BNL, BOCES Library Staff Foster Partnerships in Science

February 6, 2009

Gail Barraco of BOCES (left) and Michiko Tanaka of the Research Library (back, center) help students improve their library research skills through the "Partners in Science" program sponsored by BNL's Research Library and the Eastern Suffolk BOCES Library System.

As part of the 18th annual "Partners in Science" program co-sponsored by the Lab's Research Library and the Eastern Suffolk BOCES Library System, on November 19, the Research Library hosted 31 students from five local high schools - Bayport-Blue Point Union Free School District (UFSD), Middle Country Central School District (CSD), Riverhead CSD, South Country CSD, and Southampton UFSD - with nine teachers and librarians from the schools and BOCES.

Through the Partners in Science program, more than 600 students have visited the Lab to explore science topics of interest using the resources of the Research Library. Each year students are introduced to the research programs at BNL, attend a lecture given by a notable researcher, and, during lunch with Brookhaven scientists, learn about working as a researcher in a national laboratory. With support from their teachers, their school librarians, and the Research Library staff, students also learn library research skills.

This year, Elaine Lowenstein of Community, Education, Government & Public Affairs gave an overview of BNL's research programs, and Joanna Fowler, Director of BNL's Center for Translational Neuroimaging, discussed her innovative studies on addiction and the human brain. Among the scientists who joined the students at lunchtime were Michael Blaskiewicz of the Collider-Accelerator Department, William Brown of the Quality Assurance Office, and William Sherman of the Center for Functional Nanomaterials. After bibliographic orientations given by the Library staff, students searched databases and retrieved articles on their selected topics. During the following six months, the students periodically return to the Research Library to use library resources and services as they complete work on their research papers.

For the "Partners in Science" event, Joanna Fowler, director of BNL's Center for Translational Neuroimaging, gave a much appreciated talk on addiction imaging research to the high school students.

2009-1083  |  INT/EXT  |  Newsroom