Students in advanced science classes last month presented their design-your-own projects as the Science Symposium returned to the Pritzker Science Center.
Projects ranged from investigations into the physics behind musical instruments, to the effect of building materials on heat retention in an area, to genetic factors that may affect sleep patterns.
“It was fantastic,” said Michael Edgar, acting chair of the Science Department. “Having students talk about their work—not in a formal presentation but to answer questions and have conversations about it—is what the symposium is all about.”
Several students who did physics projects brought their experiments to the symposium, an opportunity to demonstrate their work. Teachers Jim Kernohan and Shannon Copeland had worked on the physics of sound in their classes this year, and several students made their own instruments. Puck Doboe ’22 used frequency formulas to build instruments with open and closed columns (pan pipes and a recorder), and invited visitors to play.
“With enough study, a physicist could create an entire orchestra based purely on mathematical ideals,” Doboe concluded.
Click here to view photos of the event.
In addition to the Science Symposium, the students contributed to a website that features their projects, which gives those who were unable to travel to Milton for the event an opportunity to peruse their work.