The College's Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) took first place in the Technology category at the annual New York State STEP Research Conference March 30-31 at the Albany Marriott.
Sponsored by the state Department of Higher Education, STEP partners with Union College to provide mentors for local high school students, encouraging and inspiring academic achievement and excellence. Union student mentors for this competition included seniors Lorlette Haughton, Simi Koshy, Jeannette Hiciano and Saim Jafri.
More than 65 science projects were accepted into the competition, including two from Union. The winning abstract, “Which Star is Best to Use for Navigation at Night without GPS?” researched whether the North Star (Ursa Minor) was the best star to use for navigation. The project evolved from a summer STEP class that discussed Global Positioning System (GPS).
Students on the winning team included eighth-graders Jocelyn Girigorie from Iroquois Middle School and Diimond Mortimore from Schalmont, along with ninth-grader David Pérez Jr. from Shaker High School. James Hedrick, lecturer, electrical and computer engineering; and Ashraf Ghaly, professor, division of engineering and computer science oversaw the research.
Union's second abstract, “Carbon Dioxide’s Effect on Global Warming” researched the melting behavior of the polar ice caps. Presenting this project were Schenectady High ninth-grader Andrew Brisport and 10th-graders Brandon Burke and Mars Pulley under the direction of Greg Reid, visiting assistant professor of chemistry.
“For the past 20 years, STEP Program has offered participants a sense of purpose and direction, and has challenged students to reach their highest academic potential,” said Gretchel H. Tyson, director of Union’s STEP Program and the Kenney Community Center.
Additional staff and alumni involved with the program include Dapo Akinleye ’02; Tim Cade, systems analyst, Information Technology Services; Deidre Hill Butler, assistant professor, sociology; Stephen G. Romero, assistant professor, psychology; Twitty Styles, professor emeritus, biology; and Elroy Tatem ’06.
The STEP Program at Union hosts Saturday workshops and a summer program and is one of 10 community outreach programs operated out of the Kenney Community Center. For more information on the STEP Program, contact Assistant Director Angela Blair at 518-388-6609.