On Feb. 23, students in Math and Science Research attended LISEF, the Long Island Science and Engineering Fair. These students had prepared projects during the summer with professional researchers who guided them through the process. The selection to have an opportunity to compete was a rigorous one, with over 25 eligible competitors at Schreiber, contestants had to be pared down to 13 of the best projects. After logging countless hours of laboratory research, writing research papers and displaying their findings on a tri-fold board, students had to present their projects to Ms. Marla Ezratty, Ms. Tina-Marie Gallagher and Mr. John Schineller, the research teachers of Schreiber.
“It is always pretty nerve racking presenting in front of your teacher, but especially so when you know that this person is judging you and a big decision will be made off that one presentation,” said junior competitor Carolyn Blumberg.
Students were chosen based upon the strength and quality of their project, their presentation skills, and their overall enthusiasm for their project and attending LISEF. Projects ranged from studying cerebral spinal fluid to analyzing plant genes infected with disease. Thirteen of Schreiber’s students participated in round one and only five students moved to the second round. Juniors Carolyn Blumberg and Madeline Fagen, and seniors Sabina Unni, Sam Goldman and Chris Wilson will compete in round 2 on March 12. The amount of students who moved on is a testament to the difficulty of the competition.
Founded in 1986, Col. Charles Duggan founded LISEF in an effort to inspire Long Island student to excel in fields of math and science. As Long Island’s excellence and work in science and math has grown, the competition has increased exponentially. Approximately 550 students participated this year and 33% of students moved on.
“It’s a nice feeling to advance, and it’s definitely a testament to the work we do in research. But I think my goals are a little loftier than making it to the second day, and I know there’s still work to be done,” said Goldman.