As a part of the Todd Allen Phillips Center for Medical Sciences at Mills E. Godwin High School, students are encouraged to design and perform original experiments in various fields. These month-long projects culminate in extensive research papers that are then submitted for review by a panel of experts, with the potential to be included in local and state wide research events.
The Comparison of Online Learning Strategies on Information Retention
Original Research by Kate Devitt (2020)
This research earned an honorable mention at the Virginia Junior Academy of Science Annual Research Symposium (2021)
Abstract
The arrival of a global pandemic forced education to rapidly shift to digital pedagogy. Many school districts do not have the resources to invest in an array of digital tools, and therefore are greatly disadvantaged. The aim of this experiment is to compare two methods for increasing information retention in online education: gamification and the inclusion of the human face. Participants between the ages of eighteen to twenty-five were taught the translation of twenty Dutch nouns and four nonsense rules for using them via either a Kahoot game or a lecture-style video. The amount of information retained was measured as a percentage of correct answers given on a test administered forty-eight hours after the learning phase. To ensure safety, all contact was done virtually, participants were told they could leave the experiment at any time, and participants were given breaks and practice quizzes to alleviate stress. The video stimulus group demonstrated a higher information retention than the Kahoot group, which had a lower mean accuracy. At a level of significance of 0.05 and a degree of freedom of 10, a t-test indicated the results were statistically significant, and the null hypothesis was rejected. This supported the research hypothesis that the inclusion of the human face would have a greater benefit than gamification. This suggests the inclusion of the human face has a stronger impact on building episodic memory than gamification and therefore further research should be conducted on the applications of this strategy to maximize the effectiveness of digital learning.
The Comparison of Antimicrobial Organic Compounds on K-12 Escherichia coli
Original Research Paper by Kate Devitt (2019)
This research was included in the Virginia Junior Academy of Science Annual Research Symposium (2020)
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment is to evaluate the utility of oregano essential oil and tea tree essential oil as antimicrobial agents. Bacteria have acquired and grown antibacterial resistance mechanisms, a development that leaves many illnesses without viable treatments. Essential oils, a long-overlooked antimicrobial agent, represent a potential solution to this problem. For this experiment, oregano essential oil, tea tree essential oil, and distilled water (control) were tested in a Kirby-Bauer Assay (also called a disc-diffusion test) with Mueller-Hinton agar against non-pathogenic K12 Escherichia coli. Distilled water was chosen for the control because essential oils dilute the nutrient dense agar regardless of their properties. It was hypothesized that, if the effect of essential oils on K12 E. coli was observed, then oregano oil would result in the largest zone of inhibition. Twenty-five trials were conducted for each of the three levels of IV, and the bacteria were allowed to grow for 72 hours at 23 degrees Celsius, after which the diameter of the zone of inhibition was measured and all materials autoclaved. All data collected was statistically significant at a level of significance of 0.001 (df=48, critical t value= 3.503) and small SD ranges indicate high levels of precision within the experiment. The means support the research hypothesis that oregano oil would exhibit the strongest antimicrobial effects, however guidelines for interpreting the Kirby-Bauer Assay indicate the essential oils didn’t produce a large enough zone of inhibition to be considered an antimicrobial independently.
The Effect of Various Herbicides on Stellaria media Deterioration
Original Research Paper by Kate Devitt (2018)
This research placed Third in the Metro Richmond STEM Fair and was included in the Virginia Junior Academy of Science Annual Research Symposium (2019)
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to provide reliable data on the efficacy of various herbicides, as an alternative to Glyphosate and Sulfonylurea based solutions. Herbicides containing these chemicals were proven to be carcinogenic, environmentally hazardous, and ineffective due to genetic resistance across multiple plant species. With no readily available research on alternatives to these herbicides, farmers are left without the safe option necessary to maintain their business. Based on background research, it is plausible that if the efficacy of 5 different treatments is tested (treatment 1 [equal parts rubbing alcohol and water], treatment 2 [equal parts lemon juice and vinegar], treatment 3 [equal parts vinegar and Epsom salts with 1 teaspoon of dish soap/8 ounces of solution], treatment 4 [equal parts vinegar and water], and treatment 5 [water- control]) on Chickweed (Stellaria media), then treatment 3 will be the most effective at weakening the plant. The control (water) was chosen because it represented typical conditions for the plants. For this experiment 125 plants were grown with 25 for each of the 5 levels of independent variable. After growth, each plant was treated with their designated solution and then photographed at regular intervals as they deteriorated. From these photographs a VARI score was calculated and the initial and final scores were compared. The data indicated that Group 5 resulted in the biggest change in data. Seven out of ten t-tests came back as significant and the small SD ranges indicated precision in the experiment. These results were proven to be due to the independent variable and not chance.