The Mid Year Report to the Friends of Marjot
Our applications for Marjot Awards have literally doubled thanks to Marjot posters being distributed at student science fairs, help from the Museum of Science in advertising availability of Marjot funds, and more exposure on the web. Your funding is supporting three new teams of students, two from Cape Cod! All three teams have purchased their equipment and started their research. These projects are:
Yury Namgung from Concord Academy, Mass studying: The Impact of Imidacloprid and Glycophospahte of Peurotus ostreatus. Her goal is to determine and quantify the absolute minimum dose to reduce or even eliminate imidacloprid and glycophosphate used in mushroom cultivation.
Sam Cox from Falmouth Academy studying: Feeding Dynamics of Juvenile River Herring. Recent efforts at conservation of these ecologically and culturally significant fish have been unsuccessful. Sam will identify the freshwater feeding patterns and macrohabitats that provide the optimal growth of juvenile herring, His mentor is Dr. Joel Llipitz of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
Jordan Baracchini from Bourne HS and Trevor Milliken from St John Paul II HS examining: Oyster and Nitrogen levels in Phinneys Harbor and Back River, Bourne, Mass. This team will analyze oyster growth and nitrogen levels at various locations. Understanding the relationship between these two factors could lead to the development of a useful tool in having oysters clean up nitrogen eutrophication. Jordan and Trevor are working with Dr. Ken Legg and have already established links with scientists at the Marine Biological Lab, Woods Hole for their research.
Last year’s teams finished their experiments, submitted their final reports on time and had a wonderful experience. Charlotte Champ of NYC received a second place award at the NY City competition level with her project studying animal activity along the wrack line in certain Martha’s Vineyard beaches. Read what Charlotte wrote us in an unsolicited email:
I am very happy to report that I advanced to the final round of the NYC Science and Engineering fair where I received a second place award in the category of Earth and Environmental Sciences and a “Taking a Pulse of the Planet” award from NOAA. Conducting my research and presenting it at the competitions was such an amazing experience for me and I will be forever grateful to the Marjot Foundation for granting me this opportunity.
Maya Placek and Grace Gaumer placed third in the Mass SE regional Science Fair for their studies on lobster viability in Cohasset lobster cars. They are so enthusiastic and are hoping to continue their work with other funding sources. Owen Silitch presented his data at a poster at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Chicago; however, due to a concussion, he was unable to participate in the state science fair.
On the financial side, we are doing very well. As a result, we were able to fund three teams at a cost of $15,000. A Marjot committee reviews how we invest and spend our funds. Absolutely none of this would be possible without your support.
We need to acknowledge with great thanks the work of Kate Wilson of the law firm Mackey and Foster, Falmouth, who helped Carol establish our Vanguard account We now have a stock donation vehicle with Morgan Stanley and an investment vehicle at Vanguard. Kate donated considerable time to this effort and we cannot thank her enough.
On behalf of the Board of Trustees, and more importantly, the students, we thank you for your generosity.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ann Charles Craig, President
Dr. Carol L. Reinisch, President Emerita