Utah Science Olympiad 2012

UT State Science Olympiad Competition C Division 4/14/2012

This event encompasses the anatomy and

physiology of selected body systems, this year

limited to respiratory, excretory and digestive

systems

Anatomy & Physiology Event Coordinator Matt Linton, Ph.D.

Associate Professor (Lecturer) Department of Biology

University of Utah

4/14/2012 B Division UT State Science Olympiad Competition

Teams are tested on their knowledge of anatomy

and health concepts including respiratory and

digestive systems.


Teams demonstrate an understanding of the basic concepts of math and physics relating to stellar evolution and type Ia supernovas.

WAYNE SPRINGER Astronomy Event Coordinator Associate Professor, University of Utah Background: Experimental Particle Physics Cosmic Ray Physics Gamma Ray Astronomy Optical Astronomy This is my first Science Olympiad experience! http://www.physics.utah.edu/~springer


Teams are tested on their knowledge of anatomy

and health concepts including respiratory and

digestive systems.


Students construct an aquifer and answer questions

about groundwater concepts - includes a

presentation.

Awesome Aquifers Coordinator

• Tiffany Hortin • Civil & Environmental

Engineering, University of Utah

• Fun Facts: – You get to work with a bunch of

cool research machines – Meeting important researchers

in the Civil & Environmental Engineering field

– Make a difference in people’s lives


Teams demonstrate chemistry laboratory skills related to selected topics.

Professor Terry A. Ring PhD Cambridge University Science Policy Advocate Mountaineer

Gonville & Caius College Founded 1348


Prior to the tournament, teams construct two rockets designed to stay aloft for the greatest amount of time.


This event requires students to apply principles of epidemiology to a published report of a real-life health situation or problem. (Food Borne Illness)


Teams are presented with a problem which

requires quantitative data capture from the

Internet and the presentation of data in a

graphical format. The 2012 domain is

www.cdc.gov.

http://www.cdc.gov/


Teams work at stations that display a variety of earth science materials and related earth science questions. (Earth's Fresh Waters)

•Bachelor’s Degree in Geology •Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering •Stream and lake monitoring •Water Quality Education

Eric Peterson USU Water Quality Extension Program

Coordinator


Teams identify the perpetrators of a crime or crimes

by using paper chromatography and analysis of

unknown solids, liquids, and plastics found at the

scene of a crime.

Crime Busters Event Coordinators

Prof. Charles “Butch” Atwood Chemical Education

David Thomas, M.S. Lab coordinator

Prof. Ryan Steele Theoretical Chemistry

All 1st-timers!


Given a set of unknown objects, teams design, conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment.

Experimental Design

Murielle Parkinson

• Junior in the Physics Program at Weber State University

• Presenter at Ott Planetarium

• Voice of Luna Month in “This is Our Sky”

• Sends cameras to near space with HARBOR

• Won “Most Obscure” in the Bioware Costume Contest...


This event requires students to apply principles of

epidemiology to a published report of a real-life

health situation or problem. (Food Borne Illness)


A Fermi Question is a science related question that seeks a fast, rough estimate of a quantity which is difficult or impossible to measure directly. Answers are estimated within an order of magnitude recorded in powers of 10.

Fermi Question Coordinator

Scott Anderson Professor of Chemistry University of Utah


Teams work at stations that display a variety of

earth science materials and related earth science

questions. (Earth's Fresh Waters)

•Bachelor’s Degree in Geology •Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering •Stream and lake monitoring •Water Quality Education

Eric Peterson USU Water Quality Extension Program

Coordinator


Students identify polymers, solids, fibers, and other materials in a crime scenario.

Dr. Brent Horn Weber State University Department of Criminal Justice Associate Professor of Forensic Science • Ph.D. Chemistry, Brigham Young

University

• Also a Chemist at the Utah State Crime Laboratory

• 7th year with Science Olympiad (Science Crime Busters & Forensics)

• Favorite part of event: Reading the Analysis of the Crime

• Secret hobby: I am a huge video game junkie


Given a set of unknown objects, teams design,

conduct, analyze and write-up an experiment.

Experimental Design

Murielle Parkinson

• Junior in the Physics Program at Weber State University

• Presenter at Ott Planetarium

• Voice of Luna Month in “This is Our Sky”

• Sends cameras to near space with HARBOR

• Won “Most Obscure” in the Bioware Costume Contest...


This event tests student knowledge of North American trees that are on the Official National Tree List.


Using their understanding of the chemistry and

physical properties of baking ingredients, teams

answer questions at a series of stations.


Teams design, build and test one vehicle and ramp that uses gravitational potential energy as the vehicle's sole means of propulsion to reach a Target Point as quickly, as accurately and as close to their predicted time as possible.

GRAVITY VEHICLE 2012

David L. Jolley Event Coordinator

Mr. Jolley grew up in Orem, Utah, graduated from Orem High School, earned a BSCS from Brigham Young University and a MEE from Utah State University. He is a youth coach, amateur actor and inventor, holding several US patents. Mr. Jolley is employed at Hill Air Force Base as a Director over several multi-disciplined engineering teams. He was first introduced to Science Olympiad in 1996 by his children attending Davis High School. He has since had the pleasure of attending several National events and becoming a Utah State Event Coordinator where he continues to marvel at the creativity and ingenuity of the participants.


This event tests student knowledge of North

American trees that are on the Official National

Tree List.


Students construct and test free flight rubber-powered helicopters prior to the tournament to achieve maximum flight times.


Teams construct an insulated device prior to the

tournament that is designed to retain heat.

Students also complete a written test on

thermodynamic concepts.


This event includes activities and questions related to materials science and the properties of materials.

Thermodynamics / Keep the Heat

Mathieu Francoeur, Assistant Professor Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Utah Website: www.retl.utah.edu

Science Olympiad, April 14, 2012

Coordinator:

• Director of the Radiative Energy Transfer Lab (RETL)

• Research in radiation heat transfer applied to energy

conversion

• Harvest heat from the human body to power small

electronic devices

• Create materials making objects invisible on

thermal cameras

http://www.retl.utah.edu


This event involves the use of process skills as

applied to meteorology (Climate).


Teams answer questions, solve problems and analyze data pertaining to microbes.


Teams answer questions, solve problems and

analyze data pertaining to microbes.

Sue Harley Microbe Mission

Division B Coordinator

Professor of Botany Weber State University Field of Study: plant physiology, cell biology, genetics


Teams compete in activities and answer questions related to geometric and physical optics.


Prior to the competition, participants design, build,

test and document a "Rube Goldberg-like device"

that completes a required Final Task using a

sequence of consecutive tasks.

Event Coordinator - Steven Fershtut

Mission Possible Event

Graduated from Caltech in 1970. Engineer for Atomic Energy Labs

in Idaho Falls. Stress Analyst for Alaskan

Pipeline design. President of PVC Pump,

manufacturing concrete raising equipment.

Judged State Mission Possible event since 1997.


Students use computer visualization and online resources to guide them in constructing physical models of proteins and in understanding how the structure of the protein determines the function. For 2012, students model proteins involved in the regulation of apoptosis as they explore the discovery and treatment of a rare (one in a billion) genetic trait discovered through genome sequencing.


Teams design, build and test a vehicle using one

mousetrap as the sole means of propulsion to

reach a target as quickly, accurately and as close

to their predicted time as possible.

Wayne Sumner Mousetrap Vehicle

Event Coordinator After 28 years as a Mechanical

Engineer, Wayne has been teaching math, physics, astronomy, and

engineering courses at Northridge High School for the past 11 years. He

began working with Science Olympiad in 1991.


Teams use remote sensing imagery, science and math process skills to complete tasks related to an understanding of Earth's Hydrosphere.


Teams compete in activities and answer questions

related to geometric and physical optics.


Prior to the competition teams design, build, document and test one robotic device to move scored items.

ROBOT ARM

Jack Treasure – Layton, UT

Work – Live Wire Electron Discharge Metal

Play


Students demonstrate an understanding and basic

knowledge of the properties and evolution of stars,

open clusters and globular clusters, and normal

and star-forming galaxies.

Tabitha Buehler Reach for the Stars Event Coordinator

Astronomy Outreach Coordinator, University of Utah

PhD in Astronomy,

BYU 2011

First time participating in Science Olympiad


Teams demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and minerals.

Rocks and Minerals Event Coordinator B & C Divisions

Field of Study: Economic Geology at the University of Utah

PhD , University of Michigan, 1984 M.A. , Dartmouth College, 1979 B.A. , Harvard University, 1975


Requires the accurate interpretation and

understanding of various map features using a

variety of road and topographic maps.


Prior to the competition, students build two different instruments of any type based on a 12- tone tempered scale, prepare to describe the principles behind their operation and be able to perform a major scale, a required melody and a chosen melody with each.

Adam Beehler Sounds of Music Event • born and raised in Kansas • taught physics at: Kansas State University Colorado State University Aims Community College University of Utah • current position: Lecture Demonstration Specialist Department of Physics & Astronomy University of Utah • involved with Science Olympiad and Sounds of Music since 2002


Teams demonstrate their knowledge of rocks and

minerals.

Rocks and Minerals Event Coordinator B & C Divisions

Field of Study: Economic Geology at the University of Utah

PhD , University of Michigan, 1984 M.A. , Dartmouth College, 1979 B.A. , Harvard University, 1975


Teams gather and process data to solve problems.


Prior to the tournament, teams design, construct

and calibrate a device that uses only the energy of

a falling counterweight to launch a projectile as far

and as accurately as possible.


Teams construct an insulated device prior to the tournament that is designed to retain heat. Teams also complete a written test on thermodynamic concepts.


Team members design and build the most efficient

tower.

TOWERS B & C Event Coordinator

Layton, Utah Engineer, Hill Air Force Base Parent of Science Olympiad Competitor – 8 years Science Olympiad Event Coordinator – 1 year

Robert McKinlay


Team members design and build the most efficient tower.

TOWERS B & C Event Coordinator

Layton, Utah Engineer, Hill Air Force Base Parent of Science Olympiad Competitor – 8 years Science Olympiad Event Coordinator – 1 year

Robert McKinlay


The event focuses on evaluating aquatic

environments.

Tiffany Kinder Education Coordinator, USU Water Quality Extension

• Recently completed Master of Science in Watershed Science at Utah State University

• Teaches 1500 youth every year about water quality and aquatic invertebrates • Routinely adapts 4th graders to live in an aquatic environment.


The event focuses on evaluating aquatic environments.

Tiffany Kinder Education Coordinator, USU Water Quality Extension

• Recently completed Master of Science in Watershed Science at Utah State University

• Teaches 1500 youth every year about water quality and aquatic invertebrates • Routinely adapts 4th graders to live in an aquatic environment.


A technical writing exercise where students write a

description of a contraption and other students

attempt to recreate it using only the written

description.


A technical writing exercise where students write a description of a contraption and other students will attempt to recreate it using only the written description.

Documents

Utah Science Olympiad 2012