2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NATIONAL JUDGING AND

2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION
NATIONAL JUDGING AND EDUCATIONAL EVENT
ARMY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
eCYBERMISSION is a U.S. Army
sponsored web-based, science,
technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM) competition for students in grades
six through nine. eCYBERMISSION teams
identify a problem in their community and
use best practices in scientific inquiry or
the engineering design process to propose
and implement a solution to that problem.
Teams composed of three to four students
and one adult Team Advisor compete
against thousands of their peers to be
ranked as the top teams in their state,
named as Regional First-Place Winning
Teams and compete at the national level
for a chance to win up to $9,000 in U.S.
Savings bonds (matured value.)
The National Judging and Educational Event
(NJ&EE) is the culminating experience for
the eCYBERMISSION competition. NJ&EE
is a weeklong event where 20 regional
winning teams compete for the national title
and an additional $5,000 in U.S. Savings
Bonds per student (matured value).
Throughout the week students were
exposed to various STEM-rich activities
coupled with engaging educational
experiences such as visits to historical
landmarks along the national mall, oneon-one visits with their elected state
representatives, interactions with guest
speakers, team building activities, and
a STEM Challenge Workshop. The DoD
STEM Challenge Workshop is designed
to engage students in immersive, handson activities facilitated by DoD scientists
and engineers. In these activities, students
discover what scientists and engineers
are working on every day to support
and protect the American soldier. Army
personnel were present throughout
the week’s events, demonstrating the
Army’s commitment in inspiring the
next generation of STEM talent. On
Judging Day the teams presented their
projects to a panel of National Judges,
2015 ECYBERMISSION NJEE SUMMARY
distinguished STEM professionals from
Army organizations and academia.
Judges listened to student presentations,
engaged each team in a question and
answer session, and retired to a closed
deliberation where national winning teams
for each grade-level were selected. On this
day, teams also presented their projects
during the National Showcase to an
audience of their family and peers, as
well as to their schools, and to the public
via live webcast.
OVERVIEW
2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE SUMMARY
At the conclusion of NJ&EE each of the
20 National finalist teams and up to five
STEM-in-Action award recipients were
recognized during the eCYBERMISSION
National Awards Ceremony & Luncheon
in front of their families, peers and
Army leadership.
The National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA) is a member of the consortium
formed by the U.S. Army Educational
Outreach Program (AEOP) Cooperative
Agreement with Virginia Tech. NSTA
administers the eCYBERMISSION
program on behalf of AEOP.
The U.S. Army Research Development
and Engineering Command (RDECOM),
at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland,
is the executive agent for the U.S. Army
Educational Outreach Program (AEOP)
on behalf of the Assistant Secretary of
the Army for Acquisition, Logistics, and
Technology (ASA(ALT)). RDECOM manages
AEOP’s eCYBERMISSION competition
for the Army.
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2014–2015 PROGRAM UPDATES
ARMY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
During this most recent program year for eCYBERMISSION, eligibility to submit for the AEOP
STEM-in-Action award was granted to all 60 regional finalists. In the previous year, only 20
National Finalist teams were eligible to compete for the award. The STEM-in-Action Award
was created during the 2012–2013 program year as a method to push project innovation
beyond the final judging at NJ&EE. The STEM-in-Action award provides up to $5,000 in
AEOP seed funds for up to five regional finalist teams whose projects and implementation
plans are deemed most likely to affect positive change in their community. The STEM-inAction award recipients may use the awarded funds to pursue patents and implement their
projects in their communities under the mentorship of U.S. Army scientists and engineers.
STEM-in-Action recipients are invited to NJ&EE to take part in the week of STEM enrichment
activities and receive National recognition for their accomplishments.
In the 2014–2015 program year 27,955 students participated in eCYBERMISSION making
up a total of 7,321 complete teams. The 20 National finalists represent the top 0.27 percent
of eCYBERMISSION students across the United States, U.S. Territories, and attending
DoDEA Schools.
During the 2014–2015 program year, 48 percent of all eCYBERMISSION students registered
from Title I Schools. Additionally, 694 students and 28 teachers from 23 DoDEA schools
(DoDEA Pacific, Europe and U.S.) also registered.
The 2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION program was made possible with contributions from:
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
• U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command (SMDC)
• U.S. Military Academy (USMA)
• U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC)
• U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM)
• U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM)
• U.S. Army Network Enterprise Technology Command (NETCOM)
• U.S. Army Research Development & Engineering Command (RDECOM)
• U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command (USACIDC)
• U.S. Army Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (ACWA)
• U.S. Army Materiel Systems Analysis Activity (AMSAA)
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The 2015 NJ&EE awards banquet was hosted by Major General John Wharton, The
Commanding General of the U.S. Army Research Development and Engineering
Command, and the keynote address was given by Lieutenant General Michael
Williamson, the Principal Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army
for Acquisition, Logistics and Technology, and the Director for Acquisition
Career Management.
The 2015 National Awards were presented by Ms. Mary Miller, The Deputy Assistant
Secretary of the Army for Research and Technology, Major General John Wharton, and
Command Sergeant Major James Snyder, The Senior Enlisted Advisor to
the Commanding General of the U.S. Army Research Development and
Engineering Command.
The Volunteer of the year and STEM-in Action Awards were presented by Ms.
Mary Miller.
2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE AWARDS BANQUET
2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE SUMMARY
The U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command and the U.S. Army Research Development
& Engineering Command’s Communications-Electronics Research Development &
Engineering Center were both recognized for outstanding volunteer support during the
2014-2015 eCYBERMISSION program year.
The Army Values award was presented by Command Sergeant Major James Snyder
to Team SPOT-R for consistently adhering to and exhibiting the core values of the
U.S. Army during the week of NJ&EE. SPOT-R was chosen by the U.S. Army noncommissioned officers who spend the week guiding each of the eCYBERMISSION teams
through events of NJ&EE.
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The winning teams of the 2015 eCYBERMISSION competition have already garnered
media attention both locally and nationally, with many teams granting in-person and phone
interviews to news affiliates.
6TH GRADE
Water Warriors
School: Science Rocks U
Whiteface, Texas
Team Members: Dwayne Scott, Kaden
Moses, Kaleb Ruthardt, Elizabeth Casarez
Team Advisor: Laura Wilbanks
Team Water Warriors tested the quality of the flowback water from natural gas fracking. The
team also developed a way to effectively clean the wastewater for reuse and for cleaner
injection into storage wells underground through four distillation unit prototypes.
Hope to Others [H20]
7TH GRADE
2015 eCYBERMISSION NATIONAL WINNING TEAMS
ARMY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
School: Mirman School
Los Angeles, California
Team Members: Christina Lee, Angela
Lee, Samantha Morris
Team Advisor: Arpa Ghazarian
Team Hope to Others (H20) designed a water purification device using the plant Moringa.
Focusing on the bioremediation of water using native plants could hold exciting potential to
eradicate death and suffering from waterborne diseases.
2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE SUMMARY
8TH GRADE
HydroPhysics
School: Kennedy Junior High &
Madison Junior High School
Napperville, Illinois
Team Members: Prateek Dullur, Adarsh
Mattu, Aditya Ramachandran
Team Advisor: Srimani Chakravarthi
Team HydroPhysics constructed an Anti-Flood Design (AFD) to help prevent basement
flooding. The AFD design uses super absorbent polymers to help keep the water from flowing
and strengthen the seal.
9TH GRADE
Team Power Up
School: Jenks Freshman Academy
Jenks, Oklahoma
Team Members: Rebecca Mackey, Riya
Kaul, Hayden Hilst
Team Advisor: Manju Kaul
Team Power Up used the kinetic energy captured through gears turned by revolving doors
in high traffic areas to power LED lights. This was a great way to address alternative energy
solutions and costs savings for their community.
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The criteria for eCYBERMISSION challenges students to address problems within their
own communities. Many teams quickly discover the passion to continue their efforts
beyond eCYBERMISSION and carry on to mature their proposals, prototypes and
research. Many of this year’s competing teams are either currently working through
or taking steps toward the patent process with hopes of bringing their solutions to the
communities that need them. The following teams are winners of the 2015 AEOP STEM-inAction award and recipients of up to $5000 toward turning their project into a real solution
for their communities.
6TH GRADE
Secret SPYder Society
City: Clifton, Virginia
Team Members: Linnae Casebeer, Katrina
Geiszler, Ashley Yang, Madison Obermeyer
Team Advisor: Adrianne Casebeer
Team Secret SPYder Society created a fun colorful survey to help encourage children to
eat more veggies. They compared their colorful survey to a plain black-and-white survey on
veggies, and found out that children scored veggies appeal higher on the more colorful survey.
Water Warriors
6TH GRADE
BEYOND eCYBERMISSION/STEM IN ACTION AWARD WINNERS
ARMY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
School: Science Rocks U
Whiteface, Texas
Team Members: Dwayne Scott, Kaden
Moses, Kaleb Ruthardt, Elizabeth Casarez
Team Advisor: Laura Wilbanks
Team Water Warriors tested the quality of the flowback water from natural gas fracking. The
team also developed a way to effectively clean the wastewater for reuse and for cleaner
injection into storage wells underground through four distillation unit prototypes.
2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE SUMMARY
7TH GRADE
Infection Protection
School: Mirman School
Los Angeles, California
Team Members: Rhea Madhogarhia,
Rohan Madhogarhia, Natalie Barnouw,
Siji Smolev
Team Advisor: Arpa Ghazarian
Team Infection Protection designed a more comfortable and less expensive suit that prevents
transmission of viruses and bacteria. The suit is 100% vinyl-coated cotton fabric, treated with
antibacterial aluminum oxide and a super hydrophobic spray.
8TH GRADE
Protons
School: Academic Center of Sciences
Frisco, Texas
Team Members: Rushil Chander, Ashwin
Koduri, Sahitya Senapathy
Team Advisor: Bhagyashri Chander
Team Protons developed an Android-based mobile app called CERTPRO that allows
Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) to communicate more effectively including
location, training, and allocation of resources during emergencies.
8TH GRADE
SPOT-R
School: Gryphon Academy
Crossnore, North Carolina
Team Members: Nathaniel Hardy, Suzy
Clark, C.J. Clark
Team Advisor: Elizabeth Hardy
Team SPOT-R designed the SPOT-R (Seeking People Over Terrain Remotely) device. SPOT-R
is a quad-copter designed to help search and rescue operations in the Appalachian Mountains.
Testing of the apparatus and program design with many individuals in search and rescue
determined that this innovation could be a very useful asset in locating people in remote areas.
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Leah Perazzo
In addition to continuing to work on their eCYBERMISSION initiatives, students are
encouraged to continue their education in STEM by participating in U.S. Army Educational
Outreach Programs throughout their student-careers. During the week of NJ&EE the
students had the opportunity to listen to a panel of AEOP Alumni each with different
pathways and perspectives in STEM. At the conclusion of the presentations, the Alumni
Panel took many questions from the audience (eCYBERMISSION students) about their
experiences in AEOP, their preparation for college, their research, and their goals in STEM.
Lynn Alkhali
AEOP ALUMNI PANEL
ARMY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
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Leah Perazzo grew up in upstate New York. Because of
parents in STEM careers (engineering and medicine) and
a love and aptitude for learning, Leah became determine
to find a career in math and science. She was accepted to
Cornell University and graduated with a biological engineering
degree with a concentration in biomedical technology.
During one of her undergraduate summers, Leah became
a near-peer-mentor, a STEM student who mentors younger
students, with early interest in STEM, through real but guided
experimentation. Her experience with mentoring began in the
Gains in Education of Math and Science (GEMS) program at
the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR). After
teaching young STEM students, she volunteered in the Malaria Vaccine Branch where she could
also incorporate current research into her teaching curriculum. After she completed her degree,
she returned to the program for a third summer of GEMS. Through her volunteer work, she
learned a tremendous amount about malaria research and now participates in the laboratory as
a College Qualified Leader (CQL). Now, Leah continues her classroom studies while she remains
a research technician under Dr. Urszula Krzych. Specifically, Leah’s work focuses on preventing
malaria, at the liver stage, with an effective and robust vaccine. The US is free of malaria but
people all over the world sicken and sometimes die, usually as children, from this deadly disease.
Lynn Alkhali has participated in the AEOP Gains in the
Education of Math and Science (GEMS) program as both a
student and as a near-peer mentor. She has also participated
in the AEOP Science and Engineering Apprentice Program
(SEAP) for two years carrying out research on the effect of
fatty acids on breast cancer cells, and is currently a student
in the AEOP College Qualified Leaders (CQL) program. Lynn
grew up and currently resides in North Potomac, MD and
attended Quince Orchard High School. She is currently a
rising sophomore at the University of Maryland, College Park
and is pursuing a neurobiology and physiology major with
a pre-med focus. Lynn is also a student in the College Park
Scholars’ Program, and is in the Global Public Health program. Lynn hopes to one day attend
medical school, obtain her M.D., and become a physician. Lynn’s participation in these Army
Education Outreach Programs has ultimately provided her the strong foundation of knowledge
she needs to succeed in her science courses at school. Her experiences have also further
confirmed her desire to pursue a career in medical science.
Emily Ashkin
Koreco
Wilkins-Webster
2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE SUMMARY
2015 ECYBERMISSION NJEE SUMMARY
Koreco Wilkins-Webster participated in the 2005
ECYBERMISSION Competition during eighth grade while
attending Durfee Middle School. Wilkins-Webster and his
team placed first in the northwest region of the National
Judging and Educational Event. The project demonstrated
how the use of flashing armbands can prevent pedestrian
traffic fatalities. eCYBERMISSION sparked the desire of
STEM fields in Koreco at an early age. Koreco has continued
his focused pursuit of STEM throughout his high school
and collegiate career. Later attending Detroit Central High
School, where he was involved in several STEM activities.
These activities include science fair competitions, Detroit
Area Prep College Engineering Program (DAPCEP), and Boe-Bot Robotics at Wayne State
University. Currently, Koreco attends Michigan State University pursing a Bachelor’s of Science
in Mechanical Engineering. During his time at MSU Koreco has: interned with General Motors,
Alcoa, and currently Nestle USA. While interning at these companies Koreco’s projects were
focused on improving the efficiency of the current processes. Using problem solving strategies,
project management and interpersonal skills to best tackle the issue. Wilkins-Webster also
conducted research with associate professor Rigoberto Burgueno at Michigan State University
in structural engineering. This research involved using a computer simulation program, Abaqus
to mimic stress and strains applied to an energy dissipater within a structure. He concluded
that geometry was essential in defining the performance of the dissipaters. Koreco has
combined his interest of STEM fields with an ambition to contribute to his community. These
community enrichment organizations include the Diversity Programs Office (DPO) Scholars,
National Society of Black Engineers, and Leaders Encouraging Academic Development (LEAD).
Graduating December of 2015, Koreco hopes to secure a full-time job offer with an engineering
company and later obtain his Master’s in Business. Koreco also has aspirations of owning his
own business and staying involved in his community.
Emily Ashkin participated in the 2011 eCYBERMISSION
National Judging and Educational Event in middle school and
the 2013 and 2015 National Junior Science and Humanities
Symposium (JSHS). She recently graduated from Providence
Day School in Charlotte, NC. Emily’s passion for STEM,
specifically cancer biology, began when she was 11 after
watching her mom battle skin cancer. She began her journey
reading articles about cancer and studying treatments. It
wasn’t until her eCYBERMISSION and subsequent White
House Science Fair experiences that she realized she could
begin scientific research now. Emily’s research represents
a new paradigm in cancer therapy, whereby “off-the-shelf”
treatments like chemotherapy are used to enhance the immune system’s ability to recognize and
destroy cancer. Emily was named an Intel Science Talent Search finalist and awarded the Glenn
T. Seaborg Award for her research. She also won First Grand Award at the Intel International
Science and Engineering Fair. Emily will continue her research at MD Anderson Cancer Center
while attending Rice University in Houston, Texas in efforts to bring her research to clinical trials
within the next two to three years.
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THE eCYBERMISSION COMMUNITY
ARMY EDUCATIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAM
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Science and Technology organizations from across the U.S. Army and their personnel,
are the driving force behind the success of eCYBERMISSION. Assistance from these
organizations is provided each year in the form of program promotion by eCYBERMISSION
Ambassadors; volunteer support as virtual, regional, and national judges; mentor support
from U.S. Army non-commissioned officers and DA Civilian junior scientists and engineers;
as well as U.S. Army technology subject matter experts who demonstrate and teach during
the National Judging and Educational event. The roles played by these individuals and
organizations make lasting impacts on the students they engage with and make great strides
towards student awareness of Science and Engineering fields within the Department of
Defense and the U.S. Army.
As the 2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION program comes to a close, we look forward to the next
program year and the continued growth in student and volunteer participation. Registration
for students and volunteers for the 2015–2016 program year will open in August of 2015.
Please visit www.usaeop.com for more information.
LOOKING FORWARD
2014–2015 eCYBERMISSION NJ&EE SUMMARY
eCYBERMISSION is always excited to see what next year’s talented young scientists and
engineers will present as they search for the next STEM solutions to benefit the communities
they live in!
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www.usaeop.com
www.ecybermission.com