In 2002, our interns were recruited from the NASA Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program (SHARP) PLUS on the Cornell campus. This was a research-based mentorship program that was initiated in 1993. The program was conducted by the QEM Network for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

During their eight-week SHARP PLUS research experiences, apprentices work with industry- or university-based mathematics, science, and engineering (MSE) professionals and engage in "hands-on"research. In addition, students live on a college campus, participate in a variety of enrichment activities, and establish relationships with a diversity of other SHARP PLUS apprentices.

Awards - Based on their internship work, two interns - Juliet and Roshan - proceeded to win the top team prize in the 2002-03 Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology.

Intern: Roshan Prabhu

School: William L Dickinson High School

Final Presentation

Internship Mentor: Michael Thomson

In his own words:

"The NASA SHARP PLUS summer program was a wonderful experience where I was given the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people with similar interests from all across the country and work on a research project with professional, trained scientists and researchers. During the eight-week duration of the program, I worked in the McCouch Rice Lab. My project was "Using Computer Tools for Gene Mapping in Rice". This was a small, yet significant part of the larger international Rice Genome Project. Everyone at the McCouch Rice Lab was very helpful in all aspects of the completion of the research project. This program and the McCouch Lab have opened up my eyes to new fields of study, such as computational biology. The NASA SHARP PLUS program was without doubt a great once in a lifetime opportunity to work on a professional level with prestigious scientists and at the same time, have fun meeting and learning about different people. The NASA SHARP PLUS program has made my summer an unforgettable one."

Intern: Juliet Girard

School: William L Dickinson High School

Year

Final Presentation

Hobbies

Internship Mentor: Michael Thomson

In her own words:

"This summer I had a wonderful experience working at the McCouch lab. I had the pleasure of working with a post-doctorate fellow named Michael Thomson as well as some other very talented researchers on a project involving rice genetics. I used lab techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR, and gel electrophoresis. The objective of my research was to finely map the genes that control flowering time in a wild rice relative. To do this project, I worked in the lab as well as in the greenhouse. I learned how to check the phenotypes of the plants and also score the genotypes. I worked on this project as part of the NASA Sharp plus program. I had the pleasure of working in the lab with 2 other "Sharpies". This program was a great experience for me. It has given me a once in a lifetime opportunity to explore my dream career while still in high school. I also got to learn many new and important lab techniques that I would get to learn in high school. I strongly recommend this program to anyone who has a love for science or a passion for research."

Intern: Tracey Pugh

School

Year

Hobbies

Internship Mentor: Endang Septiningshi (Septi)

In her own words:

"Three O. rufipogon-derived QTL targets, ph1.1, pl1.1, and gw1.1, which were clustered in the long ann of chromosome 1 were previously identified based on a QTL study using a BC2F2 population. The QTLs are being confirmed both in the field in Indonesia and in the greenhouse at Comell. It has been proven that the plant height and panicle length QTLs were controlled by a single pleiotropic gene,gibberellin (GA) 20- oxidase, while the grain weight QTL was shown to be independent. In this study, gw1.1 is being researched for further analysis in a BC3F2 population. The genomic region for the QTL gw1.1 was narrowed down to 8 cM from the plant height and panicle length QTLs. Seven novel SSR markers developed from Nipponbare cv. rice genomic sequence and one mapped SSR marker (RM 431) were used for genotyping. Phenotypic data will be done as soon as the seeds are ready to harvest. Data analysis will then be done based on the correlation between the genotypic and phenotypic data. The objective of this study is to narrow down the QTL region and finally to identify the gene responsible for grain weight."