Westinghouse STS Archives - ��

Regeneron STS Retreat 2021: A special visit from 1974 Alum, Eric Lander

Aparna Paul — Mon, 25 Oct 2021 14:48:55 +0000

After two consecutive years of participation in virtual competitions, this past summer, finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020 and 2021 classes were finally able to meet in person at a special retreat at the in Middleburg, Virginia. The retreat brought 68 finalists from both classes together in an idyllic setting, allowing each cohort to bond through a variety of fun-filled activities. From hearing words of wisdom from entrepreneur and philanthropist, , founder and owner of the Salamander Resort; to teambuilding designed to foster community, including ziplining, falconry and roasting marshmallows over firepits; and taking tours of nearby Washington, D.C., the students celebrated their role as the next generation of scientists and engineers who hold the utmost promise to solve the world’s dire challenges through ��.

Ahead of and through the duration of the in-person event, students and Society staff followed strict protocols to ensure the safety of every individual in attendance, including required proof of vaccinations, PCR testing before and during the retreat, masking and other social distancing measures.

One of the highlights of the retreat was a special visit to Washington D.C. wherein both classes were greeted with a surprise visitor: mathematician and geneticist Dr. Eric Lander, who competed in the Science Talent Search in 1974, then sponsored by Westinghouse. Lander placed first with a project titled, “Quasiperfect Numbers.”

Fast forward 47 years. Lander, most recently president and founding director of the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, now serves on President Joe Biden’s Cabinet as the 11th Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Science Advisor to the President, a post he says he never imagined he would hold.

“I still remember the Science Talent Search experience, and you will remember your experience,” he told the group after safely demasking outdoors in front of Albert Einstein Memorial. “The thing I remember most is that the summer before I wrote my Westinghouse paper; I was at a National Science Foundation summer program in mathematics. There, I was inspired to learn more about numbers.” That experience left him hooked on ��. “What’s really interesting is not solving problems in the back of the book, but solving problems that are not in the book. What’s even better is solving that which you’ve stated yourself!”

Photo courtesy of ��/Chris Ayers Photography

To Lander and other STS alumni, the competition can feel a lot like a homecoming, where students have the opportunity to meet other kids their own age who also care deeply about science, technology, math and engineering and how those fields can help ameliorate the challenges facing humanity. “What was really cool was coming to Washington D.C. and meeting peers who felt the same way about the world,” he said.

Lander was inspired by the research topics students explored in 2020 and 2021 and conveyed that these young scientists and engineers were even more ambitious than his own class. “I am in awe of what you are doing,” he said. He noted that though there were a few projects in his STS class that addressed real-world problems, the 2020 and 2021 finalists explored more real-life issues, such as drug violence, hurricane intensity, drug screening, hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa and reducing carbon emissions. “It’s amazing that there is a much greater representation of tackling the problems of here and now. I think that’s an incredible tribute to you and your generation.”

He also shared his opinion that ostensibly obscure topics or fundamental science research is also valuable. Basic research finds its way into scientific literature down the road, but the pure fascination with a given �� topic is commendable and valuable in and of itself. “Now, we don’t even make the division between what’s pure and what’s applied. It’s science to improve the world at different time scales and different ways.”

Lander also articulated his optimism, seeing the gender balance in the finalist pools of the 2020 and 2021 classes. “Back in 1974, there were a lot more boys than girls in the finalist group; it’s completely gender-balanced now. Science, which historically has not been so inclusive with regard to gender, race, even geography — some parts of the country have tons more science than others — if we don’t manage to include everybody in this country on an equal basis, I don’t see how we succeed.”

Like Lander, who didn’t foresee that he would be working with the American President all these years down the road, STS alumni, including these two classes of finalists, may not know where they will make a difference in the future. But one thing is for sure — we are relying on them and they have a responsibility to solve significant challenges in our world.

The Regeneron STS 2022 application is currently open. Head to apply, or sign up to be notified when the application opens in a future year.

Scroll down to see some more fun images from the STS Retreat below:

Photo courtesy of ��/Chris Ayers Photography

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How two scientists’ love of science (and each other) led them to help thousands

Aparna Paul — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 20:13:23 +0000

and met at the Bronx High School of Science in 1982. During their senior year of high school with research projects conducted just one floor away from each other at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, both were named semifinalists in the Science Talent Search (STS), then sponsored by Westinghouse. Thirty-seven years later, Sumathi is Senior Director of Early Clinical Development and Experimental Sciences at Regeneron, the current title sponsor of STS, and is married to Simon. They have two children and reside in Brooklyn.

Simon still remembers their first meeting. “It was sophomore year in biology class. We were lab partners—I think the first time we touched was to draw each other’s blood.”

The couple took very different paths for many years before they reconnected in New York in the early ’90s. At Swarthmore College in Philadelphia, Sumathi majored in physics. After completing her undergraduate degree, Sumathi won the prestigious , enabling her to work in human rights, women’s reproductive rights and refugee work in Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

“It was during that year that I decided to pursue medicine—yearning to have a direct impact on patients and help communities, like refugees.” After her time abroad, Sumathi returned to the US to complete medical school at Albert Einstein, where her scientific journey continued.

Simon moved further northeast to study architecture at MIT in Cambridge, Mass, minoring in acoustics and literature. Today, Simon is founding partner of , where he works on projects that span the world.

Simon (far left) with his business partner, Christian, designing the new clinic in Mombasa, Kenya
/ Photo courtesy of Sumathi Sivapalasingam Courtesy of Sumathi Sivapalasingam

“After years of being close friends, I think we realized that we wanted to share even more,” Simon said. They had a lot in common and still do. They appreciate the arts, good food, travel and are deeply concerned by climate change, anti-intellectualism and intolerance. “We started dating in 1991 while I was living and studying in Brooklyn and Simon was at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture. We dated for 10 years and married in 2001,” Sumathi added.

Though Sumathi and Simon grew up in very different households and have varied histories, immigration was a common thread informing the couple’s core values. Simon’s father was a Jewish refugee after being on the Kindertransport fleeing Nazi-occupied Austria and his mother is a first-generation immigrant from Russia. Simon, a native New Yorker, grew up in the “rough and tumble” of the West Village, in a house bustling with scientists and musicians. “My parents had friends from all over Europe, either refugees who had moved to the US or my father’s scientific colleagues. We lived in New York City, but we spent every weekend on our small tree farm in rural New Jersey, where most of my neighbors were farmers.”

Sumathi and her family moved from a small village in Sri Lanka and came to the Bronx to escape a country ravaged by civil war. “I felt so lucky to have opportunities and have a bit of ‘survivor guilt,’ seeing photos and knowing stories of my first cousins who lived through the war.” Sumathi’s work in global health was born of these experiences and is her way of finding justice in the world.

Growing up, Sumathi’s parents were very strict. “I wasn’t allowed to date boys as I was expected to have an arranged marriage. Simon, who had a very active social life in the West Village, did however take me to the prom. But don’t tell my parents—they still don’t know!”

Though Simon and Sumathi chose different careers, they have always been inspired by their scientific families and are scientifically-minded. Between 2004 and 2012, the couple united their passions and skills to build an HIV treatment center in Mombasa, a coastal city of Kenya.

“Sumathi started the program with just a few dozen patients, and expanded it to thousands,” Simon said. “At one point it became clear that the existing clinic buildings wouldn’t be able to handle the number of patients being enrolled; we looked at each other and hatched this idea that I would come with her to Kenya and design new clinic space. It was great to bring our very different skills together to do something which made a difference for a lot of people.”

During a very memorable part of her career, Sumathi was an Epidemic Intelligence Service Officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention working on the front lines of infectious disease outbreaks. Her work there included responding to a large and deadly cholera outbreak in the Marshall Islands and to a novel strain of Salmonella bacteria that spread across US states, causing death in some patients, all traced back to a single farm in South America importing contaminated mangoes.

Sumathi (far right) with her team in Kenya in front of the clinic designed by Simon/
Photo courtesy of Sumathi Sivapalasingam

Most recently Sumathi is the medical lead at Regeneron to help introduce disease during the second largest Ebola virus outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. “I joined Regeneron after working almost a decade expanding access to HIV treatment to tens of thousands of patients in Kenya, where I thought perhaps I had the most significant impact on public health. I was wrong. The work at Regeneron to bring REGN-EB3 to the Democratic Republic of the Congo is equally impactful. It is the most significant time in my career to know my work helped to bring a lifesaving medication to patients infected with one of the most de-humanizing infections on earth.” Currently, she is working on Regeneron’s efforts to bring novel therapeutics to patients infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) an outbreak that is quickly becoming a pandemic of global concern.

Amid the enlightening moments of her career in medicine and research, Sumathi does reflect on the lighter moments and the past. “Perhaps if I weren’t so distracted falling in love with Simon, I would have become an STS finalist. But in the end, I guess our relationship of almost 30 years and two amazing kids are better than being a Science Talent Search winner!”

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An alum who combines engineering with a passion for Scandinavian folk music

Communications Team — Fri, 17 Aug 2018 04:00:00 +0000

(ISEF 1962, Westinghouse STS 1962) has eclectic interests, ranging from art to science. He studied electronic engineering in college and began on the after living in Sweden.

His fascination with science and music began at an early age. Matt’s parents always had music playing in the house, and he attended Stuyvesant High School in New York City, a school recognized for its strong science curriculum. There, he had the opportunity to participate in science fairs, which he said showed him that science was a worthy pursuit.

“I enjoyed crafting solutions using the technologies I was exposed to, and it was natural that I pursue an engineering career,” he said.

When Matt was going to school, computer science programs were rare. Fortunately, his electrical engineering program at MIT included computer science and engineering courses, giving him the opportunity to pursue both.

After graduating from MIT, Matt contributed to hardware and software design at many companies. He worked as a software engineer or staff scientist at leading companies like Acacia Communications Inc., Klein Marine Systems, Inc., Agilent Technologies (a spin-off of Hewlett-Packard), Tektronix/Microwave Logic, and GenRad.

At General Radio Company, a maker of instruments for electronic engineers, Matt worked on some of the first minicomputers, building and testing the systems. General Radio eventually became GenRad, and the computer-controlled testing system became a major segment of its business.

Currently, Matt is what he calls “semi-retired.”

Because of Matt’s engineering experience, he was invited to be a visiting instructor at Linköping University in Sweden. Swedish industry was interested in hiring new graduates who already had practical computer science and engineering skills, and he had both. He moved to Sweden in 1976 and remained for 18 months. While living in Sweden, Matt picked up the unique instruments that he now plays.

“The 1970s were a time of folk revival in Sweden and folk music was thriving,” Matt said. “Traditional Swedish music, with its subtle, understated rhythms and expressive improvised harmonies, appealed to my musical sensibilities.”

Matt believes that interests in science and music often go hand in hand. “Music has an underlying structure that appeals to the engineering mindset,” he said.

Matt’s many years of experience have led to a unique career that merges art and science. He advises curious students and professionals to, “Be flexible, open to new ideas and challenges. Look around and be inspired, build on what you find, collaborate, keep learning, and have fun.”

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Neurologist relishes the combination of art and science

Communications Team — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 04:00:00 +0000

Dr. Nina Schor (Westinghouse STS 1972) is the Deputy Director of the (NINDS). She’s also a poet.

At NINDS, Nina provides advice, mentoring, and support to people who serve the needs of those with neurological disorders and challenges. Her typical day varies. Nina often leads lectures, attends meetings, performs research, and writes pieces for the U.S. neuroscience research community. Her work involves distributing funds to basic and clinical research labs and training the next generation of scientists who have the potential to change the outcome for people with neurological disorders.

As a pediatric neurologist, Nina’s own research is focused on treating neuroblastoma, a deadly tumor of the peripheral nervous system, most commonly detected in children. Her lab draws on research techniques from biochemistry, cancer biology, and neuropharmacology.

Don’t be afraid to juxtapose science and art. They are two sides of the same wonderfully beautiful coin.

“I was drawn to neuroscience because there is so much we have yet to learn in that field, and so much potential to contribute to the health and well-being of people and populations,” she said.

While Nina’s career is focused on science and medicine, poetry offers her an outlet and way to reflect. “All scientists, and, indeed, all hard-working people, should have an outlet, a pop-off valve,” she said.

Nina has several published poems in the medical journal , which often features creative writing by and for neurologists. She also published a chapbook in 1986 titled “To the East of Ever After.”

Nina Schor is the Deputy Director of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, and also a poet. Photo courtesy of Nina Schor.

For Nina, there’s a strong connection between poetry and science.

“I think both offer the opportunity to express what is often beyond conventional words and prose, and they do so using diametrically opposed mechanisms,” she said. “Science depends on the quantitative, the detectable and tangible, and, often, the reductionist approach. Poetry captures the qualitative, the emotive and intangible, and, often, the holistic, visionary approach.”

While hard sciences and the humanities differ greatly, they also have much in common. “Both leverage varying degrees of symmetry, beauty, predictability, and logic to create something unique and new,” Nina said.

Nina’s passion for �� was kindled before her participation in the Science Talent Search. But her experience at STS instilled confidence that allowed her to move into a �� career. “The incredible generosity and graciousness of the judges and scientists we visited during the Science Talent Search in Washington, D.C. made me certain I wanted to teach and mentor others, and share science with the public,” she said.

Nina Schor was the top winner in Westinghouse STS 1972. Photo courtesy of the �� & the Public.

As a child, Nina was attracted to scientific mechanisms, asking questions, and discovering answers. Her father, a chemical and mechanical engineer, provided her first exposure to quantitative reasoning and deductive thinking. Nina’s mother offered the artistic side of life, as a semi-professional singer and actress who earned a living in the fashion industry in New York City’s Garment District. Her parents made sure Nina and her sister were exposed to and schooled in music.

“Even now, it’s the aural aspects of poetry that appeal to me the most,” Nina said. “I’ve been known to fashion phrases in poems because of the way they sound, with only an afterthought of what they might mean.”

Nina’s advice to young people? “Don’t be afraid to juxtapose science and art. They are two sides of the same wonderfully beautiful coin,” she said.

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What does science have to do with the race for governor in Illinois?

Communications Team — Wed, 21 Feb 2018 05:00:00 +0000

Politics and math don’t usually go hand in hand. But , a former professor of mathematics at the University of Chicago and an alum of both the Science Talent Search and Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), is running for Governor of Illinois.

When he started working as a math professor, Daniel says it was his dream job. But he became frustrated with where our country was headed under George W. Bush. He wanted to do something and joined John Kerry’s presidential campaign.

Fast forward to 2018. Daniel has now been involved in politics for several years, serving in the Illinois Senate since January 2013.

Daniel (Westinghouse STS 1995, ISEF 1995) believes he can turn the Illinois government to focus on the people. “Can we use this moment in our history to build politics to do something different? I believe we can, and that’s why I’m running,” he said.

Science and politics can and do sometimes intersect. To Daniel, science is a way of thinking about the world, and politics is what you do in the world. “There’s no activity in life that doesn’t benefit with a fluency of scientific thinking,” Daniel said. “Politics is certainly no exception.”

In 2015, Daniel proudly helped enact the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act by sponsoring and championing the legislation. Secure Choice makes Illinois the first state to fully require employers to offer their workers retirement benefits, which, according to Daniel, benefits 2.5 million people. “It’s an important part of creating an economy that actually works for people to live with dignity in the 21st century,” Daniel noted.

Being a mathematician helps him to understand complicated information, Daniel explained. “You’re able to ask skeptical questions, challenge your own assumptions and biases,” he said. “Those are really valuable skills in an arena where you’re constantly exposed to new information, some of which is unreliable and much of which comes from biased sources.”

He fell in love with math as a kid. In high school, Daniel was fascinated when he started learning about measure theory and integration. “One summer I realized what a beautiful playground these extraordinary ideas are. It was enchanting,” he said.

Daniel received his undergraduate degree from Harvard and his Ph.D. at MIT, both in mathematics. His accolades include the 1999 Morgan Prize for his outstanding research as an undergraduate, and the Clay Research Fellowship from 2002-2007.

Additionally, he helped young adult novelist John Green do a lot of the math in “An Abundance of Katherines,” even writing the book’s appendix, which explained the math in the book. John and Daniel are friends; Daniel shared that “it was a privilege to get to see the inside of John’s head during the process of writing.”

Daniel’s advice for young people interested in ��? Read, think, experiment, and most importantly, persevere despite failures or obstacles. “The last and hardest advice is to try to learn broadly,” Daniel suggested. “When I was in high school, I just read math books. But novels are pretty important too, and knowing about history is important.” Working on science fair projects was also meaningful to Daniel. “I was never that great in competitions,” he said, “but I know they’re a great motivator for some people.”

There’s no activity in life that doesn’t benefit with a fluency of scientific thinking. Politics is certainly no exception.

Daniel believes that breadth of knowledge and curiosity is crucial to succeed as a politician or mathematician. “The value of that breadth is especially important in politics, because it’s easy to get stuck in narrow thinking,” Daniel said. “God help us if our leaders are making decisions based on a narrow worldview.” He explained: It’s so important to show up and listen, to learn about challenges faced by your community to help make it better.

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Giving thanks to our Society alumni family

Communications Team — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 05:00:00 +0000

Thanksgiving is a time to reflect and give thanks for families, success, and even our challenges.

We at the Society are thankful for the contributions our distinguished alumni have made in their respective fields as well as the recognitions they have received. Something else we are grateful for: alumni who have had such positive experiences competing in the Science Talent Search, Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and Broadcom MASTERS that they encouraged brothers, sisters, children, and grandchildren to participate.

Below, check out a sampling of some of our favorite stories about families with multiple �� & the Public alumni. Does your family have more than one alum/na? Email alumni@societyforscience.org and let us know!

Frank Sandy and Aaron Yeiser at the Regeneron STS 2017 Awards Gala.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC/CHRIS AYERS.

Aaron Yeiser and Frank Sandy

Aaron Yeiser (Regeneron STS 2017) created a new, more efficient method for numerical simulations and differential equations, generating more precise results than we have currently. His algorithm has applications in fluid dynamics and precision computing in physics. This could potentially lead to better airplanes and improved artificial heart pumps. His grandfather Frank Sandy (Westinghouse STS 1954) worked in computer science. His STS project focused on new methods for solving complex cubic equations.

Stephen Litt and his dad at the Broadcom MASTERS 2017 project showcase at Union Station.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SOCIETY FOR SCIENCE & THE PUBLIC/LINDA DOANE.

Stephen Litt and Lesley Litt

Stephen (Broadcom MASTERS 2017) is working on a novel approach to halting cancer before it begins, by using an antioxidant found in green tea. His dad Lesley (Westinghouse STS 1986) owns a flexible packaging company and studied chemistry in school. Lesley’s STS project focused on growing plants in zero gravity.

George Fritz Dell and Kristi Snell both competed in the Westinghouse STS, Dell in 1949 and Snell in 1985.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KRISTI SNELL.

George Fritz Dell and Kristi Snell

Kristi Snell (Westinghouse STS 1985) grew up watching her dad, George Fritz Dell (Westinghouse STS 1949), and her mom, conduct physics research at the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Kristi also interned in the lab’s biology department while she was in high school. Kristi’s STS project focused on Indian artifacts she found on a farm in Indiana where her grandmother grew up. She classified arrowheads and other stone tools based on their style and workmanship. George’s STS project involved a unique form of residential lighting from a Tesla coil.

Cathy Chen and Alexander Mullen at their wedding.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHY CHEN.

Cathy Chen and Alexander Mullen

Cathy Chen and Alexander Mullen were science fair partners for four years at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, from 2007 through 2010. Their science fair partnership became a life partnership when they got married in 2015. Cathy said, “Marriage is a lot like working on a project together.” Now, they even run a company together, Mullen Memory.

Leonard and Judith married in 2003.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEONARD AND JUDITH GORDY.

Leonard and Judith Gordy

The Westinghouse Science Talent Search 1962 competition opened “a whole new world of possibilities” for Judith and Leonard Gordy, who married in 2003. It was where they first met, and this led them to a path of teaching science, working at pharmacies, and building MRI machines. Judith remembers asking for a chemistry set and microscope for Christmas. She was the only one in her family who had an interest in science, while Leonard’s father was a self-taught electronics engineer who exposed him to science at an early age. Judith’s STS project focused on her research on radioactive kelp; Leonard’s on measuring gas discharge plasmas using microwaves.

Jamie Odzer (top middle row) received a Special Award at Intel ISEF 2012.

Photo courtesy of the �� & the Public.

The Odzer Family

An alumna three times over, Shari-Lynn Odzer (Westinghouse STS 1983 and Intel ISEF 1982-1983) researched the effect of auditory stress on the chemotaxis of white blood cells. She became interested in the topic while reading about the negative effects of noise pollution during a science project in middle school. Both her daughters caught the science fair bug. Jamie (Intel ISEF 2012), Shari’s oldest daughter, presented various projects at the competition, one inspired by her lifelong interest in South Florida’s wetlands, not far from where she grew up. Shari’s younger daughter and son were both interested in coral reefs. Nicole (Broadcom MASTERS 2012) researched reef-building corals and global warming for her Broadcom MASTERS project. And Michael (Broadcom MASTERS 2015-2016) looked into using sonar to quantify the relationship of predator and prey in coral reefs and how it affects reef health for his project.

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Science runs in the family

Communications Team — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 05:00:00 +0000

The call of science is often heard through the generations. That is definitely the case with the Litts.

This year, , 7th grade, competed in Broadcom MASTERS, one of three prestigious competitions produced and created by the �� & the Public. As one of the 30 finalists, Stephen showcased his project on a novel approach to treating cancer. His research showed that Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant in green tea, can inhibit tumors in planaria, a flatworm.

“I may have broken something when I was jumping around after I found out the results,” he said, laughing as he reflected on his reaction to his experiment results.

Similar to his son, Stephen’s father Lesley grew up with a love for science and research. He was a semifinalist in Westinghouse Science Talent Search (STS) 1986, the Society’s most prestigious science and math competition, which is now sponsored by . For his STS project, Lesley grew plants and simulated zero gravity. He was thinking about how it could help the Space Shuttle program.

Stephen Litt presenting his research at Broadcom MASTERS 2017. Photo courtesy of �� & the Public/Linda Doane.

While he never made it to Washington, D.C. to compete as a finalist, Lesley said STS helped him get into college. “It made such a difference,” Lesley said. He majored in chemistry and now owns a flexible packaging company.

Stephen’s mother Melanie, a dentist, similarly inspired Stephen’s interest in science. In a previous science fair project, Stephen used some of the teeth she extracted from patients, testing how they eroded in different soft drinks. In fact, Lesley believes that both he and his wife — and their interest in science — influenced Stephen and his love of ��.

“What matters most is the environment parents bring their children up in, allowing them chances to explore,” Lesley said. “If parents can fund their children’s �� interests, that’s great; and if they can’t, they should seek help from schools or local labs.”

“Science fairs are important because they’re a good way for young children to express their ideas about science,” Stephen added. He loves making friends with others his own age who love science as much as he does. He’s currently in a group chat with all of the Broadcom MASTERS 2017 top 30 finalists.

Lesley Litt’s Westinghouse STS 1986 project. “The safety regulations were different then,” he said. His circular tracks were electrified with a sign that said ‘danger high voltage.’ Photo courtesy of Lesley Litt.

Lesley believes that science fairs, such as Broadcom MASTERS, provide an opportunity for students to learn more and keep going. “It inspires these kids.” He is currently working on promoting his local science fair, which will take place this upcoming February. “Science fairs are important not just for doing science projects, but they give the kids a chance to do some public speaking,” Lesley explained.

Stephen agrees. “They’re a good way for young children to express their ideas about science,” he said. In fact, he has participated in science fairs ever since the first grade.

Stephen’s advice for others interested in ��: “even if you don’t think what you’re doing is a good idea, other people might think it is. Don’t listen to your own negative criticism.” His dad agrees. “Research is a marathon,” Lesley said. “Most students aren’t going to get the one-hit wonder. Don’t give up.”

Stephen plans to study chemical engineering in college. “But that might change as I get older,” he said. “I’m definitely interested in chemistry or biology.”

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Conversations with Maya: A discussion with Dr. Edward Thorp, author of Beat the Dealer

Communications Team — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 04:00:00 +0000

Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of �� & the Public and Publisher of Science News, sat down to chat with Dr. Edward Thorp — a mathematics professor, inventor, entrepreneur, founder of the first quant hedge fund, blackjack player and the best-selling author of Beat the Dealer, the first book to mathematically prove that the house advantage in blackjack could be overcome by card counting. Thorp, an alum of Westinghouse Science Talent Search 1949, also published his autobiography, A Man for All Markets, earlier this year. We are thrilled to share an edited summary of the conversation.

Beat the Dealer and A Man for All Markets. ~~ Photo courtesy of Mark Jordan."/>

Dr. Edward Thorp, author of Beat the Dealer and A Man for All Markets. Photo courtesy of Mark Jordan.

In your autobiography, A Man for All Markets, you mentioned Science News-Letter, now called Science News, as having an impact on your education. Can you talk a bit more about the impact that Science News has had on your life?

I grew up in the ’40s in California during World War II. Money was scarce. I was going to a high school with very little in the way of academics. I was interested in science, but nobody else there was, so I began teaching myself science. Physics, astronomy, mathematics, chemistry, a little biology — just by reading books and studying on my own. A retired engineer next door gave me a free subscription to Science News-Letter, which helped me to understand that there’s a whole big world of science and there were many interesting possibilities for working in that world.

I’m really excited to share that the Society has a program called Science News in High Schools that brings Science News to more than 4,000 high schools across the country. Through a sponsorship program, the magazine is free to the schools and includes a teaching guide. What advice do you have for students on why reading magazines like Science News is so important?

One of the great things about Science News was that it gave me a broader view of science and all the various areas in which scientists were active. It expanded my menu of possible choices. Science News also pushed me to gather more general knowledge in science that I might not have had if I hadn’t been reading the magazine.

We were thrilled to see the Science Talent Search included in your life story. Can you talk to me about the impact that competition had on your life?

A few years before I graduated from high school, I was concerned about finding enough money to go to college, so I delivered newspapers and did other jobs. Then I saw a story in Science News-Letter that they had a Science Talent Search contest, and that turned out to be quite a revelation for me. I was fortunate enough to become a finalist and go to Washington, D.C., and really see what the world was like. Because I was a Science Talent Search finalist, it made it easier to get scholarships at whatever university I wanted to go to. I could only afford to go to the University of California because the tuition was minimal at that time, $70 a year. Hard to believe, isn’t it? The Science Talent Search was one of the main things that really opened my eyes to the world of science and what it was like.

Who did you get to meet when you were in Washington?

It was the first time I ever took a train. The year was 1949, and it was a three-day train ride to Washington, D.C. In the course of my time in Washington, we met Nobel Prize–winner I.I. Rabi, who talked with us at some length, and we visited the 60-inch cyclotron. And then, we had an audience in the Oval Office with President Harry Truman. We all had our pictures taken with him, and he shook each of our hands. I remember his hand very vividly still: It felt like a nicely upholstered, well-used leather armchair with a little talcum powder on it.

We tell all our students who compete in the Science Talent Search, and throughout our competitions, that communications and the humanities are also important. It’s part of the creative and intellectual process of being a scientist or a mathematician or an engineer.

Yes, I have met quite a few great scientists over the course of my lifetime and what I’ve learned is that the great scientists — for the most part — have a very substantial interest in the humanities. It’s interesting that the greater minds have room for both science and the humanities and have a curiosity about both things. I don’t know which comes first, but I think it goes both ways. The people who have more talent, more often than not, will be capable in the humanities. This brings a broader perspective in their scientific work.

One thing I’ve also noticed in interacting with both younger and older scientists is that if a scientist can express him or herself more clearly and cogently, that person becomes much more effective in both conveying what they’ve done to other people and in working together with other people. It is very valuable to be able to speak clearly, distinctly and cogently.

What was it about the humanities that got you excited?

I had one remarkable English teacher who taught American literature. One summer, he lent me 60 books — I spent the summer between my junior and senior years sitting on the beach reading and bodysurfing. There were things like The Brothers Karamazov, Of Mice and Men, The Jungle and Sinclair Lewis’ Arrowsmith. It was a revelation in my view of the world, and it enormously enlarged my vocabulary.

Switching gears, you are well known for your blackjack skills; you even wrote a best-selling book called Beat the Dealer in the ’60s. Where did your interest in blackjack begin and are you still playing today?

Well, I got interested in blackjack, you might say, purely by chance. I got interested in applying physics to predicting the outcome of a roulette spin. I went to Las Vegas for a vacation after I got my Ph.D. in math because I wanted to observe roulette wheels. While I was there, I happened to play a little blackjack. After playing for about 40 minutes, I saw how you could beat the game, and it turned out I was right. And that’s how I came to write what turned out to be a New York Times best-selling book on card counting at blackjack. It was the first book of that type, and it led large numbers of people to head to the casinos in Las Vegas. It also caused the casinos to try to change the rules, unsuccessfully.

Dr. Thorp, you have had an unbelievably varied and storied career. You were a professor of math, you’re a blackjack guru, you created a hedge fund, you developed the first wearable computer; most people just do one of those things in their lifetime and are pretty content. What are the key lessons you’ve learned from having such a diverse and unique career path?

Well, what was the handicap for me in junior high and high school — having to teach myself and not having any mentors or academic courses of any value — also proved to be a benefit because I learned to think through things for myself. If something came up, like “can you beat gambling games,” and everybody would say, “No, you couldn’t,” I wouldn’t accept that. I would say, “Well, I’ll check it out for myself and see what I think.”

So I didn’t go with conventional wisdom most of my life. I just simply tried to think independently, and I wanted things that were evidence-based.

I’d also like to add that one of the most common things that people ask me is, what should I do to become successful in science, finance, gambling? I tell them not to start out with some goal, like trying to make money. Instead, figure out what it is you like to do, because the activity that you do — call it work, but it won’t be work if you choose it right — the activity that you do is going to be a very large part of your life and you want to be happy doing it. So choose something that will make you happy and it’s probably something that you’re good at. And then, just follow your dreams in that direction and you’ll more than likely find out that everything will work out very well for you. It’s the people who try to go against what they really want to do that end up being so unhappy.

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These 13 Society alumni are Nobel Prize Laureates

Communications Team — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 04:00:00 +0000

Last week, we found out that Kip Thorne, a Science Talent Search alum, had won the Nobel Prize in Physics for his observation of gravitational waves. Thorne isn’t the only Society alumni who was named a Nobel Laureate. All thirteen of these Nobel Laureates were Science Talent Search alumni, which is a pretty impressive track record for a competition.

Read on to learn more about our Nobel Laureate alumni.

Leon Cooper received the 1972 Nobel Prize in Physics for his joint theory of superconductivity.