Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences

Last updated

The Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences (PGSS) is now the only remaining part of the Pennsylvania Governor's Schools of Excellence, a group of five-week summer programs for selected high-school students in the state of Pennsylvania.

Contents

Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh has hosted the program since its inception in 1982.

Notable Aspects

Most recently, it has been directed by Biology Professor Natalie McGuier, the successor of Physics Professor Barry Luokkala. Participants are required to be Pennsylvania high school students between their junior and senior years and are required to live in the dormitories for the full five weeks of the program.

Admission is competitive and merit-based with approximately five hundred of scientifically inclined students across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania applying for seventy-two slots in the program. Around thirty-six male and thirty-six female students participate each year.

The aim of PGSS is to promote interest in science rather than to advance students' knowledge in a specific area. The curriculum includes five "core" courses in Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science, Mathematics and Physics, and numerous electives. In addition to taking classes, students are required to participate in a lab course and a research-style team project. The emphasis is on cooperation, rather than competition, with students encouraged to collaborate with other students on academic work and interact socially.

The Residence Life staff provides a number of structured social events to foster friendship and teamwork. There is at least one event per day and is advertised on the social calendar in the dorm lobby. For many students, the social development gained from the program rivals the scientific knowledge they acquire. The students leave the program with a strong bond; most attend an organized reunion the following year after the 4th week of the program.

Discontinuation and Restoration

PGSS was discontinued in 2009 by Governor Ed Rendell who cut all funding for PGSEs from the 2009-2010 budget. [1] [2]

After the program closed, a group of PGSS alumni and parent volunteers worked on what was called the most important "team project": the restoration of PGSS. This included the following milestones: organizing PGSS Campaign, Inc. as a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, locating over 95% of the 2400 alumni, and many of their parents, collecting over $900,000 in donations from these individuals, meeting with former Governor Thomas Corbett and several former Secretaries of Education, meeting with key legislative leaders in Pennsylvania, hiring a part-time Executive Director, gaining formal recognition as an Education Improvement Organization (EITC), and securing numerous corporate grants.

Since then, PGSS alumni have donated over $1,500,000 to the program with nothing personal to gain since they have already been through the program; they believe in the importance of PGSS for future students.

After several years of work by PGSS Campaign, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania awarded Carnegie Mellon University a matching $150,000 grant to operate PGSS in 2013 and 2014. This provided half of the required funds for a fifty-four-student program. To secure the funding from the state, the non-profit PGSS Campaign, Inc. had to agree to match those funds, and raised that and more to allow sixty students to attend each summer.

PGSS was ultimately restored in 2013, and PGSS 2014 followed the next summer. Although Governor Corbett put a line item in the 2014 budget, the legislature took it out in the final version. TeamPA provided the matching $150,000 grant to Carnegie Mellon for PGSS 2015, and PGSS Campaign continued to raise funds for the match. PGSS Campaign hosted PGSS 2016 through 2019 with only in-kind support from the Commonwealth due to the generosity of PGSS alumni, family and friends as well as corporate support secured by PGSS Campaign.

The PGSS Campaign is still in discussion with the state about funding and has had some funding from the state in 2021 and 2022. PGSS Campaign hopes to increase the number of students even more, closer to the earlier ninety-student program. PGSS 2022 had seventy-two students in attendance.

PGSS Campaign, Inc. also functions as a PGSS alumni association. PGSS Campaign, Inc. has arranged successful reunions in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Boston, San Francisco, Washington DC, Austin, Houston, Seattle, New York and more. Since the COVID pandemic, there have been several virtual reunions, and in the summer of 2022, PGSS Campaign hosted a 40th anniversary of the founding of PGSS celebration. PGSS Campaign also started a mentoring program connecting recent alumni with alumni from previous years which has operated successfully since 2013.

Core Courses

None of the teachers of the core courses are required to teach any one particular area or course. They are simply hired to teach a course in the general subject area. As a result, the core courses vary from year to year; however, it is typical for the Biology course to be in HIV/AIDS Biotechnology, the Chemistry course to be in Organic Chemistry, the Mathematics Course on Discrete Mathematics and the Physics course typically covers concepts in Modern Physics, often focusing on Special Relativity. The Computer Science Course covers basic programming concepts and offers independent study for those with experience.

As it is not unusual for a student in the PGSS program to be unfamiliar with a topic, it is common for the students to help one another to stay abreast of the workload. Students can also consult teaching assistants, who are often college students or former PGSS participants, for advice. The core courses typically run fifty minutes each four days a week, with four courses each day from Monday through Friday. Students may drop one core course after two weeks, provided that they are taking at least one elective and have completed outstanding homework assignments in that course.

The core professors often return for multiple summers. Dr. Mark Farrell of Point Park University usually teaches the chemistry course and is the only faculty to have been with the program since the beginning of the program. Dr. Richard Holman of Carnegie Mellon has been teaching the physics core since the early 1990s. Dr. Ben Campbell was a student in the program in 1997 and has been a TA or faculty member every year but one since.

Lab Courses

A laboratory course is offered in every subject. Typically, one or more inter-disciplinary laboratory courses are added, such as Organic Chemistry. These usually meet twice a week for three hours following core courses. Depending on the subject area, it may be required that the laboratory course and the Team Project be taken together to better prepare students for the rigor of the team project.

Elective Courses

Students have to option of attending up to three of the ten Elective Courses offered. These smaller courses typically run for an hour twice a week after core courses. Taking more than four electives in addition to all of the core courses is not permitted without special permission from the director. Usually, several electives, including Astrophysics and Laser Technology are consistently offered every year, although content in these courses may change. Past Math Electives were taught by longtime PGSS faculty, Juan Schaffer, who was often revered by students for his mathematical genius and resemblance to Einstein until his passing in 2017.

Team Projects

All PGSS students are required to participate in a team project. The areas generally match the areas of the core courses. These team projects, each culminating in a final scientific research paper, are presented during the last week of the PGSS program known as "Team Project Week." During Team Project Week, no classes are held, due to the immense demand on the participants' time from their research paper and presentations. The final papers are compiled for the PGSS Journal. [3]

Homework and Assessment

Typically, PGSS students must complete and hand in an assignment once a week for every core course and must also hand in any homework for electives. This usually works out such that one core course assignment is due every weekday. The PGSS program strives to emulate the modern scientific community by encouraging collaboration and cooperation among students as they complete their assignments. The homework problems are often designed to require copious amounts of time and effort if one attempts to solve them without teaming up, thus encouraging a cooperative atmosphere. In addition to this, students participating in this program are not ranked among their peers, thus removing any reason for isolation solely to stand out.

While there are no grades given, all participants receive an evaluation letter based on input from teaching assistants and professors at the conclusion of the program.

Student Life

Students in the PGSS program (colloquially referred to as "Govies") participate in daily social activities, typically on the weekends and after classes. These activities can range from spending a day at Kennywood Amusement Park to indoor trivia nights. Program participants are encouraged to join in on these activities to form meaningful friendships and embody the collaborative spirit that PGSS promotes.

During the weekend before the last week of the program, PGSS students have the opportunity to meet with previous PGSS alumni for advice navigating the college application process. Additionally, participants are also encouraged to take advantage of the opportunities on the Carnegie Mellon University campus, and many decide to work and spend time together in the University Center or at Gesling Stadium.

Location

From the inception of the program until 2000 the PGSS program used the Hamerschlag House (also referred to as the 'Schlag) as the coed residence for the students with the boys housed in one wing, and the girls in the other. In 2001, the program was moved to Morewood E tower floors 4-7 (each sex having 2 floors) with the lounge in Morewood Underground. The program briefly moved back to Hamerschlag before going to Mudge House starting in 2007, with girls living in the main house and boys housed in one wing.

The 2013 and 2014 programs were housed in Donner House, with boys in the southern wing and girls in the northern wing. Beginning in 2017, the program's housing moved to Scobell House where the boys lived on the bottom two floors and the girls on the two upper floors.

As of 2023, housing has been moved back to Donner House.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnegie Mellon University</span> Private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The institution was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools. In 1912, it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology and began granting four-year degrees. In 1967, it became Carnegie Mellon University through its merger with the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research, founded in 1913 by Andrew Mellon and Richard B. Mellon and formerly a part of the University of Pittsburgh.

Constructor University, formerly Jacobs University Bremen, is an international, private, residential research university located in Vegesack, Bremen, Germany. It offers study programs in engineering, humanities, natural and social sciences, in which students can acquire bachelor's, master's or doctorate degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnegie Mellon College of Fine Arts</span> Fine arts school of Carnegie Mellon University

The College of Fine Arts (CFA) at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania oversees the Schools of Architecture, Art, Design, Drama, and Music along with its associated centers, studios, and galleries.

In higher education, a course is a unit of teaching that typically lasts one academic term, is led by one or more instructors, and has a fixed roster of students. A course usually covers an individual subject. Courses generally have a fixed program of sessions every week during the term, called lessons or classes. Students may receive a grade and academic credit after completion of the course. Courses can either be compulsory material or "elective". An elective is usually not a required course, but there are a certain number of non-specific electives that are required for certain majors. The entire collection of courses required to complete an academic degree is called a program of studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business</span> Business school of the University of Pittsburgh

The Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business is the graduate business school of the University of Pittsburgh located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Although business education had its origins at the university in 1907, the Graduate School of Business was established in 1960 from a merger of its predecessors, the School of Business Administration and the Graduate School of Retailing. It was renamed in 1987 after businessman and university alumnus benefactor Joseph Katz. The school offers a traditional, accelerated, part-time, business analytics, and executive Master of Business Administration (MBA) degrees as well as Master of Science degrees in Accounting, Business Analytics, Finance, Information Systems, Management, Marketing, Supply Chain Management and several Ph.D. programs in business. Katz is regularly ranked in the top 5% of Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business-accredited schools and in the top 0.3% of schools worldwide that grant business degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Philippine Science High School Main Campus</span> Public high school in Quezon City, Philippines

The Philippine Science High School - Main Campus is the flagship campus of the Philippine Science High School System. It was founded in 1964. It is located along Senator Miriam P. Defensor-Santiago Avenue, Diliman, Quezon City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carnegie Vanguard High School</span> Public magnet school in Houston, Texas, United States

Andrew Carnegie Vanguard High School, named after Andrew Carnegie, is located in the Fourth Ward of Houston, Texas near Downtown and was formerly located in Sunnyside. The school serves grades 9-12 and is part of the Houston Independent School District. It is the only High School Vanguard Program in HISD meaning that all students are labelled as gifted and talented by testing and the school has students take all Advanced Placement core classes as part of its curriculum.

The Governor's School of New Jersey, a member of the National Conference of Governor's Schools, is a summer program for academically talented high school students from New Jersey who have completed their junior year and who are interested in the STEM fields. The School is an intensive residential program conducted on two college campuses in the state. Emphasis is placed on problem solving of complex issues that exist on the local, state, national, and international levels. To foster creativity, the program provides no grades or academic credit.

Barry Luokkala is the Director of Undergraduate Physics Laboratories in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University and Program Director for the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Sciences. Luokkala was the recipient of the MCS Teaching Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shady Side Academy</span> School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States

Shady Side Academy is an independent preparatory school Fox Chapel, Pennsylvania in Greater Pittsburgh. Founded in 1883 as an all-male night school in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh, the academy now offers a secular coeducational PK–12 program on four campuses in the city and its suburbs, including a boarding program in the Croft and Morewood Houses of its Senior School Campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">IIT Madras</span> Public engineering institution in India

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras is a public technical university located in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the eight public Institutes of Eminence of India. As an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), IIT Madras is also recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School</span> Cyber charter school in Pennsylvania, US

The Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School (PALCS) is a public cyber charter school approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and open to all students in grades K–12 who reside in the state of Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roanoke Valley Governor's School for Science and Technology</span> School in Roanoke, VA, USA

Roanoke Valley Governor's School for Science and Technology (RVGS) is a Governor's School in Grandin Court, Roanoke, Virginia, United States. RVGS is a magnet school with students from the Roanoke Valley and Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area districts. The Roanoke Valley Governor's School for Science and Technology was established in 1985 as one of the original five Academic Year Governor's Schools (AYGS) in Virginia. As an AYGS program, RVGS receives funding from the participating school divisions and the state. The school is a regional program, operated and governed by the RVGS Regional Board populated by one member of each participating division's local School Boards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arthur Hamerschlag</span> American engineer

Arthur Arton Hamerschlag was an American electrical and mechanical engineer who served as the first President of Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States.

The Governor's School of Engineering and Technology, or GSET, is one of the two programs of the Governor's School of New Jersey. Since its inception, the program has been held at Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey, and aims to educate scholars in the fields of engineering and technology. This program is tuition-free and receives funding from sponsors, alumni, the state of New Jersey, Rutgers University, and others. This 4-week residential summer program is academically intense and demanding. It typically runs from the end of June to the middle/end of July. Students participate in two elective courses, along with the core courses of Physics, and Robotics. Their schedule also includes keynote speakers, tours, enrichment activities, and a research project. The research project is one of the main focuses of the program, in which students conduct research, design experiments, and write a professional research paper. On the final day, a symposium is held to showcase the research, projects, and creations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Entertainment Technology Center</span>

The Entertainment Technology Center (ETC) is a department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located at the Pittsburgh Technology Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Stroudsburg High School North</span> Public high school in Dingmans Ferry, Pike County, Pennsylvania, United States

East Stroudsburg Senior High School North is a midsized, public high school located in Dingmans Ferry in Pike County, Pennsylvania. It is one of two high schools operated by the East Stroudsburg Area School District.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eynesbury Senior College</span> Former senior high school in Adelaide, South Australia

Eynesbury Senior College was an independent co-educational senior high school that operated between 1990 and 2021. It was located on Franklin Street in the city centre of Adelaide, South Australia in a five-storey, multi-function complex and catered for Year 10, 11 and 12 students.

The Tepper School of Business is the business school of Carnegie Mellon University. It is located in the university's 140-acre (0.57 km2) campus in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cortona Academy</span> Private school in Herndon, Virginia, United States

Cortona Academy, founded in 1992, is a private, co-educational, college preparatory academy in Herndon, Virginia, serving grades 7–12. It serves students from the greater Washington area. The campus is situated in Herndon and 100% of Cortona seniors are accepted to college.

References

  1. "Rendell previews budget plan".
  2. "DARE program targeted for cuts".
  3. "About the PGSS Program". Pennsylvania Governor’s School for the Sciences.