May 16, 2016

LETTER TO THE COMMUNITY DearPaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrict(PAUSD)Community,WelcometoourinauguralyearoftheAdvancedAuthenticResearch(AAR)programatPaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrict.OurpioneeringAARstudentsareengaginginoriginalresearchinareasthatmatterdeeplytothem,whetherinpursuitoftheiruniquepassion,orintheirexplorationofnewinterests.WorkingwithmentorsandtheAARteamontheirprojects,theyhavedemonstratedtheirabilitytoaskandanswerprofoundreal-worldquestions,tacklechallengingproblems,andinmanycasescontributenewknowledgeorameaningfulworkproducttothefieldinwhichtheystudied.Theresearchopportunitieshavealsoignitedstudentinterestinexploringcareerpathways.TheevidenceoftheAARmissionto“nurturestudentinterestandignitestudentpassionthroughrealworld,hands-onresearch”isdemonstratedintheposterpresentationsfeaturedtonight.Weareproudthatourstudentshadthecouragetoengagedeeplyinthispilotyear.ThesestudentshavepursuedawidearrayofcompellingquestionsrootedinSTEM,Humanities,BusinessandSocialSciencefields.Duringthisyear-longproject,studentsgainedprofessionalexperiencesthatwillequipthemwithcollaborativeandindependentcriticalthinkingskillstobeflexibleandadapttooureverchangingglobalcommunity.Ourlong-termgoalistoprepareourstudentstobringpassion,curiosity,andperseveranceastheysolveproblemsthatdonotexistyet.Wearedeeplyindebtedtoallexpertsandleaderswhohavenurturedandguidedourstudentsthroughoutthisinauguralyear.Theirsteadfastsupport,dedication,andwillingnesstosharetheirpassionswithourstudentsledourstudentstoachieveexcellenceastheypersonalized,integratedandcommunicatedhigh-levelresearch.Withouttheirgenerosity,ourfirstyearwouldnothavebeenpossible.PleasejoinusincelebratingourveryfirstCelebratoryShowcasefeaturingourstudents’extraordinaryaccomplishments!

GlennW.“Max”McGee,Ph.D.JeongV.Choe,Ph.D.Superintendent AdvancedAuthenticResearchCoordinator

THANK YOU Thankyoutothementors,community,PAUSDstaff,andBoardmembers(PresidentHeidiEmberling,VicePresidentTerryGodfrey,MelissaBatenCaswell,CamilleTownsend,KenDauber)formakingthispossible.Wewouldliketothankthefollowingindividuals,organizations,andcommittee:

PaloAltoChamberofCommerce

SiliconValleyTalentPartnership

StanfordUniversityOutreachDepartment

CTESteeringCommittee

CTEAdvisoryCommittee

PaloAltoandHenryM.GunnHighSchoolAdministrators(KimDiorio,DeniseHerrmann,&more)

PAUSDEducationalServicesDepartment(MarkusAutrey,LindaDillon,&more)

PAUSDDigitalPublishingandInformationTechnologysupport(JillKuechle,IsidroPimentel)

JLSstaff(SharonOfek,JudyLukensmeyer,custodialstaff,&more)forsupportingAARandbeingthefirstschooltohostourinauguralclosingevent

PAUSDFuturesProgramstudentsforprovidingdesserts

Volunteers(PeterO’Riordan/ProgramAdvisor,StephanieYoungquist,RenuKumar,&FilomenaU)

Allofourmentors:AdamGundran,AdamJung,AdamYonkers,AliceHahn,AliceShieh,AngelaMerchant,BarbMiller,BarbaraSihKlausner,BarryHart,

BenjaminPinsky,BoYu,BruceLing,CatarinaWilliams,ChrisKolar,ChristopherFarina,DavidWilloughby,DebbieWhitson,DuLi,EldaDzillc,

EricSabelman,EsalaChandrasena,EuniceHung,GiannaGiancarlo,GihaniWijewickrama,HadiHosseini,HarmanJohll,JackBungarden,JedBlack,JeongChoe,JessieDotson,JiaPu,JoeBaker,JoyWu,LeslieBerlin,LiliJiang,

LizMartinez,MalcolmSlaney,MargaretCain,MattYun,MaxMcGee,MiguelFittoria,MinnieHo,NancyCoffey,NatashaDeCaiadoCastro,PabloVillosladaRayRavaglia,RebeccaNavarro,RobertCheung,ScottLew,SeanWu,SteveChien,

SudhanshuPant,TashaSouter,WenonahVercoutere,XueGong,YueWang,&ZhangCheng

Toeveryonethathadadirectorindirectimpactonourprogram,THANKYOU.

PROGRAM HALLMARKS

! AdvancedAuthenticResearch(AAR)beganwithDr.MaxMcGeementoringelevenstudentsinAprilof2015fromGunnandPaloAltoHighSchools.TheprogramexpandedtooverseventystudentsintheFallof2015.

! WehostedaninformationsessioninOctober2015wheremanystudentsandparentsexpressedinterest.

! WehostedourveryfirstOpeningSocialinNovember2015withover160peopleinattendance.Dr.MaxMcGeeandDr.JeongChoecollaboratedinexpandingtheprogramtoinclude76students.Theeveningalsogaveparents,students,mentors,andourAARteam(DeannaChute,AngelaMerchant,MeriGyves,andPeterO’Riordan)achancetomeetandnetwork.

! AARinternationalcollaboratorsvisitedfromSingaporeinNovember2105.Duringtheirvisit,Dr.JamesChangandDr.BarryHartgaveaninspirationalpresentationtoourexchangestudents.

! AngelaMerchant,DeannaChute,andDr.JeongChoewrotethecorecurriculumfortheAARprogram.

! WorkingcloselywithIsidroPimentelandPeterO’Riordan,AARestablisheditsownlogoandwebsiteinOctober2015.AAR’sownelectronicjournalingsystemandmentormatchingenginefollowedshortlyafter.

! AARformedformalpartnershipswithPaloAltoChamberofCommerceandSiliconValleyTalentPartnership.AARcontinuestoworkcloselywithStanfordUniversity.

! AARformedaformalpartnershipwithPaloAltoHighSchool’sSocialJusticeprogram.Theprojectsdevelopedfromthiscollaborationarealsobeingshowcasedtonight.

! AARwasawardedagrantfromCaliforniaDepartmentofEducationinJanuary2016.

! KhanAcademystartedproductionofavideofeaturingAARasaninnovativeprograminApril2016.

! AARhasbeenfeaturedinnewsoutletsincluding:GunnOracle,PalyVerde,PaloAltoOnline,PalyCampanile,PaloAltoPulse,andPaloAltoPatch.

! AARbecameUniversityofCalifornia(UC)approvedinApril2016.

! Theprogramhasgrowntoincludeover200studentsnextacademicyear.WiththesupportfromtheSpecialEducationstaffbothatPalyandGunn,wewillhave14specialeducationstudentsparticipatingintheprogram.

! Approximatelyfortypercent(excludinggraduatingseniors)ofthisyear’sstudentsarereturningtocontinuetheirprojectnextacademicyear.

STUDENT HALLMARKS AllAARstudentshaveexceedexpectationsandexcelledintheirresearchprojectthisyear.HerearesomehallmarksofAARstudents’accomplishments.

! ClareKammererwillbestartingacombinedbachelors/mastersprogramatEugeneLangCollegeforsocialresearchregardinggender,whichwillbeacontinuationofherAARresearchproject.

! ZacharyKirk’sproject,whichfocusesonthestrategiesavailabletocombattheIslamicStateandal-Qaeda,piquedhisinterest.Hewillbestudyingeconomics,internationalrelationsandMiddleEaststudiesatStanfordUniversity.

! TaraMadhavwasacceptedintotheStanfordHumanitiesInstitutesummerprogramtostudy“RacialIdentityintheAmericanImagination.”ThisworkstemsfromherAARresearchwithMr.JackBungardenonAmericanracialandethnicidentities.

! SamuelVasquezisgoingtopursuehisAARprojectonmarketingandadvertisingfurtherandstudythisfieldasanundergraduatestudentatSanFranciscoStateUniversity.

! CarolineBaileyandMarithaWangsharedtheirresearchatthePartnersinEducation(PiE)CircleBreakfastBriefinginMarch2016.

! SophieChumakovaandElenaJurczakpresentedatGunnPrincipalCoffeeinMarch2016.

! AlanChen,AriannaGroetsema,XaviLoinaz,AntoineKhoaNguyen,AllisonZhang,andJustinYangwereacceptedtopresenttheirprojectsatSynopsysSantaClaraValleyScience&EngineeringFairinMarch2016.

! CarolineBaileycompletedthefirstinaseriesofthreenovellasthisyearthroughtheAARprogram.ThenexttwowillbecontinuedthissummerandasanundergraduatestudentatPrincetonUniversity.Oncecompleted,sheplanstosubmitherworktoYoungArtsforpublication.

! MarithaWangiscompletinghermanuscriptonOscillatingAdsorptionThermodynamicsofSmallMoleculeonGrapheneforpublication.Herwork,whichalsoinvolvesinternationalcollaboration,wassubmittedtoSingaporeScienceandEngineeringFair.

! JerryXuinvestigatedthedifferenttypesofwingletsonfixedwingaircraftperformanceinhisAARproject.Jerry'sprojectsparkedhisinterestinaerospaceengineering,whichheplanstostudyatUniversityofIllinois-UrbanaChampaign.

! SeanLindeepenedhisfamilialbondsthroughspecialcircumstanceswithhismentoroverthecourseofhisproject.Asheexploredhispassionsandapproachedthisprojectwithasenseofcuriosityandwonder,hefoundnewwaystoconnectwiththoseclosesttohim.

STUDENT PROJECTS

PartI:AdvancedAuthenticResearchProjects DanielBaeza:RoleofMethylthioadenosineasaTherapyforPromotingBrainRepairinPatientswithMultipleSclerosisMentor:PabloVilloslada,UniversityofCalifornia,SanFranciscoCarolineBailey:LookingatSTEM’sImpactonWhatItMeanstobeHumanthroughScienceFictionMentor:MargaretCain,IllinoisMathandScienceAcademy(retired)DanielleBisbee&AnmolNagar:PresenceofMicrocystinsfromCyanobacteriainNorthernCaliforniaLakesMentor:EsalaChandrasena,CaliforniaDepartmentofPublicHealthAdeleBloch&IvyLi:AnalyzingDNASequencesforQuorumSensingInhibitionMentor:GihaniWijewickrama,EurofinsLancasterLaboratoriesSharatBodduluri:AnalysisofGunn’sAthleticTrainingRoomMentor:ChrisKolar,PaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrictEmilyShuangyueCao:TheExtractionandAmplificationofInternationalViralDNAMentor:BenjaminPinsky,StanfordUniversityKathleenChang&JarrodHsu:ComparativeStudyofAntimicrobialNaturalProductsinTraditionalMedicinePlantMentor:AngelaMerchant,GunnHighSchoolAlanChen:UniquelyDeterminingIdentityUsingComputer-basedAnalysisofHumanSpeechMentor:RobertCheung,IndependentSoftwareEngineerEricChiang&KevinLi:GeneCorrelationwithOsteoporosisinMiceMentor:JoyWu,StanfordUniversityDepartmentofMedicineKaitlinChiu,AhanaGanguly,&ZahraMuzaffer:AnalyzingHowSuccessisDefinedbyPaloAltoHighSchoolStudentsMentor:ChristopherFarina,PaloAltoHighSchoolSophieChumakova:EnergyConsumptionandProductionMethodsMentor:CharlesHashem,LockheedMartinElliotClark,NiklasRisano,&NoahYuen:HydrationandAthleticPerformanceMentor:AdamJung,FordMotorCompanyJohnDai:AnalysisoftheRootsofAncestryintheQingDynastyMentor:ZhangCheng,StanfordUniversity

ClaradeMartel&TeddieStewart:AnalysisofEnergyConsumptioninthePaloAltoHighSchoolMediaArtsCenterMentor:RebeccaNavarro,PaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrictNikhilD’Souza:MeasuringBrainwavesMentor:MattYun,LockheedMartinTamariDzotsenidze&TakeruNishi:TheDeclineofSmallBusinessesMentor:DebbieWhitson,PaloAltoHighSchoolAriannaGroetsema&AllisonZhang:TheExpansionofMobileHealthcareinEmergingMarketsusingHeMoCloMentor:SudhanshuPant,MobilitasSamarthGroverVenkatasubramaniam:AMarketStudytoDeterminetheViabilityandDesignFeaturesofaCourseOfferingtoHelpHighSchoolStudentsPresenttheir“InterestPortfolios”forCollegeAdmissionsMentor:RayRavaglia,DirectorPre-CollegeattheSchooloftheNewYorkTimesBrentHan&EthanLi:ANovelDevicetoTreatObstructiveSleepApnea(OSA)Mentor:JedBlack,JazzPharmaceuticalsMayaHoman&LeilaTjang:AnalyzingtheSignificanceofFamilyDynamicsforPatientswithAntisocialBorderline&NarcissisticPersonalityDisordersMentor:TashaSouter,VeteransAffairsHealthCareSystemElenaJurczak:BreastCancerOccurrencesandMortalityRatesAmongWomenofDifferentRacesandEthnicitiesMentor:JiaPu,MathematicaHealthPolicyResearchJosephKao&LeiliNajmabadi:DrivingTowardsSafety:EffectsonPupilDilationDuringUnexpectedDrivingEventsMentors:AdamGundran,JoeBaker,&HadiHosseini,DepartmentofPsychiatryandBehavioralSciences,StanfordUniversityClareKemmerer:Women’sWritingGroups:HowSocialWritingEmpowersWomen’sWorkMentor:LeslieBerlin,StanfordUniversityZacharyKirk:TheFightAgainstISISandal-Qaeda:AnotherHundredYears’WarMentor:AdamYonkers,PaloAltoHighSchoolJasmineLarrick:EnhancementofPD-1BindingAffinitythroughAffinityMaturationandMutagenesisMentor:BoYu,LatrixBioscienceJamesLee&MinyoungKim:TransformingGrowthFactorBeta-ReceptorIInhibitorOptimizationMentor:BarryHart,InnovationpathwaysSeanLin:TheSportsRevolution:RecognizingIntangibleAbilitiesinPlayersMentor:MattYun,LockheedMartinJocelynLiu&TiaCheunkarndee:CorrectionofDYSFMutationUsingCRISPERandhiPSCsTechnologiesMentors:EldaDzillc,AliceShieh,&SeanWu,StanfordUniversityCardiovascularInstitute

MengyuLiu:ResearchofDifferencesBetweenChineseandWesternMusicMentor:NancyCoffey,PaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrictTimothyLiu&AshleyZhang:AccessibilityofAcademicResourcesOutsideofaSchoolSettingMentor:LiliJiang,QuoraMichaelLu:RealisticSynthesisofMusicalInstrumentsandPerformanceMentor:MalcolmSlaney,GoogleInc.TaraMadhav:StudyingtheAmericanIdentityThroughtheExperiencesofEthnicGroupfrom9/11UntilTodayMentor:JackBungarden,PaloAltoHighSchoolYuvalMedina:ConvertingMusicfromAudiotoSymbolic/VisualRepresentationMentor:MalcolmSlaney,GoogleInc.GautamMittal:FromTexttoInformation-UsingNaturalLanguageProcessingTechniquetoGleanMeaningMentor:RobertCheung,IndependentSoftwareEngineerErinMittmann:AnalysisoftheEfficiencyofthePhotoVoltaicTestBedandItsFeasibilityasaMorePermanentPowerSolutionMentor:WenonahVercoutere,NASAAmesResearchCenter-AdvancedStudiesLaboratoryChloeMo:ExtractionofRiskPredictionFactorsforDiseasesUsingAutomatedLiteratureAssociationMentors:BruceLingandYueWang,TranslationalMedicineLab,StanfordUniversityCharlotteMoffatt:BetterLivingthroughStress-TheEffectofEnvironmentalStressorsonPlantMetaboliteProductionMentor:MaxMcGee&JeongChoe,PaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrictKhoaNguyen&XaviLoinaz:Design/UtilizationofVisualRecognitionSoftwaretoAnalyzeNeurosurgeryVideoMentor:EricSabelman,KaiserPermanenteCoryPan&JessicaAmalraj:OptimalChemicalEnvironmentforAlgalBiohydrogenProductionMentor:LizMartinez,IllinoisMathandScienceAcademy&AliceHahn,GunnHighSchoolAnishaPatwardhan:ADoorLongUnopened-NeighborEstrangedbytheEconomicEmbargoinCubaMentor:CatarinaWilliams,LeagueofCreativeMindsNaveenRam:DigitalSplitterMentor:GiannaGiancarlo,HeroDigitalJulianRovee&MaxWang:ModelingWirelessCommunicationsMentor:MinnieHo,IntelCorporationNicholasTitzler:EconomicalAnalysisofGrowthinGreenIndustryMentor:NatashaDeCaiadoCastro,WishEventosSamuelVasquez:KnowingYourCustomerMentor:NatashaDeCaiadoCastro,WishEventos

JenicaWang:GenePanelDesignforEarlyCancerDetectionMentor:XueGong,StanfordUniversityMarithaWang:EngineeringSensitivity-SensorsforToxicGasesMentor:HarmanJohll,NationalJuniorCollegeinSingaporeCeliaWillner:TheEffectofWaterPropertiesontheReproductionViabilityofQuaggaMussels.Mentor:DavidWilloughby,CaliforniaDepartmentofWaterResourcesDavidWillner:AMoreCostEffectiveApplicationforActiveNoiseControlMentor:DuLi,Hewlett-PackardEmilyWong:LearningtoPublicizeGlobalCitizenshipandCulturalSensitivityMentor:NatashaDeCaiadoCastro,WishEventosJerryXu:InvestigatingtheEffectsofDifferentTypesofWingletsonFixedWingAircraftPerformanceMentor:JeongChoe,PaloAltoUnifiedSchoolDistrictJustinYang:GeneratingEfficiencyModelsofEnergyConsumptionwithMachineLearningAlgorithmsMentor:DavidKwak,UberLenaYe:AnalyzingtheUseofWordsinAutoIndustryMentor:PegCain,IllinoisMathematicsandScienceAcademy(retired)KatinaYong:MetabolitesinBuckwheatCultivarsandtheirAnti-MicrobialPropertiesMentor:AngelaMerchant,HenryM.GunnHighSchoolSarahYoungquist:AnAnalysisoftheCombinatorialGamePrincessandtheRosesMentor:SteveChien,GoogleInc.JonathanZwiebel:DevelopmentofMultistageAlgorithmsforDetectionofAsteroidsfromCCDArraysinFixedFieldsusingDatafromKeplerSpacecraftMentor:JessieDotson,NASASpaceScienceandAstrobiologyatAmesAstrophysicsBranch

PartII:PaloAltoHighSocialJusticePathway&AARCollaborationProject

SocialJusticePathway(SJP)programatPaloAltoHighSchoolisathree-yearprogramfeaturingselfdirectedandproject-basedlearninginaninterdisciplinarymodelrootedincommunityactionandcollaboration.Thisprogramisforstudentsinterestedinempowerment,convictionandthepassiontobuildabetterworld.TheSJPprogramwascreatedanddevelopedbyMr.EricBloom(historyandsocialsciencesteacher)andMs.ErinAngell(Englishteacher).TheSJPprogramisinpartnershipwithDreamCatchers,whichisanafter-schoolprogramworkingtoenableunderservedmiddleschoolstudentsreachtotheirfullpotential.Thisacademicyear,DreamCatchersworkedcloselywithSJPstudentsinmini-researchprojectswiththeintentofmeasuringmiddleschoolstudentconfidenceinMathematics.WhiletheDreamCatchers’ExecutiveDirector,BarbaraSihKlausner(formerPAUSDBoardMember)andProgramDirector,MiguelFittoriaservedasmentors,Ms.DeannaChute(AARLiaisonandamathteacher)guidedstudentsthroughthestatisticalanalysisofmini-researchprojects.Nextyear,AARwillusethecurriculumMs.Chutedevelopedfromtheseprojects.ThiscurriculumwillguidefutureAARstudentsthroughprojectsthatinvolvesystematicstatisticalapproach.Inaddition,alltheSJPstudentswhowillbeseniorsnextyearwillconcurrentlybeenrolledintheAARprogram,andwillreceivesupportandguidanceneededtoexecutetheircapstoneresearchproject.Thisisanexcitingcollaborativeeffortthatbringsmultipleprogramstogethertoprovidestudentswithmeaningfulreal-worldexperiences.ThefollowingarethePaloAltoHighSocialJusticePathwayandAARCollaborationmini-researchprojects:JackFitton,JordanQuigley,&SylviaTargAnalysisofQuestionA1:“Onascaleof1to9,howwouldyourateyourmathskills?”MayaHeron&CaitlinDroverAnalysisofQuestionB1:“WhenIcomeupwithasolutiontoamathproblem,Ialwaysaskmyself,“Doesthismakesense?”And,whenaclassmatesolvesitadifferentway,Icanunderstandhis/herstrategy,explainittoothersandcompareittomine.”KateDeAndre&CorinneSmallwoodAnalysisofQuestionA2:“IoftenaskquestionswhenIdon’tunderstandsomething.”JeanetteAndrews&TannerNewellAnalysisofQuestionA3:“Ioftenraisemyhandtoparticipateinclass.”JordanSchilling&KiraEnriquezAnalysisofQuestionB3:“Mathteacherswantyoutolearn,sotheyaskthatyoulisteninclass,followinstructions,dotheclasswork,studyfortestsandquizzesandturninyourhomeworkontime.Onascaleof1to9,whichbestdescribestheeffortyouputintolearningmath?”AhanaGanguly&JoshuaDonelly-HigginsAnalysisofQuestionA4:“Ilikeactivelyparticipatingingroupactivitiesanddiscussionsinclass(Scaleof1-9).”RafiLong&GillianRobinsAnalysisofQuestionA5:“Icanturnawordproblemintoanequation.Icanalsoturnanequationintoawordproblem.”

AlexGarcia,QuinnKnoblock,&MollyWeitzmanAnalysisofQuestionA6:“Ilikelearningnewthingsinmath.SometimesIevendooptionalproblems.”NadiaLeinhos,AveryPearson,&GregorySyssoyevAnalysisofQuestionA7:“Itrytorememberexactlywhatwedidinclassbecauseit’sImportanttomemorizetherulesandformulas.Amonthortwoafterthatlesson,Imayforgethowtheruleworks.”SarahSundermeyer&MatthewSetoAnalysisofQuestionA8:“Mathislikeapuzzletome.Inmyhead,IconnectdifferentmathlessonsbecauseIcanseehowthetopicsfittogether(ScaleRange:1-9).”YotamPonte,LaylaSolatan,&WilliamJeffriesAnalysisofQuestionA9:“IestimateanswerstoproblemsbeforedoingthecalculationsbecauseIknowitwillhelpmegettherightanswer,andnotbecausetheteachermakesmedoit.”

ABOUT OUR PROGRAM TheAdvancedAuthenticResearch(AAR)programstrivestofulfillourmissionofnurturingstudentinterestandignitingstudentpassionthroughrealworld,hands-onresearchenablingstudentstoexplorecareerpathways.TheprograminnovativelyadaptsCareerandTechnicalEducationfoundationstandardsinconjunctionwithNextGenerationScienceStandardsforscienceandengineeringpractice,andourdistrict’svisionstatementforstudentstoexploretopicsinawidevarietyofdisciplinesincludingSTEM,Humanities,BusinessandSocialSciencefields.AdvancedAuthenticResearchstudentsbringpassion,curiosity,andperseverancetotheprogram.

FormoreinformationaboutAAR,pleasevisit:https://aar.pausd.org

Forinformationabouthowtobecomeamentor,pleasevisit:

https://aar.pausd.org/mentor/register

Forinformationaboutstudentprojects,pleasevisit:https://aar.pausd.org/projects

Thankyouforyoursupport!