Young students show off their scientific talents in Long Beach

More than four hundred young people in grades TK-12 gathered a few weeks ago at the Long Beach Convention Center as part of the Magnolia Public Schools STEAM Expo and Makers Faire . Students displayed their projects ranging from science, technology, engineering, art, and math, which they worked hard on throughout the school year.

Presentations on solar-powered water desalination, alternative energy, fashion made from recyclable material, artificial snow, a drip-drip method, and creating an artificial pancreas were some of the many projects that captured the attention of more than 1,000 visitors. .

Below is a list showing some of the projects made by the students and the inspiration that led them to create such models.

Fighting the State Drought: Solar Powered Water Desalination

Kassandra Barron, a ninth grade student at MSA-5, Los Lobos, whose project was inspired by the current state drought, developed a rather proactive home model that will help purify water.

Hoping to become a surgeon, Barron understands the importance of coming up with innovative and sustainable new techniques to help preserve marine life and combat the problem of global warming, thereby alleviating the condition of the state.

“The current models at sea are still using electricity and they are still trying to find a stable income for electricity. It kills marine life…it's a big problem. I really believe that this would help protect life and is sustainable,” says Barron.

Barron collected seawater and waited for the heat of the sun to evaporate it, which helped to remove salt, dirt and impurities. Condensed into drops, they fell into the funnel passing through the tube until they reached the bottle, thus managing to collect purified water, proving to be an alternative and sustainable filter method.

She was able to test the model in various weather conditions, including from the comfort of her own home using a heat lamp.

The student hopes that her project will spark a broader conversation that will allow for change. She expressed her desire for more solar energy techniques instead of electricity, as this would allow for a more sustainable way of life.

Forensic Sciences – Luminol

Lupita Loeza, a ninth grade student at MSA-5, Los Lobos, whose favorite subject is chemistry, chose to work on a project related to the chemical compound Luminol.

Luminol, a powdery compound made up of nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen, and carbon, emits a fluorescent blue glow when it comes into contact with blood. It is mainly used by detectives when inspecting crime scenes, since the compound enhances bloodstains, allowing for better interpretation of blood patterns, Loeza explains.

She was able to test the accuracy of Luminol, even without the blood factor, using copper sulfates. She also managed to find the right amount of copper sulfate to oxidize the compound to make it fluoresce.

Loeza hopes to pursue a career in forensic science in the future and shares that he already has some ideas in mind for next year's STEAM Expo.

Drip – Drip Sprinkler – Which water system conserves more water?

Anai Duenas Padilla, a tenth grade student at MSA-4, Venice, shared that her father's job as a gardener prompted her to want to learn about irrigation systems that support water conservation.

Trying to devise a more efficient way for the water to reach the roots of the plant, Padilla devised a drip irrigation system that included three different types of drippers: a pressure compensating dripper, a nebulizer, and an adjustable dripper.

She ran three experiments testing the moisture in the soil and calculating how much water was released from the drip system compared to the sprinkler system. She also conducted an experiment testing the penetration of water into the soil for drippers.

Having conducted such tests, Padilla was able to conclude that the pressure compensating dripper proved to be more efficient and conserved the most water compared to the sprinkler system which released 92 ounces of water, three times the water used by the drippers.

“Sprinklers are for football fields, soccer fields, large tracts of grass. If you're growing a small avocado tree, for example, [a drip irrigation system] is what you need so you don't waste a lot of water,” says Padilla.

Artificial pancreas model: What is the best time of day for a person with diabetes to take their insulin?

Azmavet Inocente, an eighth grader at MSA 6-Koreatown, won third place in Animal Physiology at the Los Angeles County Science Fair for her work on an artificial pancreas.

The idea of ​​creating this model arose since Inocente says he has some relatives who suffer from diabetes. Her model tries to help those with diabetes and prediabetes better control insulin levels and improve their overall health.

“I have a lot of family members who are diabetic and pre-diabetic, so I wanted to know the best time of day for someone with diabetes to take insulin,” Inocente said. “I created a model of the human pancreas to test this. I drew from scientific journals and talked to clinicians in the field and to patients to test my model. I learned that just before bedtime was the best time,” he added.

Inocente was able to speak with professionals, allowing her to come to an informed conclusion about how and when to properly manage her insulin level. He concluded his presentation by emphasizing that his findings, while professionally approved, could not replace good medical advice.

Alternative Energy Sources: Replacing Fossil Fuels

Sixth grade student Vivian Nunez, who attends MSA 8-Bell, presented projects in three areas of STEAM with a focus on art, science, and engineering. Nunez, who is currently student body president, is interested in a career in science or accounting.

The student designed a dress made entirely of recycled paper donated by students. She stressed the importance of buying second-hand clothes and encouraged people not to participate in fast fashion. She explained that the clothes contain high levels of toxic chemicals that are dependent on fossil fuels and harm the environment.

“I learned that recycling is friendly,” Nunez said. “We need to save paper because not many people are planting trees. I think if we use less paper, which burns fossil fuels, it's better than wasting trees that use oxygen.”

Nunez also worked on an alternative energy project in which she created a solar cooker using aluminum foil, cardboard and black paint to raise the temperature of a Pop Tart by five to ten degrees. He was able to heat the cake up to 13.4 degrees, proving that there are alternative energy sources that can be used instead of relying on fossil fuels.

Three ways to make artificial snow

Saniya Thomas and Annalyn Arreola, freshmen at MSA-3 Carson, explored three ways to make fake snow.

The project was born from the attempt to provide those students who have not been able to travel to experience a day in the snow with an alternative way of doing so. With three variations ranging from soft to thick, visitors were able to choose which one they liked best so they could feel and imagine what it would be like to go to the snow.

“What this project taught us is that we don't always have to depend on people for things,” Thomas said. “You can do your own thing.”

According to Lena Mourad, a computer engineer and professor at the Nunez STEAM lab, the goal of these projects and STEAM Expo is to create future engineers and scientists.

“When I started working with students, none of them knew anything about STEAM, now they are all excited about these fields. It's great to see the enthusiasm,” added Mourad.

The day included performances, a robotics competition, interactive stations, and presentations by future scientists, doctors, and engineers.