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A New Strategy to Tackle Science Misinformation

The winning team of the Spring 2022 Junior Academy Innovation Challenge set out to develop a solution that would help clear up the confusion caused by conflicting social media messages about mental health, vaccines and other health-related topics.

Published October 19, 2023

By Nicole Pope

A shot of a syringe and dose of COVID vaccine.

An all-girl team of high school students from the US, Oman, Jordan and Lebanon won the Spring 2022 Junior Academy Challenge, “Combating Misinformation in Public Health.”

Students participating in the challenge were tasked with finding new ways to combat the growing wave of misinformation on public health issues – a problem that affects not only the general public, but leaves young people, who get most of their information online, particularly vulnerable. Erroneous statements about drugs, vaccines, mental health, cancer, nutrition and other health-related topics can spread very rapidly on social media platforms, putting people’s lives and well-being at risk.

Collaborating online and supported by their mentor, the five science-loving teenagers — Angel J. (United States. Team Lead), Asmaa K. (Jordan), Esraa A. (Oman), Clara I. (Lebanon), and Raneem A. (Jordan) set out to assess the situation by researching information circulating about specific health issues, under the guidance of their mentor Kathy Korsen (United States).

“On some sites, we may find wrong information and believe it,” explains Esraa. “We must pay attention not to trust the wrong information and search for correct sources.”

Combatting Misinformation on Social Media

The team wanted to develop a solution that would address the needs of their peers, who were often confused by the conflicting messages throughout social media.

After conducting surveys among friends and relatives, the five students decided to develop Texlic, a subscription service delivering reliable, health-related facts via text messages. The team felt that this delivery method had the most potential for widespread impact, as it doesn’t require the use of expensive smartphones and therefore can be accessible to young people from all backgrounds.

Fellow students who signed up with their phone numbers were given two options: they could choose ‘Texify’, which would text users twice a week with direct, accurate information on health issues, or ‘Right from Wrong’, a fun, interactive version using a pre-existing texting platform and allowing users to test if health-related statements were true or false.

Dedication and Effort Pays Off

For the team members, taking part in the Challenge involved dedication and significant effort.

“We met every Saturday. It was the best time for everyone because of the different time zones,” says Asmaa. “We made it work.”

The five participants were enriched by the experience– by investigating health issues frequently in the news and using their data to develop a science-based solution, they acquired new knowledge, cultivated team spirit, and strengthened a range of useful skills.

“A thing I learned was that if there are any uncertainties, such as whether a survey was off, it must always be checked multiple times,” says Clara. Winning the challenge was merely a bonus. “I have learned to persevere and never give up. I thought that we were well-organized and well-planned,” said Team Lead Angel.

The Junior Academy was supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute.

Getting Out the Facts on Public Health

A tablet with a medical application pulled up on the screen.

All-Girl Team Wins Junior Academy Challenge Combating Public Health Misinformation.

Published October 5, 2023

By Nicole Pope

Collaborating across borders, U.S.-based student Angel and Asmaa from Jordan won New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy Innovation Challenge with a text-based campaign designed to combat online misinformation and provide young people with accurate facts about public health issues. The two participants were part of an all-female STEM team that also included participants from Lebanon and Oman.

Angel, aged 15, who lives in upstate New York, and Asmaa, aged 16, based in Amman, Jordan, have never met in person– but the two high school students got to know each other well over an intense 10-week period in the spring.

Both passionate about science, the teenagers collaborated online, alongside other team members from Lebanon and Oman, to compete in New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy Innovation Challenge, “Combating Misinformation about Public Health.” The Junior Academy is a virtual, international network of students aged 13-17 who have a deep interest in STEM and work together to solve society’s greatest challenges (“Innovation Challenges”).

For Angel and Asmaa, the experience has been uplifting– not only because their team, “Girls Combating Misinformation,” won the challenge (chosen among 11 teams that submitted final presentations).

“Being part of this challenge has definitely impacted me, in my coursework at school, in other areas in my life. I feel better getting my voice out. I have become more of a scientific thinker overall because you have to come up with a creative solution that attracts people and offers a different approach. I feel I have grown as a person through this project,” said Angel.

Empowering Girls in STEM

Both participants acknowledge that girls sometimes lack the confidence to study science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

“Girls may think they don’t have enough knowledge to get into STEM. Sometimes, the community places the bar too high, although this may not just affect girls,” said Asmaa.

Globally, women are still under-represented in STEM-related fields, both in education and as practitioners. On average, less than 30 percent of the world’s researchers are women.[1] In general, fewer women than men study life sciences, and the gender gap is even wider in fields like engineering and maths.

Diversity is important for the future of science, which is why the Junior Academy seeks to empower young women in STEM and to encourage them to consider careers in these fields. In 2021-2022, its programs had 63 percent female participation.

At the initial stage, the teammates, coming from diverse backgrounds, assessed each other’s strengths and abilities, communicating through the Junior Academy’s Launchpad online platform.

“We all had different interests coming in, then we started narrowing them down. It was very useful to have their insights, different perspectives. It really helped the project blossom,” said Angel.

She praised the team spirit that developed among the participants as they allocated tasks and responsibilities and started developing and testing their ideas.

Developing an Idea

Before coming up with their innovative approach against misinformation, the team researched how information on vaccines, cancer, tobacco, drugs, mental health, nutrition, and other health conditions is disseminated online. They immersed themselves in their assignment, meeting online every Saturday, reaching out to experts, and carrying out surveys among their peers to gain a better understanding of the problem.

“A lot of misinformation about health affects children and teens through social media,” reflected Asmaa, who said she boosted her research skills during the challenge. “When you start researching a topic, you want to get to the root of it.”

Eventually, the students opted to use text messages as the most impactful way to reach young people, and designed a campaign that would deliver daily, accurate facts on health issues, focusing particularly on correcting misleading information on topics trending on social media. To test their approach, they encouraged peers to sign up to receive these reliable health messages.

“We were stoked to have won the challenge,” said Angel, who suggested to her teammates that they continue working on the project and implement their concept. “We’ll do some outreach and tell the world about our solution.”

Angel and Asmaa said working as a team on this assignment has taught them a lot and strengthened their skills in communication, writing, leadership and problem solving.

“I feel that all of us have gained more confidence in ourselves, and we’ll push to end the STEM gender divide,” Angel says.

Inspired to Inspire

Having a supportive mentor who shared her own expertise and provided guidance and encouragement along the way contributed to their success, Asmaa pointed out. Asmaa believes role models are important, particularly for girls who may find STEM topics daunting.

She credits a charismatic science teacher at her school for kindling her own passion for maths and biology.

“I hope one day I will be able to inspire others to do what they want. To students interested in participating in a challenge, especially girls, I would say: It is a great experience. Don’t hesitate; just go for it. We all make mistakes and we learn from them. That’s how we grow,” said Asmaa.

For teenagers who have not found such inspiration at school, she believes that participating in the Junior Academy would be an exciting way to explore STEM fields.

Asmaa says her involvement in the project has made her more self-assured, and has reinforced her desire to study medicine. Angel, whose primary interests were psychology and the human mind, says the project has sparked her interest in a new field. “After this challenge on public health, I feel I want it to be part of my future,” she said.

The Junior Academy was supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute.

[1] UNESCO, Women in Science 2019

A version of this story was originally published on the Stevens Initiative’s website here.

Course: Science Mentorship: Building Inclusivity in STEM

Mentorship is a collaborative learning relationship that supports mentees at all stages of their career. In order to proactively build a more inclusive STEM field, the mentorship model must move beyond the dyad mentor-mentee relationship.  A productive reframing of one-to-one mentorship to a “village of mentors” mentality can more comprehensively support mentees as they explore their various identities and foster a strong sense of self in STEM. This expansion of mentorship is especially important to support those who are underrepresented within the larger science community.

Join the Academy and Hudson River Park as we hear from a panel of diverse STEM experts who will talk about their professional evolution and the role that mentorship played in getting them to where they are today. The panelists will share some of the many opportunities available for students interested in exploring a STEM career, and the importance of mentors and role models in creating a STEM ecosystem where diverse identities thrive.

This panel discussion is designed to cater to high school and college students interested in STEM careers, as well as graduate students and postdocs. Audience members are encouraged to engage with the panelists by asking questions during the Q&A segment.

During this webinar, you’ll hear from a panel of Scientists on the following topics:

  • The importance of mentorship in cultivating a diverse and inclusive STEM workforce
  • How to get the most out of a mentoring relationship
  • What opportunities to look for to be successful in STEM

Hudson River Park’s River Project conducts research and offers hands-on environmental education and scientific programming with the purpose of communicating the ecological importance of the Park’s 400-acre Estuarine Sanctuary. Additionally, the River Project’s student internship programs provide field science experience, mentorship and networking opportunities within NYC’s environmental field.

Course: Trust in Science: How should Scientists build Credibility and Engage with Society?

Seventy-three percent of adults in the US agree that science and technology improve our lives, and the majority trust that scientists and researchers play an important role to help solve problems. The scientific ecosystem is built to not just develop solutions to scientific problems and build careers, but also engage communities and communicate scientific development and its impact on the public and society.

Course: Mental Health First Aid

A colorful graphic stating: "Certified Adult Mental Health First Aid Instructor"

Mental Health First Aid was originally scheduled to take place twice: on November 2 and November 16. However, this event will now ONLY occur on November 16.

Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) is an interactive training program designed to help individuals identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health issues and substance use disorders in adults. Similar to First Aid and CPR training, MHFA is a key set of skills that can allow scientists and educators to assist their students, peers and colleagues who may be experiencing an acute mental health issue.

Scientists and educators are encouraged to take this course to help address the growing mental health crisis in adults. Similar to First Aid and CPR, the training gives you the skills you need to reach out and provide initial help and support to someone who may be developing a mental health or substance use problem or experiencing a crisis. Mental Health First Aid is an internationally recognized program that originated in Australia and is currently taught in more than 25 countries world wide. The program follows evidence-based fidelity standards.

Please note that this course involves two hours of self-paced online learning prior to the event.

Course: Transition to Research Independence: Funding and Grantsmanship

Successfully obtaining extramural funding is essential for academic investigators, including graduate students and postdoctoral scientists. Grantsmanship encompasses more than just writing applications; it involves identifying suitable funding agencies and understanding various funding program objectives.

Dr. Jaime Rubin, Vice Chair for Investigator Development at Columbia University will discuss pertinent topics and skills necessary for successful funding, aiding participants, especially graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, in gaining insight into the process and best practices for obtaining support for their research and career development in biomedical fields.

Speaker

Jamie S. Rubin, PhD

Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Course: Impacting Policy, Increasing Influence: Training in Effective Communications with Policymakers

September 26 | October 3 | October 10

Live Course and Interactive Community: “Breaking Through is Hard to Do: Getting Your Voice Heard by Policymakers to Advance Your Research”

This course and community is custom-built for scientists to help you:

  • Advance your career
  • Get funding for your research
  • Build support for, and understanding of, your work by key policymakers
  • Gain a community of mentors and peers while learning from communication experts

The course will teach you a proven, powerful system that has helped course graduates achieve these actual results:

  • Aced job interview, leading to a successful transition from earning a Ph.D. to getting a consulting position in life sciences
  • Successful lay abstract, unlocking 3 years of grant funding
  • Funding for a starter grant from USAID
  • Improved investor pitch for a Chief Scientific Officer at a biotech startup
  • Strong interview preparation, supporting an accepted job offer as a Medical Science Liaison
  • Compliments on describing complex research “instead of the usual glazed looks”

The Impact of Social Isolation on Alzheimer’s Disease

An illustrated graphic depicting various medical components.

Winners of the Junior Academy Innovation Challenge Fall 2021: “The Impact of COVID-19 on Non-Communicable Diseases.”

Published September 20, 2023

By Nicole Pope

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is a debilitating condition that affects the memory and cognitive functions of 5.8 million people in the U.S. alone. You might not expect teenagers to be especially aware of this terrible disease, especially in the middle of a pandemic. Yet the international Junior Academy team formed by Julie (U.S. Team Lead), Tamar (Israel), Rayhan (U.S.), Ashita (U.S.), Sophia (U.S.) and Sanjana (U.S.) chose to work on this common neurodegenerative affliction for the Fall 2021 Junior Academy challenge.

Working with their mentor, Dr. Himanshu Batra (U.S.), the six teens first set out to gain a better understanding of living with AD before going on to develop their innovative solution. Dr. Batra gave the team good advice: “Think aloud: getting out ideas with colleagues makes the idea more tangible and enables a working hypothesis to mature.”

The team members delved into academic studies, conducted interviews with clinicians, and sent out questionnaires.

“I gained significant insights on the magnitude of this pandemic and its effect on patients and the healthcare system,” says Rayhan.

They learned, for example, that COVID-19 had restricted access to AD diagnostics and therapies while also increasing isolation levels for people living with the disease and their caregivers. Between 40% and 50% of Alzheimer’s sufferers experience depression.

Improving Associated Mental Health Outcomes

Their Alzheimer’s Open Inclusive Solution (ALOIS) project aimed to make early screening more accessible and to improve the mental health of Alzheimer sufferers and their caregivers, often affected by depression and anxiety.

“I was able to connect with and learn from like-minded individuals from various regions of the world,” says Sanjana. “Approaching the challenge alongside people with different perspectives and backgrounds allowed me to gain insight into different ways to approach the problem.”

The intense process was a powerful learning experience for the students and an opportunity to forge bonds across borders with like-minded science enthusiasts.

“Throughout this process as a team lead, I learned many things about task management, scheduling and organization,” says Team Lead Julie.

Each participant contributed their own skills and developed new ones as the project progressed.

“Each one of us had a different field in which they were stronger, which created an amazing dynamic,” Tamar explains.

Bringing it All Together

Based on a study that shows significant differences in the patterns of computer usage between cognitively healthy and cognitively impaired people, the students devised a computer extension that analyzes characters per minute (cpm) and pauses per minute (ppm) during users’ everyday tasks. When applied to people at risk of developing AD (primarily those over the age of 65), this home-based early assessment method could contribute to earlier detection of the disease and encourage patients to seek earlier medical advice.

The international team also developed the versatile ALOIS app, which includes an audio feature that could analyze speech while patients undergo the Boston Naming Test, a standard assessment that requires patients to identify a series of drawings. Audio can identify AD with great accuracy.

“The Boston Naming Test idea felt very innovative and I’m excited to see ways we can engineer it and potentially offer it to the general public,” says Sophia.

The app also contains a Virtual Reality (VR) element, based on Escape Room format, that stimulates short-term or long-term memory. Upper body cardiovascular exercises will also be added to the app, to improve blood flow to the brain, a method shown to slow cognitive decline and improve mental health.

The intense development process, taking place between October and December 2021, has been a fantastic learning experience for the six Junior Academy Challenge winners.

“I have learned many new skills, such as audio analysis in Python and graphic design,” says Ashita. “Thank you to The New York Academy of Sciences Junior Academy for facilitating such a thought-provoking challenge and collaboration.”

The Junior Academy was supported by the Stevens Initiative, which is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, with funding provided by the U.S. Government, and is administered by the Aspen Institute.

School & Community Programs

Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program

You can give the feeling of scientific curiosity and exploration to middle school students around New York City by conducting engaging extracurricular activities with them throughout the school year.

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Family Science Nights

Family Science Nights are an opportunity for elementary and middle school students and their families to participate in interactive, hands-on activities led by Academy Members, grad students, postdocs, and other STEM professionals.

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A mentor poses with her two students.

Scientist-in-Residence

The Scientist-in-Residence program matches scientists with New York City public school teachers to bring scientific inquiry to life in the classroom. By combining content and pedagogical expertise, each scientist-teacher pair develops and implements a yearlong project that engages students in authentic research and sparks their interest in STEM learning.

Learn More

Professional Learning

Skill Building Programs

The Academy’s Skill Building Programs are designed to empower early-career researchers and STEM professionals by providing essential skills for career growth and innovation. Through partnerships with universities, teaching hospitals, and research facilities, the Academy offers a variety of professional development opportunities focused on key areas such as grant-writing, leadership, science communication, and career planning.

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STEM Certification Program

The Academy’s STEM Certification Program is a service the Academy provides to educators to help them adhere to a standard of quality for STEM teaching. Our Education Team reviews educational materials submitted by external organizations against a framework of research-based best practices. Educational materials that meet our rigorous standards receive official STEM Certification status.

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Science Alliance Leadership Training

Science Alliance Leadership Training (SALT) is a free, 5-day program that provides exceptional graduate students with the opportunity to build the skills they need to become leaders in their careers. Through team-building exercises and workshops, SALT Fellows learn leadership skills, communication skills, conflict resolution, and team dynamics. They emerge from the program as part of an elite network of SALT alumni.

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