The School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt A Part-time Selective STEM Program for Highly Talented High School Students Angela Eeds, Ph. D. Director,

The School for Science and Math at Vanderbilt

A Part-time Selective STEM Program for Highly Talented High School Students

Angela Eeds, Ph. D.Director, SSMV

Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach

Program Overview

• The SSMV, started in 2007, is a partnership with Metro Nashville Public Schools

• Students (grades 9-12) come to the Vanderbilt campus 1 day/week for a research-based curriculum

• PhD scientists are fulltime instructors, with approximately 50 graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty volunteers per year

• 26 students are accepted each year out of ~130 8th grade applicants

• Students are selected for admission based on grades, standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, written essays, and interviews

Class of 2013 Graduates meet with Senator Lamar Alexander

The curriculum includes field-based studies such as at Mammoth Cave

Curriculum

Honors Courses Grade Curriculum Focus

Interdisciplinary Science I9

Taking a hands-on approach to explore questions through interactions with research scientists in various fields Research I

Interdisciplinary Science II10 Implementing group research projects

to investigate scientific questionsResearch II

Interdisciplinary Science III 11

Carrying out an internship with a Vanderbilt research laboratory and Investigating various implications and outputs of scientific researchResearch III

Advanced Research 12

Communicating research outcomes to both the scientific and global public though national science competitions and community-based research projects

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Program Goals

The goals of the SSMV are to graduate students who are:

• Highly skilled in STEM (science, technology, engineering, & math) disciplines;

• Capable of solving complex problems, independently and within groups;

• Successful in research competitions at local, regional, national, and international levels;

• Versed in communicating and utilizing research for community projects;

• Successful at top tier colleges/universities and pursuing STEM related careers;

• Prepared for leadership roles in the scientific, education, and business communities.

Sequencing a gene in endangered

plants

Juniors and seniors work in a campus research laboratory

Student Profile: Graduating Classes of 2011-2017

2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 20170

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AsianHispanicBlackWhite

21 % URM74 M / 85 F

Student Achievements

• 16 Siemens competition semifinalists and 2 regional finalists

• 16 Intel Science Talent Search semifinalists

• 3rd place in the Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge

• 62 student publications in Young Scientist

• 17 total recognitions and three grand prize winners at the Middle TN Science & Engineering Fair

• 3 first place and 15 second place projects (57 students) at the Tennessee Junior Academy of Science annual meeting

• 10 student co-authorships on research publications (Nature Photonics, J Heredity, J Electrochemical Society, Laboratory Investigations, J Mechanical Behavior Biomedical Materials, J Virology)

College Matriculation: Comparison to MNPS Academic Magnet High Schools

Top 50 Col-leges/Univ

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Bowdoin CollegeBrown UniversityBryn Mawr CollegeCentre CollegeCollege of William & MaryColumbia UniversityDartmouth CollegeDavidson CollegeDuke UniversityEmory UniversityGeorgia TechHaverford CollegeMiddlebury CollegeMITPrinceton University

Stanford UniversityTufts UniversityUniv of ChicagoUniv of IllinoisUniv of MichiganUniv of PennsylvaniaUniv of RochesterUniv of Wisconsin Vanderbilt UniversityWake Forest UniversityWashington UnivWellesley CollegeWest Point Williams CollegeYale University

Alumni Profile: Isaiah, SSMV Class of 2011

Bowdoin CollegeErnest F. Hollings Undergraduate ScholarshipMajor: Earth & Oceanographic ScienceMinor: Chemistry

“To me, the best thing about the SSMV is its ability to mold a student's mind around every aspect of science while managing to make every individual's experience unique. The SSMV teaches me how to ask a scientific question and conduct scientific research, however the possibilities are endless when it comes to science. Society will never run out of questions, and the SSMV provides students with a fundamental toolkit to reach any answer.”

Alumni Profile: Busra, SSMV Class of 2013

University of PennsylvaniaQuestBridge College Match Finalist

“SSMV is a phenomenal program that has allowed me to grow tremendously throughout the past four years. I love being in an intellectually stimulating environment with other people that share a passion for science. It has provided me with the remarkable opportunity to conduct research as a high school student. The research experience has been life-changing, opening my eyes to the vast array of opportunities and encouraging me to continue research in the future.”

Thank You

Examining a brain

Extracting Caffeine from tea

Dissecting a bolusPresenting a scientific poster

Perspectives Forum on Einstein

Virginia Shepherd, Ph. D.Professor, Vanderbilt UnivDirector, CSO