD-19 was formed with the help of Allen Institute, Microsoft, the National Library of Medicine, GeorgeTown University, and the WHO. In addition to having a large pool of scientific articles on COVID-19, all of the data in the dataset is machine readable thanks to the efforts of the Allen Institute. 

Machine readable data makes life a lot easier for scientists by allowing extended analysis of data and aiding in drawing connections between otherwise unrelated pieces of info. The White House and all of the other contributors intend to use machine learning and data mining to answer the scientific community's specific and challenging questions regarding the novel coronavirus.
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Applying to College: A Super-short Guide

3/26/2020

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BY: EKREM KAYA
Hey! My name is Ekrem Kaya. I am a high school student with a great passion for science and research. Recently, I've started writing blogs about scientific topics and making information from trusted sources readily available.

​If you’re thinking about applying to college or any form of post secondary education, it is probably too late to change your GPA or win academic awards when you’re ready to apply. Those are the things that students should be aware of starting 9th grade if not earlier.. However, there are still some things you can do to make the right decision and put yourself in an environment where you can thrive. Here are some points to consider and some steps to take as you prepare your application.
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Options for Post-secondary Education
First and foremost, a 4-year college is not the only path to take once you graduate from high school. In fact, there are many different paths: Something for everyone. The options include enlisting in the military, going to a community college, or taking a gap year. Each has their benefits and can be a good fit for someone. It is important to figure out what is best for you and which plan will put you into the career you have planned for yourself. Here is an article with more detailed information on the educational options after high school. It's important to remember that there is no shame in taking a year off or going to community college. Talk to your counselor, figure out what you want. 

College Entrance Exams
Whether it is the SAT or the ACT you will most likely need to take a college entrance exam for the majority of secondary education pathways. First of all, decide which exam is best for you and would highlight your abilities. There are few differences between the two exams and here is a great comparison by the PrepScholar to help you decide. If you have already taken the exams, you might want to consider taking it again for a better score. This might set you apart from other students and increase your chances of getting into your dream school. There are many online study tools for either test but a great start would be Khan Academy’s Official SAT Practice. 

Major or Program of Study
Now that you have decided to go to a 4-year college or university, how do you figure out what to major in?There are hundreds of majors in all types of fields. Not every university offers the same majors so if you are determined on a specific major, the next step is to find a school that offers it. You can also choose to major in two different fields or minor in one study and major in another. There is no rush since many schools allow some time before you finalize your major so you can make the best decision for yourself and your career. In fact, this is a common practice among many students who choose their major in their sophomore or even in junior year. However, if you plan on continuing your education after a bachelor’s degree through law or medical school, you might want to consider majoring in a field that will prepare you for your future education.
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Visiting Campuses 
The physical appearance and the feel of a campus can be a great factor in deciding which college you choose. Sometimes the atmosphere of a school makes you attached or acts as a deal breaker. Plan some visits and walk the campus, it will help.

Athletics
College athletics is a whole world of its own with complex recruiting processes and limited number of roster spots. The NCAA oversees collegiate athletics and here their website to help see if it is the right move for you. 

Finance
College can be expensive. Oftentimes, the debt acquired for a college education takes years to pay off. College prices vary from public to private colleges with public colleges usually being cheaper. Prices also vary between in state, out of state, and international students. All of these factors are critical when enrolling as the decision will impact your financial status for years. However, there are ways to reduce the cost of a college degree. Financial aid and scholarships can make your education more affordable. Each year, FAFSA, one of the major financial aid providers in the U.S., provides $120 billion in grants, work study, and low interest loans. Private colleges usually have their own financial aid policies and will provide income based assistance. Merit based scholarships are another way to reduce the cost of college. Universities can give scholarships based on academic accomplishments or athletic ability.
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How the Entire Science Community is Working Together to Beat COVID-19

3/22/2020

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BY: EKREM KAYA
Hey! My name is Ekrem Kaya. I am a high school student with a great passion for science and research. Recently, I've started writing blogs about scientific topics and making information from trusted sources readily available.

​The novel coronavirus also known as SARS-CoV-2 has taken the world by storm. Since its origin in late 2019, the virus has taken 11,184 lives and impacted many more. Scientists around the world have devoted themselves to treating corona or formulating a vaccine for it.
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One way that the scientific community has come together is by making data and research widely available. For a quicker solution to COVID-19, researchers and scientists have made their conclusions available to the public and any other researchers. Databases such as the GenBank have readily available genomic data on the virus and NIH has made a library of coronavirus research. This type of practice is called open sourcing and it has been enhanced by this pandemic.
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Open source research is beneficial for the scientific community for many reasons. It saves money and resources when accessing information. It boosts collaboration and provides tools to researchers who otherwise may not have immediate access to such data. For example, when researchers from Fudan University first listed the entire genome of the novel coronavirus, they made the genetic sequence available to the whole world. This allowed scientists across the world to analyze the genome and break down the virus’s capabilities.  

Despite its great advantages, open source is not flawless. . Although not frequent, open source research and data can lead to the spread of false information and controversial conclusions. There are already precautions against this such as peer reviews however mistakes are unavoidable. There are also some moral questions when it comes to open source research. One question arises when considering that people can use the public information for profit and individual benefit. Another problem is regulations on when and how original scientists should be cited and if they should be cited at all. These questions are insignificant in a crisis as such however it is important to keep them in mind as open sourcing develops and becomes the norm in more industries. 

See this excellent post by a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford for more in depth discussion on how this public health crisis is contributing for science to become more open source.
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Learning from home, is it possible?

3/21/2020

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​BY: EKREM KAYA

With the coronavirus spreading like wild-fire, life for students has drastically changed. Many have found themselves in some sort of mid year break or extended summers. States like Kansas have closed out the school year and 99% of K-12 schools in California are currently closed. This brings out the question: Is school from home possible? And how can students continue learning in a crisis like this? Here are some favorites in online learning:
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G Suite Services
Many school districts already use Google and its services to have an online platform of teaching. Teachers and students have access to tools like Google Classroom and Google Drive where they can communicate and share documents/assignments. Google even provides tools to enable learning in offline environments for those without stable internet access. 

Schoology
A tool similar to Google Classroom, Schoology is utilized by many school districts across the nation. Here, teachers can assign homework and accept submissions by students. Schoology has many tools and resources that make the service an efficient virtual learning environment.

Khan Academy 
A completely free online learning tool, Khan Academy has videos and exercises for all K-12 plus many college level classes. With its diverse parent and teacher resources, you can assign students specific units and track their progress. With AP Exams coming up for many high schoolers, Khan academy can provide great review material. 

Zoom
Zoom provides video communication for an online, collaborative, classroom. Teachers can lead virtual classes in real time with HD quality. Zoom has even made its basic services free in the face of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Open Textbook Libraries
Numerous colleges hold open textbook libraries that can be used free of charge. University of Minnesota has a particularly large collection. These textbooks can be used to study and learn individually. Since they are completely virtual, they are accessible from anywhere as long as you have access to the internet.
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Although these services won’t take the place of teachers and actual classrooms, they are great tools to use in times of emergency such as the one we have at hand. This is a time to use for self development and it is important to realize that the world does not stop. College Board has already declared that AP Exams will not be canceled so continuing education is essential for studens’ futures.
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