2021 Carmel Science Research Symposium

Senior 

The Correlation Between Climate and Lead Poisoning Cases in Young Children. 

Lead poisoning occurs when lead builds up in the body over an extended duration of time. Even small amounts of lead can cause serious health problems. Children younger than six are especially vulnerable to lead poisoning, which can severely affect mental and physical development and at times be fatal. Lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust in older buildings are the most common sources of lead poisoning in children. However, other sources of lead include contaminated air, water and soil. There is growing evidence of seasonality in childhood lead poisoning. It has been shown that circulating lead is seasonally mobilized from the body burden, meaning that the present lead in the body is more pronounced in the warmer months. Further, earth’s climate has previously been shown to affect lead pollution. It has been found that lead pollution has been curbed by the greenhouse effect. 

The purpose of Rose’s study is to determine how incidences of lead pollution are affected by air temperature, heat index, fine particulate matter, precipitation, daily sunlight, and land surface temperature. It was hypothesized that there would be positive correlations between lead poisoning cases in children and a more intense climate. In order to conduct this research, the CDC Wonder database was used to compare the blood lead levels by state with the air temperature, heat index, fine particulate matter, precipitation, daily sunlight and land surface temperature of that state. A weak positive correlation between fine particulate matter and blood lead level was found as well as a weak negative correlation between temperature and blood lead level. This meant that as fine particulate matter increased there was a subsequent increase in the amount of lead in children’s blood. Further, in states with warmer temperatures the amount of lead in the blood decreased, rather than increasing as expected.  

Outside of science research Rose’s favorite classes are biology and English. She likes to play the piano, draw, read, and play tennis. She hopes to further pursue her career in science in college and become a doctor.  

Acknowledgements 

Mrs. Griffin  

My science research peers 

 Abraham Rose Research presentation.pptx 

Senior 

Knowledge of Food Allergy in a New York Public School District 

Each year in the United States alone, 150 to 200 people die from food allergy-related reactions. These reactions occur as a result of the immune system’s adverse response to proteins in foods that the body deems to be a foreign invader. Symptoms typically include rash, swelling, hives, and anaphylaxis, which is life-threatening. According to Food Allergy Research and Education (FARE), approximately one in every thirteen children has a food allergy. This becomes a serious issue when it comes to managing food allergy in schools. The literature demonstrates that overall, school staff feel that there is a lack of professional contact for food allergy information, and most doubt their own ability to manage allergies. Few studies have looked to discover a link between specific factors relating to participants’ experience with food allergy and knowledge scores. 

The purpose of Ariana’s study was to determine if there was a relationship between participants’ knowledge levels regarding food allergy and 1) whether they had a family member (including themselves) with food allergy, 2) whether they had attended professional development in the past 5 years, 3) whether they were first-aid certified, and 4) whether they were an instructional staff member. She distributed an online survey consisting of 15 multiple choice questions to staff members of a New York public school district. Chi-square analyses were used to conclude that there was no significant relationship between any of the selected values and knowledge scores. She hopes that her research brings more awareness to the serious implications of school staff members having low levels of understanding of food allergies. 

Outside of school, Ariana loves to spend time with her family, read, and play violin. She is the Vice President of the Patterson Library’s Teen Leadership Council and started a project during the pandemic dedicated to crocheting hats for cancer patients in the community. She is also a member of NHS, Tri-M, and Science Club. Ariana plans to major in biology or biochemistry in college and to pursue a career in medicine. 

Acknowledgments: 

Mrs. Griffin 

Her family 

Her mentor, Dr. Craig Osleeb 

Her Science Research peers 

Senior 

Urban Coyote (Canis latrans) Habitation on Long Island and its Implications 

Originally thought of as occupying the mid-western part of America, coyotes have been expanding throughout the country and have included urban areas to their list of inhabited sites. Coyotes have only recently inhabited New York City, however, it is important to learn where coyotes may inhabit in the future in order to effectively educate residents of their new canine neighbors. This expansion of coyote range has caused alarm for people, since the expansion increases the chance of Human-Coyote Interactions. Although rare, there is a chance of a coyote attack on humans and the risk to pets is greater. Research in the area of urban ecology is important in order to keep people, their pets, and wildlife safe. 

Cara has been studying urban coyote home range and habitat size through the Wildlife Technician Program at the Mianus River Gorge in Bedford. Urban coyotes were located in New York City and habitat sizes were calculated and compared among eight coyotes. The usable habitat (forest and grassland) was measured throughout Long Island and compared to the habitat amounts of coyotes located in New York City. Cara was able to determine sites throughout Long Island that appear suitable for future coyote habitation utilizing a heat map she created. Cara found that coyotes can live in a large variety of habitat sizes and places where coyotes were directly observed had more forest and grassland available as seen in the heat map she created. 

Cara is an honors student and a member of Carmel High School Mentors, Italian American Club, the National Honor Society, and the World Language Honor Society. She is also part of the Mianus River Gorge Wildlife Technician Program – a three-year research internship in the natural sciences. In her free time, Cara enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing the piano, reading, and listening to music. 

Acknowledgements: 

Her family and friends, especially her parents and brother 

Mrs. Griffin and her science research peers 

Her mentor, Dr. Chris Nagy from the Mianus River Gorge Wildlife Technician Program 

 zoom_0.mp4

 Galli Cara Symposium Presentation Final 03-07-2021.pptx 

Senior  

Does the Addition of Sulfates in the Tri-State Area, Influence the Amount of Sunlight and Radiation Coming to and back from Space? 

Did you know that over the last century the climate has risen 0.75°? Also, that over 7,450 residents of the Tri-State Area are diagnosed with melanoma annually. These captivating facts is what lead William to his research project this year.  

The goal of the project is to show the viewer that the addition of aerosol sulfates will help lower solar radiation in cities and the surrounding area. By using the climate model RRTM (The Rapid Radiative Transfer Model), William was able to conduct my research and find out how the atmosphere will react around cities with the addition of sulfates. The model would develop a graph chart which then he would take to display his results. The result was that, with the correct variable settings, the atmosphere would lose 24.1 watts per meter squared, resulting in a decrease of atmospheric temperature.  

Outside of Science Research, William likes to play sports and do musical theater. He is on the Varsity Cross-Country team, the Varsity Bowling team and the Varsity Lacrosse team while having a role in the school’s musical. While William is not in school, he likes fishing, hiking, hanging out with friends, going to the beach, and going to the gym.    

Acknowledgements: William would like to thank his friends; family and his Science Research peers for helping through his project. But a special thanks to Mrs. Griffin for all her work through the 3-years William has been in this course, for helping with any problem William has encountered and being a mentor throughout the years. 

 Science Research Powerpoint 2020-2021.pptx 

 Sebastian Monge Presentation.pdf Opens in a new browser tab  

Senior  

 The Correlation Between Lactose Intolerance and Coronary Heart Disease, Breast Cancer, and Obesity 

Dairy products are rich and inexpensive sources of calcium, but contain large quantities of lactose. This condition is quite common, especially among East Asian nations. Lactose Intolerance is a condition which prevents individuals from  breaking down the disaccharide lactose. This condition is found in 65% of the human population. Because the consumption of dairy for a lactose intolerant person can yield quite uncomfortable side effects, many who are lactose intolerant choose not to consume dairy products. Consequently, if lactose intolerance is found in a large percentage of a population, the population would also consume fewer dairy-based products.  

The goal of Olivia’s research was to uncover whether or not the rates of the three diseases she studied (coronary heart disease, breast cancer, and obesity) were correlated to rates of lactose intolerance throughout 30 countries. It was concluded from her study that countries with the highest rates of lactose intolerance, and therefore most limited dairy consumption, demonstrated the lowest rates of death resulting from coronary heart disease, death resulting from breast cancer, and percent of population diagnosed with obesity. Although there are other variables which may be responsible for these trends, the weak, indirect correlations between the rates of lactose intolerance cases per country and the rates of death resulting from coronary heart disease, death resulting from breast cancer, and percent of population diagnosed with obesity per country demonstrate that increased dairy intake may result in higher rates of these three diseases.  

Aside from science research, Olivia serves as the Carmel High School student body president, plays clarinet, participates in the school musical as a part of the cast, and dedicates much of her time to volunteer work, specifically with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Olivia has also run on the Carmel High School varsity track & field and cross country teams for many years.  

Olivia would like to thank her parents, Mrs. Griffin, her peers, and her mentor, James Wildman, for their ongoing support and inspiration.  

 Research PPT copy.pptx 

Senior 

Proximity to a Hazardous Waste Landfill and the Occurrence of Preterm Births in the Lower Hudson Valley Region 

Hazardous waste landfills have been an increasing concern to not only the environment, but also human health. When leachate, a hazardous substance, diffuses through the protective covering surrounding the landfill, it can consequently contaminate surrounding groundwater, soil, and air. Through these routes, dangerous toxins can enter the bodies of unsuspecting residents and bring about adverse health effects. Additionally, pregnant women are particularly susceptible to the adverse health effects. Previous studies have focused on how a mother’s distance to a landfill can cause different congenital diseases in the newborn. However, how proximity to a landfill can increase the occurrences of preterm births in a certain area has limited research. Being the leading cause of death in infants, premature births are a major public health issue throughout the United States and has been linked to environmental causes.  

In this study, preterm birth data was collected from areas surrounding three landfills in the lower Hudson Valley region that have been identified as hazardous by the EPA: the Warwick, Hertel and Ramapo. Zip code regions closest the hazardous landfill site were deemed as the experimental sites, and areas furthest away in proximity to the site were deemed comparison areas correspondingly. Afterwards, data on birth percentages and neonatal death rates were compared between experiment and comparison areas in each focus area and analyzed with t-tests and covariance calculations. To account for possible confounding variables, an ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) test was done between preterm birth percentages and the quality of prenatal care in each area. After statistical analysis, it was concluded that proximity to a had an overall insignificant impact on the occurrences of preterm births. However, future research would focus on collecting data specific to each site and focusing on specific chemical exposures to leachate as well as measures that can be taken to prevent exposure.  

Outside of Science Research, Michelle is a violinist in the Carmel Highschool Symphony Orchestra, a member of the Tri-M Music Honors Society, and the Vice President of Science Club. During her free time, she loves making art, creating music, and writing. Beyond high school, she wishes to major in either psychology or environmental sciences. 

Acknowledgements:                     Mrs. Griffin         Her mentor, Frank Bove        Her family and peers for their support and guidance 

 Science Research Pres Michelle Shaffer.pptx 

Senior  

Sensitivity of Spartina alterniflora Aboveground Biomass Estimates to Imaging Parameters and Model Types 

Coastal salt marshes sequester large quantities of “blue carbon” in plant biomass and sediments, in addition to providing numerous other valuable ecosystem functions and services, including storm and erosion protection, water filtration, and habitat provisions. However, these ecosystems are increasingly threatened by external stressors, such as rising sea levels, pollution, and land conversion, which result in large losses of tidal marsh habitat and threaten salt marsh vegetation, the most prominent of which is the species Spartina alterniflora, making the measurement of plant biomass critical for understanding how carbon storage may be affected and how conservation efforts may be improved. Given that field studies are often challenging to carry out on a large scale in salt marshes, remote sensing is a valuable tool for assessing aboveground plant biomass (AGB).  

This study aims to create predictive models of three stressors (leaf nitrogen, porewater salinity, and porewater oxidation-reduction potential (ORP)) using hyperspectral imagery. Using hyperspectral imaging data and salt marsh chronosequence from the barrier island Hog Island in Virginia, the spectral and biophysical responses from field plots were used to create predictive models of stress, which were then applied to a series of marsh chronosequence sites that range in age and degree of stressor impact. After applying statistical analyses such as ANOVA, Tukey HSD, and Pearson correlation tests, in addition to imagery analyses through the program ENVI in order to examine different parameters, models were developed successfully for a range of salinity and leaf nitrogen content using both vegetation indices and reflectance data. The development of these spectral models may provide an efficient way to evaluate marsh states and stressors in the field at a large scale, which can inform marsh management decisions. 

Outside of Science Research, Sandy is the president of Science Club, co-president of NHS, and vice president of Best Buddies. In addition, she loves to read and play tennis in her free time. She plans to major in environmental science and continue pursuing research in college. 

Acknowledgments:  

Mrs. Griffin 

Her mentor, Dr. Charles Bachmann 

Her Science Research Peers 

 Salt Marsh Research Presentation.pptx