In September the newest group of World Science Scholars was announced by the World Science Festival – a New York non-profit that takes science out of the laboratory and into the public through interactive live events, digital content, and large scale education initiatives. The students are from around the world and were chosen after a global application process and search.
The World Science Scholars program is designed to teach students how they can apply their math skills to a broad range of new disciplines that extend their knowledge of math beyond traditional mathematics into such diverse areas such as neuroscience, physics and astrobiology. The program is designed to expand the personal horizons of the students, inspiring them to pursue opportunities that will have an impact on the world’s biggest problems.
Our goal is to reach the most talented math students in the world and bring them together and show these young people the possibilities of where their gifts can take them,” said World Science Festival Co-Founder and CEO Tracy Day. “Ultimately, we want to create a network that is mutually supportive and has the skillset to tackle our world’s most significant challenges.
The 2019 Scholars join the 2018 cohort totaling 75 students ranging in ages 9 to 17 (at the time of admission), representing 13 countries. The experience also extends far beyond coursework: it provides opportunities for interaction and collaboration with peers, teaching fellows, and faculty, and during the annual World Science Festival.
Local Flushing high school senior Tabitha Ramirez is included among those honored. Tabitha is the top of her class, and has been teaching herself calculus. She is part of her school’s STEM Club, Science Club, Mu Alpha Theta, and Chess Club. She has placed second at Newtown High School’s Chess Tournament, won first at their Science Fair and Battle of the Brains contests, and placed third in their Rubix Cube contest. Her long term goal is to be a physicist.
Tabitha’s mathematical interests include group theory, linear algebra, calculus, complex algebra, anything with geometry, fractals, imaginary numbers, topology, the Riemann hypothesis, and number theory. She loves visual proofs because they tend to capture the beauty of mathematics in elegant ways. For example, the proof of the Pythagorean theorem using four right triangles arranged in different ways to show that the sum of the legs squared equals the hypotenuse squared.
The students were chosen after either being nominated or by directly applying. The World Science Scholars program is committed to identifying students from diverse communities regardless of their race, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic class and location. This reflects a commitment to creating a network of students from diverse backgrounds with a burning desire to engage in challenging coursework and meet people similar to them.
Upon completion of the World Science Scholars program, students become members of an alumni network that helps to identify and support future cohorts based upon their own experiences in the program. Over time, the hope is that the connections between past and present cohorts lead to mentoring relationships, friendships, and professional collaborations, as well as future engagements with the World Science Festival and the larger mathematics and science communities.
In addition to finding and nurturing some of the brightest up and coming student innovators, the World Science Festival hosts several events annually, its flagship live, week-long Festival running each summer throughout New York City. Throughout the year, the World Science Festival also produces a larger-than-life STEM event called the City of Science, which tours the New York metropolitan region and is coming to Queens on November 3. The event, presented by ConEd, is free and open to the public. It will feature hands-on science demonstrations, interactive exhibits, and science innovations designed to pique young minds.
The World Science Festival is a production of the World Science Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in NYC. Its World Science Scholars program is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
