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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015 In this issue

YOUNG INVENTORS COMPETITION 2015 UNDERWAY

Winners of the SRC Young Inventors/ Innovators Competition 2015 will be decided on April 16, 2015 at the Karl Hendrickson Auditorium, Jamaica College.

Young Inventors Competition under way Jonathan Grant Club Induction Poster competion winners Meet the New SRC ED

PRIMARY

The competition whose deadline expired March 13, 2015, has been shortlisted down to 4 primary and 5 secondary schools. The shortlisted Schools are:

Half-Way-Tree Primary

Seaview Gardens Primary Sunderland Primary

SECONDARY

Manchester High Charlemont High School Victor Dixon Waterford High Manning's School May Day High Vere Technical

ENTRY

Project Green:Mission 2030 Plant Genetics Blue Print World of Plastic The Garbage Slugger

ENTRY

Pumpkin Power The Smart Room Aerobic Electric Generator Carbon Dioxide Air Filter The Ferrigatory Process Jackfruit Boost Ornamental Fish Food

On April 16 the Schools will display their prototype and present to judges their final invention/ innovation idea.

The SRC has been ably supported this year by two sponsors; The Development Bank of Jamaica and the Jamaica Public Service Foundation.

www.facebook.com/ssts.src

@ssts_src

The day’s activities will include judging in the morning followed by robotics demonstrations viewing of the entries and awards ceremony including performances.

Courtesy of the Jamaica Public Service Foundation, The Development Bank of Jamaica and Lasco the winning schools and their teachers will be awarded cash prizes, trophies and other tokens.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION YOU MAY CONTACT THE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION UNIT: 1 ssts.src@gmail.com OR steu@src-jamaica.org Telephone: (876) 927-1771-4 Fax: (876) 927-0806 Email: Editor: Ms. Felicia Bailey

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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015

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JONATHAN GRANT’S 20 YEAR OLD SCIENCE CLUB INDUCTS NEW MEMBERS

On March 11, 2015 Jonathan Grant High School in Spanish Town inducted its new members and executive body of its Schools’ Science and Technology Society (SSTS) which has been part of the school for over 20 years.

Attending the ceremony were well-wishers, members of the School’s administrative body including the Principal, Vice Principal, club coordinators and teachers along with representatives from the Science Technology and Education Unit (STEU), SRC.

Lero cate cere Eco

The ceremony was moderated by Science teacher, Mr. Lasal Simpson who ably guided the proceedings while provided timely and relevant Technical Information Officer in the Science and information about the importance of science and technology and the Technology Education Unit, Felicia Bailey pins a need for ethics in the conduct of research.

new member of the Club.

The extensive preparation for the day was evident in the organization of the program, the execution of the different activities and the participation of students and staff alike on the day.

Guest speaker for the event Ms. Amanda McKenzie, Coordinator of the STEU, drew attention to the many opportunities available to the students by virtue of being part of the Schools Science and Technology Society and also highlighted the variety of career possibilities associated with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Students were encouraged to be cognizant of their role as a Jamaican as well as a global citizen and to embrace the symbolic pining as a member of the SSTS as a commitment to work assiduously for

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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015

the development of the country and world through the pursuit of science and technology.

Members were pinned by: Ms. Felicia Bailey (Technical Information Officer of the STEU), Ms. Danielle Strachan (Volunteer with the STEU), Dr. O. Ankle (Principal, Jonathan Grant High School), Ms. Shippey (Vice Principal, Jonathan Grant High School), and Mr James Davis (Acting Vice Principal).

Guest speaker Amanda McKenzie addressing attendees at the induction ceremony.

Members of the club listening attentively during the induction ceremony to guest speaker, Amanda Mc.Kenzie from the Scienctific Research Council .

KEMPS HILL HIGH AND STELLA MARIS COP TOP PRIZES IN SRC/UWI/UNEP ‘GREEN ECONOMY POSTER COMPETITION’

Lerone Powel of Kemps Hill High and Jada Grey of Stella Maris Prep. both went home with the top prizes in their categories at the SRC/UWI/UNEP ‘Green Economy Poster Competition Awards ceremony held as part of the UWI/UNEP Green Economy Conference on February 23 at the Jamaica Pegasus.

Lerone entered two pieces in the competition and is one of Kemps Hill’s most talented Visual Arts students. This year is the first year the school has participated in the competition.

Kemps Hill High located in rural Clarednon was mentored by Ms. Darnell Walker, who will retire at the end of this year, as the head of the School's Visual Arts Department.

Ms. Jennese Guy, the art teacher at Stella Marris Prep. has been entering students in the competition for many years. Ms. Guy has had an impeccable record in the competition and seems to have Winner of the secondary category, Lerone Powell shows grasped the idea of what judges are looking for in a competition an attendee at the UWI/UNEP Green Economy conference of this nature; guiding her students to victory year after year. some finer details of his winning poster.

This year Ms. Guy’s student, Jada Grey has come out victorious among her peers. Jada also entered two pieces in the competition.

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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015 Always in close competition with Ms. Guy’s students are Mr. Dane Julius’ students. Mr. Julius is a teacher at Cornaldi Avenue Primary in St. James who has also over the years excelled in the completion. This year Mr. Julius has 4 entries among the top six.

Winner of the primary category, Jada Grey accepts her winning trophy.

Signs will be erected at the two winning schools congratulating them and highlighting the winning poster in the respective category, naming the winning student as artist.

First to sixth place winners of the poster competion and their teachers pose with represenatives from the SRC, UWI and UNEP.

Asad Naqvi (left), economic affairs officer, green economy team at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), draws Climate Change Minister Robert Pickersgill's attention to a feature on this poster titled 'Look Don’t Touch' designed by a student of Mona Prep.

The poster was among others displayed at the opening of the Caribbean Green Economy Conference at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015

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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015

MEET THE NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AT THE SCIENCTIFIC RESEARCH Guest writer: Danielle Strachan

COUNCIL; CLIFF RILEY (PHD)

The new executive director has been appointed as of February 2015, he is Cliff Riley(PhD).

Dr. Riley has worked in several capacities including, Associate Professor and Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research in the College of Health Sciences at the University of Technology, Associate Director of Research and Grants at Northern Caribbean University and Research Scientist at the Scientific Research Council.

Dr. Riley’s early days started in Golden Grove, St. Ann where he lived with his parents and five siblings. He attended the Golden Grove All Age and was known as an ardent reader. By the age of 8, he had completed reading his sisters’ CXC Chemistry text books. His diligence was reflected in his studies which saw him completing the CXC CSEC Human and Social Biology examination in the fourth form, he was the first in the school’s history to receive a 95% average in the subject Agriculture and by the end of the 11th grade he had attained 13 CSEC passes.

In 2006 Dr. Riley was awarded the JPS/SRC Young Scientist of the Year, in 2007 he received the Northern Caribbean University President Award for Research and in 2009 copped the Taylor Hall-Attica Fraternity Award for Outstanding Contribution to Society. In the following year he received the UWI Mona Principal Award for Best Publication and the UTech, Jamaica President Award for Research.

He attributes much of his academic achievements and chosen career path to the SRC and considers his current role as an ideal opportunity to positively influence students by encouraging them to strive for their goals and aspirations. As an undergraduate at the University of the West Indies he benefitted from the SRC Summer Attachment Programme where he worked as an assistant on the Artemia Project and got further exposure to Fish Culture. This experience would set the stage for his work in research and tissue culture. Having experienced the impact of the Summer Attachment Programme, Dr. Riley has committed to re-implement the Summer Attachment Programme.

The straight talker and hard working Dr. Riley speaks highly of his older siblings and holds in high esteem his brother Dr. Vincent Riley, who is a medical doctor and is now completing his second specialization at the Royal School in Canada. Dr Riley is married to Dr. Nadale Downer-Riley, a synthetic chemist he met while in graduate school.

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Volume 5, Issue 4 January-March 2015

CATCH THE BUZZ FOR THE QUARTER APRIL – JUNE 2015

SPECIAL ONLINE SPACES FOR SCIENCE CLUBS

Members of science clubs across the island can now upload their information to our online database.

You can win exciting prizes just by doing so!!!!!!!!!!!

Why should you sign up?

•Greater access to our programs •Be in the know about activities taking place in the Schools Science and Technology Societies across the island

The SRC website has been updated to host a special section just for Science clubs in Schools.

Through this section schools are able to post activities of the club, pictures,videos and members are able to contact other Science Clubs.

This section will also provide information on upcoming events and competitions for Science Clubs, and where possible scholarships and other opportunities for students.

What should you do?

To sign up simply click the link below and select the 'JOIN NOW’ button.

Students willl then be prompted to fill out the form onscreen.

http://src.gov.jm/information-services/science-tech-education/ssts-clubs/ We also ask for you to send us your feedback and suggestions.

ALSO LIKE OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: https://www.facebook.com/ssts.src 7