2007-08 National Second-Place Winners
Second-Place Winners
$35,000 Scholarship
Emily Barker
Marshfield High School
Marshfield, Wisconsin
A Study of the Rate of Contact in Children to Apply to Influenza Transmission Calculations
"The most memorable aspect of the YES Competition was, without doubt, the ability to learn through experience how to present a professional scientific project before a group of colleagues and peers. I believe this is what really sets YES apart from any other scholarship recognition program."
Emily decided that, under the broad umbrella of epidemiology, she was most interested in infectious diseases and their effects on the human population. She felt a study on influenza could have great real-world applications. Emily gathered observational contact rate data of children in day care, kindergarten, and second grade. She found that the models used to predict the effectiveness of school closures during pandemic influenza have not accurately estimated the rate of contact rates between children in daycare and elementary school settings.
Furthermore, she concluded that social distancing countermeasures may be more effective than previously anticipated. Emily hopes her study will lead to a better understanding of transmission during an influenza pandemic, potentially saving human lives.
Emily says she will always remember the YES Competition because it showed her the power of her generation to ask important questions and demand answers. She has participated in several science competitions, is president of the local National Honor Society, chairman of the Youth Action Committee, and is an active volunteer in her community. Emily plans to major in genetics when she attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison in the fall.
Maya Mathur
Castilleja School
Palo Alto, California
Predictors of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination and Participation in Vaccination Decision Making Amongst High School Girls
"I was inspired to research this topic because legislation was being considered to mandate a health intervention for girls and young women without consideration being given to the decision making capacity and ability of those targeted for the vaccine to participate in their own health decisions."
Maya has a strong interest in understanding how people utilize data and evaluate information when making decisions. She decided to explore how educating young women about the consequences of the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the efficacy of the vaccine would affect their decision about getting vaccinated. She found that young women lacked the knowledge about HPV necessary to make an informed decision about vaccination.
She also found that the young women identified their parents and health care providers as more reliable sources of health information than television and magazine advertisements. As a result, she suggests that efforts to educate women about HPV and the HPV vaccine are necessary. To be effective, these efforts must include active participation by parents and health care providers.
Maya has participated in numerous science competitions, founded the Physics Club at her school, and is a nationally rated member of the United States Pony Club. Maya is currently a junior, but has plans to apply to Stanford University and the Claremont Colleges. She is interested in becoming a research psychologist and studying social phenomena, such as obedience to authority and social isolation.