Far, far out

WARWICK — On Wednesday, Jan. 31, The Mars Generation announced the Winners of the 24 Under 24 Leaders and Innovators in STEAM and Space Awards 2018.
Warwick Valley High School senior Jacqueline Grundfast was among those students chosen from around the globe for their work in the areas of science and space.
Jacqueline has recently completed research in the WVHS three-year science research program and her work is titled, “Confirmation of an Extrasolar Planet Based on its Light Curve Created to Ascertain its Existence as a Transit.”
She was able to perform a good deal of her research at the Little Bear Observatory located on the school district grounds as she worked alongside astrophysicist Dr. Mary Lou West and Observatory Director Bob Moore.
The search for habitable planets“This study examines exoplanets and their orbital habits as gaged by a light curve, either confirming or denying their existence," Grundfast said in the press release detailing her success. "Planets found in solar systems other than ours, otherwise known as exoplanets, are becoming a topic of growing interest as the habitability of planets is studied.
"In order to ascertain the level of inhabitability, it is crucial to confirm the existence of the earth-like body," Grundfast added. "In the experiment, a transit search will commence to acquire a new, undocumented anomaly which will have photometric methods applied to it.”
She will be presenting at the WVHS University in the HS - Science Research Program Symposium this year and will also be presenting her research at the Eastern NY 11th Annual Subregional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
Giving others the opportunity for research and wonderIn her astronomy-based science research, she discovered that there was no ongoing opportunity for other students to share her passion or make use of the observatory in the district.
Therefore, she met with her principal, fulfilled the necessary requirements and established an Astronomy Club, which she currently leads as president for a second year. She has also served as a STEAM Fair judge for the last three years at various schools in our district, mentored younger students on their research and taught enrichment classes in our elementary schools on astronomy so they would foster a love of science.
She was recently awarded the funds and approvals to continue an ongoing astronomy project in the district in which fellow students will be participating in. She is working with the other principals of the middle school and elementary schools to bring astronomy involvement to their buildings as well.
This past year, Grundfast went to an astronomy conference and heard of a project universities and observatories were participating in around the world to take local data of the night sky, to share on a worldwide site to discover variances. She presented this project to her school district administrators, acquired the approval and full funds to make the project happen, and it is currently being built.
“The young individuals recognized with the 24 Under 24 have demonstrated innovation and tenacity that will drive us toward a brighter future in scientific enterprise,” said Abigail Harrison, founder of The Mars Generation.
Young scientists across the globeTwenty-four students, ranging in age from 13 to 24, were recognized for this award from around the world, including 13 young scientists from the United States, three from Canada and one each from Australia, Brazil, Kosovo, Nigeria, Thailand, Turkey and Uruguay.