Gatton Academy Student Named Semifinalist In 2008 Siemens Competition

November 06, 2008

Bowling Green, Ky. - Dalton Hubble, a senior at the Carol Martin Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky and John Hardin High School, has been selected as a semifinalist in the 2008 Siemens Competition in Math, Science, and Technology.

Hubble’s research entitled “Fabrication of Poly(2-Hydroxyethyl Methacrylate) by Hot Filament Chemical Vapor Deposition” was conducted this past summer as part of the influential Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s summer research program. The results of his project include implications for improving the tailoring of specialized polymers for a variety of biomedical and tissue engineering applications.

Hubble was one of only three Kentucky students to be honored in the 2008 competition and the first student at the Gatton Academy at Western Kentucky University to receive recognition.
 
“We are very excited to have our first student honored as part of this prestigious competition,” said Gatton Academy director Tim Gott. “Dalton is an outstanding young scholar who will set the standard for student excellence both in and out of the classroom in our program for years to come.”

The Siemens Competition – a signature program of the Siemens Foundation, the national leader in supporting STEM education with contributions surpassing $7 million each year – is the nation’s premier science research competition for high school students. The annual competition, administered by the College Board, awards college scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000 in individual and team categories.

This year, 1,893 students registered to enter the Siemens Competition with a total of 1,205 projects submitted – this includes an increase of more than 10 percent in team and individual project submissions and an increase of more than 16 percent in the number of registrations. Again surpassing last year’s totals, 311 students from 33 states were named semifinalists, with 96 students honored as regional finalists who will compete at one of six regional competitions in November. A complete list of semifinalists and regional finalists is available at www.siemens-foundation.org.

About the Siemens Foundation: The Siemens Foundation provides more than $7 million annually in support of educational initiatives in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math in the United States. Its signature programs, the Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology and Siemens Awards for Advanced Placement, reward exceptional achievement in science, math and technology. The newest program, The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge, encourages K12 students to develop innovative green solutions for environmental issues. By supporting outstanding students today, and recognizing the teachers and schools that inspire their excellence, the Foundation helps nurture tomorrow’s scientists and engineers. The Foundation’s mission is based on the culture of innovation, research and educational support that is the hallmark of Siemens’ U.S. companies and its parent company, Siemens AG. For more information, visit www.siemens-foundation.org.

About the Gatton Academy: The Gatton Academy offers a residential program for bright, highly motivated Kentucky high school students who have demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Sixty students each year are admitted to the program through a competitive process. Instead of spending their junior and senior years in traditional high schools, students enroll in the Gatton Academy and live in a uniquely dedicated Gatton Academy residence hall. The goals of the Gatton Academy are to enable Kentucky’s exceptional young scientists and mathematicians to learn in an environment which offers advanced educational opportunities and to prepare them for leadership roles in Kentucky.  Taking courses offered by WKU, their classmates are fellow Gatton Academy students and WKU undergraduate students. At the end of two years, Gatton Academy students will have earned at least 60 college credit hours in addition to completing high school. The Gatton Academy also seeks to provide its students with the companionship of peers; to encourage students to develop the creativity, curiosity, reasoning ability and self-discipline that lead to independent thought and action; and to aid students in developing integrity that will enable them to benefit society. For more about the Gatton Academy, visit www.wku.edu/academy.      
               
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For information, contact Corey Alderdice at (270) 745-2971.