Regional Scholars Research Project
Topics 1998 -- Present
1998: Find and present interesting and non-trivial
examples of geometry in each of the following major areas of science; biology,
chemistry, and physics.
1999: Theme: Water
Experts agree that restoring
water flow in the
2000: Theme:
Space
Suppose a spherical asteroid
with a diameter of 5 kilometers and a density of 2500 kilograms per cubic meter
strikes in the Gulf of Mexico just west of Tampa, Florida, at latitude 28 North
and longitude 83 West, on March 13, 2000.
Suppose the asteroid strikes from a nearly vertical angle, with a
velocity of 15 kilometers per second.
Material is ejected from the resulting crater with a maximum velocity of
4 kilometers per second. Describe the
probable biological, chemical, physical, and environmental effects from the
time of impact extending to one year after impact. Your analysis should include, but is not
limited to, the following items.
1. The energy of the impact.
2. The effects from ejecta fall-out.
3. Climatological
effects.
4. How the impact affects
the appearance of
5. Seismic effects.
2001: Theme:
Health Systems
The high incidence of skin
cancers in humans is an important medical problem. The major types of skin cancer are basal cell
carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and
melanoma. Describe each of these types
of skin cancer and discuss their causes (both genetic and environmental). Determine the rate of change in incidence for
each of these three types of skin cancer in the
2002: Theme: Citrus
Insects and similar pests
have a significant negative impact on the citrus industry. Discuss the following concerning the medfly, citrus mite, and the root weevil:
1. the
extent of current infestation in
2. relevant
models which can map the spreading of each.
3. current
methods of control for each.
Keeping in mind ecological
and economic impacts, propose a new way of dealing with such pests. Include concepts from each of biology,
chemistry, mathematics and physics in your development of control strategies
and the means to test their effectiveness.
2003: Theme: Modern Marvels of Construction:
The Roller Coaster
Roller Coasters are modern
marvels of construction that require the application of significant concepts
from biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, and statistics to make them
safe, enjoyable rides for the general public.
Describe how each of these five disciplines contributes to the design,
construction, and operation of a modern roller coaster. A good project will show clearly how the
disciplines are critical to the development, construction, and operation of a
roller coaster, and will include an analysis of the materials and construction
techniques that are used, as well as an analysis of the physiological effects
on the human body.
2004: Theme: Modern Marvels of Construction:
Space Stations
Suppose that the current
national government has decided to develop on the surface of the moon a
scientific complex that will house 25 astronauts. NASA has been ordered to
study the scientific requirements for this project. You lead a team of
scientists and engineers charged with analyzing the engineering and
environmental design for certain specific elements of this proposed
facility. Your group has been given the
following assumptions and constraints:
a. The entire inventory of men,
women, and equipment that will be needed for construction has a maximum mass of
100 metric tons and a maximum volume of 15,000 cubic meters.
b. A fleet of three ships,
all comparable in size, energy requirements, and carrying capacity to the
current space shuttles, will be used to transport the men, women, and materials
from the current International Space Station (ISP) to the lunar surface. These ships will be capable of landing on the
moon and returning to the ISP.
c. The complex must be
constructed and operational within 5 years.
You must develop a
preliminary report for NASA that includes the following:
1. A discussion of the
minimum energy requirements needed to transport from the existing ISP to the
lunar surface the entire mass necessary to construct the complex.
2. A determination of the
likely muscle atrophy and bone density loss in the reduced gravity of the moon,
based upon current studies showing that astronauts in a zero gravity
environment will experience muscle atrophy and bone density loss at a known
rate; and an estimate of the amount of time that a scientist could remain on
the lunar surface before his/her muscle atrophy or bone density loss reached
8%.
3. A discussion of the
operation and design of photocells for the lunar environment (power generation
by photocells will be the energy source for the complex); also, assuming the
complex will require 50 kilowatts of electricity per hour, an estimate of the
number of photocells required to provide this power.
4. A discussion of the distribution
of the sizes of space objects hitting the lunar surface; and, assuming that
this distribution is uniform across the surface of the moon, a determination of
the strength required of the material for a shield on a photocell so that the
failure rate due to impact by space objects will meet the six-sigma criterion
(assume that all such objects will strike perpendicular to the shield).
2005: Modern Marvels of Construction:
Artificial Hearts
The first completely
permanent artificial heart transplant in a human was performed in 1982. The recipient lived for 112 days. For several years following that first
transplant, the operation was performed on a number of patients; however, none
of them survived for very long.
Recently, though, artificial heart designs and implantation techniques
have shown great promise for extending the lives and activity levels of some
patients with advanced heart disease.
Your project is to analyze
artificial heart designs and to produce a research paper on your findings.
Your paper should include a
brief history of these modern marvels of technological construction, a history
that includes a discussion of the flaws of artificial hearts and also a
statistical analysis of the data associated with current devices. In it, you also should identify changes that
make today's artificial hearts superior to the original ones. The remainder of your paper should discuss
the following issues in the order they are listed:
1.
The
mechanical and electrical operation of such devices.
2.
The
resistance of blood flowing through blood vessels, as determined by the sizes
of the blood vessels and the length of the flow path.
3.
The
transfer of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and other substances between the blood and
surrounding tissue, including the chemical and biological aspects of such
transfers, and the effect of these on the design and operation of artificial
hearts.
4.
The
manner in which artificial hearts respond to the demand caused by changes in
activity levels of the host.
5.
The
main technical design difficulty or other shortcoming of current artificial
heart prototypes you have identified in your research, and your suggested
solution for this problem.
2006: Theme: The Power of Nature: Hurricanes
The year 2005 set many
records for hurricanes in the Atlantic basin.
Your research project is to study hurricanes and to prepare a research
report that provides an analysis of the immediate and the long-term effect of a
hurricane on the ecosystems of the
i) The radius of the storm’s
eye is 25 km, and hurricane-force winds extend 200 km out from the center;
ii) The storm’s eye makes
landfall in Everglades City as a minimal Category 5 hurricane the Florida
peninsula as a minimal Category 4 hurricane; and,
iii) The storm surge is 5 meters and hits the coastline at mean high
tide.
Your report also should
include a calculation of the estimated kinetic energy of the storm at landfall,
and an explanation of that amount of energy in terms that would be of meaning to
the general public.
2007: Theme: Energy
Energy
generation and use that is based on sources other than fossil fuels, sources
commonly called alternative energy sources, is receiving increased attention
lately due to fluctuations in oil prices. Many possibilities for alternative
energy are currently being explored and implemented to varying degrees.
Your project is
to choose one alternative energy
source and to discuss in detail specific applications of science and
mathematics to the research, development, implementation, and evaluation of
that energy source. Although the choice is yours to make, a good project will
consider an alternative energy source that allows you to discuss significant
applications of all of the following:
Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Mathematics
Physics
Statistics
2008: Theme: Artificial Light Sources
There are three major methods for indoor lighting
currently in use or under development. These three are: incandescent lighting,
compact fluorescent (CF) light bulbs, and light-emitting diode (LED)
technology. All three produce artificial light using different mechanisms, and
are in different stages of development and/or deployment in the
Your project consists of three parts:
1. Compare and contrast the
relative advantages and disadvantages of each technology. Be sure to address
the following factors:
- physical
mechanisms for generating light,
- energy
use and associated overall costs of production and operation,
- lifetime
and reliability,
- disposal
and reclamation issues (e.g. hazardous waste),
- spectra of light produced, and associated
claims of psychological and health effects.
2. Suppose
3. Suppose you are hired as
a consultant to a developer who is planning construction of a large office
building. Which mix of lighting technologies would you recommend and why? The
developer wants to have the building ready for occupancy by January 2010.
A good
analysis will focus on applications of all
of the following subjects to all
parts of the project:
Biology, Chemistry,
Mathematics, Physics, Statistics
2009:
Theme: Lasers and Their Uses
Since
their invention in 1960, lasers have found a wide variety of applications across
all areas of science and technology, and have become a part of everyday life.
This project concerns the generation, use, and future potential of laser light.
This project consists of three parts:
- Discuss
how laser light is generated, including the differences between laser
light and ordinary light and how different laser wavelengths are obtained
from different sources. Discuss how the possible uses of lasers depend on
the wavelength of the light generated, as well as the power input.
- Discuss
connections of lasers with the fields of biology, chemistry, mathematics,
physics, and statistics. These connections may be applications of the
science to the theory, generation, and uses of laser light, or the
application of lasers to
scientific research and/or technology development.
- Finally,
use your knowledge of the current status of lasers to predict at least two
future applications of lasers.
These may be applications to laboratory research or to commercial technology.
Describe in detail why you think these applications will come about, how
you think they will be used, and the role science and mathematics will
play in their development.
A good analysis will focus
on applications of all of the
following subjects to all parts of
the project:
Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics, Statistics.