List of speakers and group discussion review
Keynote Address: Susan Angus
Susan Angus has served as Executive Director of Commission on Voluntary Service &Action (CVSA) since 1984, and oversees the production of CVSA’s INVEST YOURSELF: A Guide to Action. Under Susan’s leadership, CVSA gained Special Consultative NGO Status to the Economic and Social Council of the UN in 2013.
She serves as CVSA’s lead NGO Representative at the United Nations, bringing the voice of community-based organizations in low-income and disenfranchised communities and their constituencies to the international arena and training volunteers in this work.
Susan is dedicated to the promotion of full-time volunteer activism, strengthening non-governmental grassroots organizations, and the full implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in the U.S. and all nations.
Guest Speaker 1: TBD
Guest Speaker 2: Steven Li
Steven Li is a senior at Polytechnic School and an incoming freshman at the Wharton School of Business studying management and finance. He's passionate about social entrepreneurship and has founded Project Talent Launch (PTL), a nonprofit working to provide paid internships for underserved students. He's a recipient of the Princeton Prize in Race Relations and an Anthem Award Winner for his work with PTL.
Group Discussions Review
Group 1 Speaker: Kelly L
Presentation Topic: Voices of Equality for an Equal Future
Presentation Abstract:
Kelly’s presentation will have much to do with the club she is currently working on getting off the ground. She will begin by a short outline of the Great Filter phenomena (published research paper over the summer) and what this implies for the future of humanity. From that, she will withdraw a subgenre that highlights the lack of communication, understanding, and collaboration that often leads to our society’s most jarring but altogether avoidable disasters. Then, she will transition into his service passion project and the steps she took to get it started under AEC. The bulk of her presentation will be speaking on why allowing an equal platform for everyone to share their experiences (as experience is the best teacher) is necessary for personal growth and a stable community. Cultivating an open mindset of understanding is very crucial, especially for kids our age, and particularly for kids our age in our socio-economic class where we have the opportunity to make impacts in our communities.
Self introduction from Kelly:
School – SMCHS ’24, IB Diploma student, Honor Roll, Goodness Charism Award
Interests/hobbies – English, cognitive science/sociology, fashion, gym
Extracurriculars – YIA Student Leader (managing teams for volunteer work as well as semester-long projects), JPL Intern (published paper in astrobiology/sociology field: “Avoiding the “Great Filter”: Extraterrestrial Life and Humanity’s Future in the Universe), BEAM founder/president (student-run club interviewing various marginalized communities to spread knowledge and experience awareness)
Group 2 Speaker: Nicole M.
Presentation Topic: Connecting Communities: Climate Justice and Service Learning as Catalysts for Change
Presentation Abstract:
Climate justice seeks to address the unequal distribution of the burdens of climate change. This includes recognizing the historical and ongoing impact of systemic inequalities and advocating for solutions that prioritize the needs of those most affected by climate change. Youth service and activism play a critical role in addressing climate justice and must be represented in efforts to address such issues, as they will be in charge of shaping our future. Engaging in service and activism can provide youth with a sense of agency and empowerment, as well as valuable opportunities for education and skill-building. Additionally, young people's creativity can lead to the development of new solutions to address climate injustice, and their involvement can foster collaboration and partnerships between community organizations, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Organizations such as AEC harness the power of service learning and leadership to connect communities and allow youth to solve problems they are passionate about. Join this interactive and educational forum to learn about how today’s youth can use service learning to address important climate justice issues all over the globe.
Self introduction from Nicole:
Nicole Ma is a 16-year-old junior at Sage Hill School. She has been involved in AEC’s Renewable Urban Pioneers since the summer of 2021 and is currently serving as the co-president. She is passionate about solving climate injustice and has a deep interest in using interdisciplinary Earth and computer science research to address environmental and social issues. She is an intern at Caltech-JPL and first-authored a research paper on global and regional surface temperature projections that was published in Earth and Space Science and presented at the 103rd American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting. She has also received numerous accolades, such as 1st place winner in the Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, multiple hackathon wins, and an AIME qualification. In her free time, she likes to read Nietzsche and sports manga.
Group 3 Speaker (1): Mark T.
Presentation Topic: Wildfire prevention forest surveying drones
Presentation Abstract:
Wildfires can be prevented with accurate data. Today we use survey planes to survey forests to get this crucial data, but survey planes are inefficient, inaccurate, and unreliable. Drones can solve all these issues. Drones are efficient, accurate, and reliable(They remove the operator and run on green energy). This technology has the potential to revolutionize forest surveying, but drone forest surveying still has not been used on a mass scale. This is due to the insane costs of current professional survey drones. The lowest end professional survey drones cost roughly $20,000 dollars. When you have a forest that might require multiple drones to cover, this cost becomes unsustainable to any business, especially a forest service. This project aims to change the status quo by providing a lower price tag drone that can still perform the same actions as currently existing survey drones. There were three versions of the prototype drone created and glaring stability issues were fixed between the iterations. During experimentation the project was able to create stunning orthoimages and 3d meshes from 2D images. By the project's end, the drone only took $500 dollars to create. In this project a survey drone was created with similar performance of current professional survey drones for only 1/20th the cost . This project proves that we can change drones from novelty items into widely accessible tools.
Self introduction from Mark:
Mark is a high school junior fascinated with the world of engineering. He attained the highest Computer Aided Design certification at the age of 14 and still continues to learn and improve his skills. He loves aviation, 3d printing, programming, and all things related to making. He runs Maker Club at his school and runs the organization CAD for ALL meant to teach fellow students computer aided design. He is currently working on his wildfire prevention forest surveying project.
Group 3 Speaker (2): Mike T.
Presentation Topic: Microplastics’ effects on Drosophila melanogaster
Presentation Abstract:
The purpose of this project is to find which microplastics are relatively more toxic than each other. The initial hypothesis was that all of the microplastics would harm the flies. I collected 3 types of microplastics and separated one group of flies into 4 groups, 3 experimental, one control. Once the experiment began, I would then give the drosophila melanogaster microplastic-dosed food and then record its behavior for one hour a day. After data recording, analysis of the data showed no specific trend after testing was done. Because there was no clear trend one had to conclude that microplastics did not have any substantial effect on drosophila biologically or healthwise.
Self introduction from Mike:
Mike Tian is a high school junior who is highly passionate about biology, programming, and the uses of technology in improving and understanding our lives. He is a current USABO semifinalist and is a Certified Associate in Python Programming. Mike is very excited about theses of ChatGPT in the field of healthcare. A man with many goals, Mike is always determined to achieve his goals and hopes. As of now, Mike’s project on microplastics is finished, although future research might happen on this topic.
Group 4 Speaker: Anna Y.
Presentation Topic: At What Cost? : The Importance of Sustainability in the Fashion Industry
Presentation Abstract:
The clothes in our closet may be cheap, but at what cost? In recent years, fashion has grown to be the second most environmentally damaging industry. This is all because of something called fast fashion. According to earth.org, fast fashion refers to “cheaply produced and priced garments that copy the latest catwalk styles and get pumped quickly through stores to maximize on current trends.” Join our workshop to learn about fast fashion and its environmental, social, and health consequences. We will also discuss solutions, innovations, and explore topics such as Circular Production and Greenwashing. Throughout our workshop, we will explore one question: Is the cost of clothing more important than the cost of fast fashion on the planet?
Self introduction from Anna:
Anna Yang is a 10th grader at Sage Hill School. She is an artist, entrepreneur, and activist, using her passions and the power of history to advocate for fashion sustainability, gender equality, self expression, and the political language of art. Anna is the Founder and President of the Reimagined Upcycling Club. Reimagined upcycles used clothing, holds discussion seminars, and charity fashion shows to battle fast fashion’s environmental and social impacts. At the same time, Reimagined sells its repurposed clothing online and in person, donating all proceeds to organizations working to stop fast fashion. Anna has multiple leadership experiences including starting her own female empowerment fashion line Stars4ever, being a part of the Student Council, and being an editor of Flare Magazine.
Group 5 Speaker: Patrick Y. & Stephanie F.
Presentation Topic: "The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Temporary Respite for the Earth or a Catalyst for Lasting Change?"
Presentation Abstract:
- UN goal: 12. Responsible consumption and production (ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns)
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to our world in a very short time. From lockdowns to social distancing, the pandemic has altered the way we live our lives, impacting every aspect of our society, including our environment.
While the pandemic has had tragic consequences for human health and well-being, it has also had some unexpected impacts on the Earth's ecosystems and climate. In this context, it is important to explore the ways in which COVID-19 has affected the environment, from reductions in air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions to increased plastic waste, and to consider what lessons we can learn for the future.
Self introduction from Patrick and Stephanie:
Patick Y.
Patrick Yu is a highly motivated and accomplished junior at Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He holds two leadership positions: vice president of AEC Marketing and president of AEC Marketing & News Club. Patrick is passionate about biology and is eager to contribute to the improvement of our future. His insatiable curiosity leads him to explore diverse topics, including psychology and philosophy, with a keen interest in the human mind. Patrick's interests go beyond academics. He is a valued member of the school's golf team, where he serves as the Team Captain of the junior varsity squad. Additionally, he enjoys expressing his creativity through music and art, such as graphic design and playing the piano. Patrick's diverse interests and achievements demonstrate his dedication and well-roundedness.
Stephanie F.
Stephanie Feng, a high-school sophomore, has a keen interest in childhood psychology, English, and philosophy. Over the years, she has participated in various writing and speech competitions, achieving impressive results. Notably, she secured the first position in the advanced plus group of the 2022 National Chinese Speech Contest, hosted by the American Academy of International Culture and Education. In addition to her academic pursuits, Stephanie is also passionate about helping younger students navigate the challenges of high school. Stephanie has founded and runs the club “T2T '', which seeks to prepare younger students for the pressing world of highschool through the provision of academic and mental support, while also serving as Vice President for another student-led club NCHS. She actively works as a part of the AEC Special Education club as a member and marketing leader. Through immersing in extracurricular activities such as piano, competitive mock trial, assisting in Unistar Media speech classes, and teaching a class at a local Saturday school, she enjoys all aspects of arts and humanities and finds joy whenever working with kids.