ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA — May 29, 2012 — Colin McDonnel, a Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) student from Lakenheath High School in Great Britain, placed second at the 50th National Junior Science and Humanities (JSHS) Symposium held May 2-6, in Bethesda, Md.

The National JSHS Program is a tri-service sponsored effort aimed at encouraging and recognizing the next generation of scientific talent. Sponsors include the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology), the Office of Naval Research, and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, in cooperation with higher education.

The symposium brought together 240 high school students who qualified to attend by submitting and presenting original scientific research papers in regional symposia held at universities worldwide. After competing in the DoDDS-Europe JSHS, McDonnell advanced to National JSHS competition to compete among the top 96 students representing each of the 50 states, Puerto Rico, and the DoDEA Schools in Europe, Pacific and Puerto Rico.

McConnell, a senior, received an $8,000 scholarship for his presentation on "Optimization of Cooperating Interference Channel via Euclidean Approximation"

Approximately 100 adult leaders, high school teachers, university faculty, ranking military guests, and others attend each year and join forces in encouraging the future generation of scientists and engineers and celebrating student achievement in the sciences.

In addition to McDonnell, four other DoDEA students presented at the symposium:

• Christian Garcia, from Antilles High School, Fort Buchannan, Puerto Rico, presented "Qualitative Assessment of Pediatric Cancer Statistics in Puerto Rico."
• Jane A. Herzig, from Seoul American High School, Seoul, South Korea, presented "Genetic Heritage and Apocrine Gland Secretions Effect Upon Mate Choice: A Behavioral Science Case Study Considering Subliminal Olfactory Sense Stimulation."
• Anne M. Naseer from Matthew C. Perry High School in Iwakuni, Japan, presented "Peptide Derived from Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Decreases Chronic Systemic Inflammation."
• Marie-Elise Goetzke from Heidelberg American High School in Heidelberg, Germany, presented "Using Novel Information Sources to Determine the Likelihood of the Spread of the Haitian Cholera Outbreak."

JSHS is sponsored by the research arm of the Department of Defense and administered in cooperation with nationwide colleges and universities. JSHS aims to prepare and support students to contribute as future scientists and engineers -- conducting science, technology, engineering and mathematics research on behalf of or directly for the Department of Defense, the Federal research laboratories, or for the greater good in advancing the nation's scientific and technological progress. To learn more about JSHS visit: http://www.jshs.org/

DoDEA plans, directs, coordinates, and manages pre-kindergarten through 12th grade education programs for Department of Defense dependents that would otherwise not have access to a high-quality public education. DoDEA schools are located in Europe, the Pacific, the United States, Guam, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. DoDEA also provides support and resources to Local Education Activities throughout the U.S. that serve children of military families.