Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Los Gatos High School senior Anna Arnaudo spent six weeks this summer on a research project with the UC-Davis Young Scholars program.

Young scholar uses summer break for scientific research

By Michelle Alaimo

Anna Arnaudo is one of 40 high school students to recently complete the UC-Davis Young Scholars program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

The Los Gatos High School senior spent six weeks conducting scientific research on the Kings River alluvial fan, near Fresno, with graduate student Gary Weissmann. An alluvial fan is where river or stream deposits widen out at the point where the river slows down, resembling a fan.

"She did an excellent job," said Graham Fogg, a professor in the hydrology program. He also called Arnaudo a "very professional and very sharp person."

Fogg said Arnaudo used core samples from the Kings River to measure the ease with which waters and pollutants move through the surface and migrate into ground water.

According to Arnaudo, her research has a chance of being published in a scientific journal as part of Weissmann's thesis. "This is the first science program I've done. It has definitely taught me there are a lot more possibilities in the sciences," Arnaudo said of her experience.

The program, in its 24th year, ran from June 22 to Aug. 2. The first two weeks were spent on morning lectures and afternoon research. The last four weeks were spent on research and writing scientific papers. The research papers had to be written in typical scientific format, Arnaudo said, adding that she also had to give presentations to researchers and fellow scholars. Fogg said Arnaudo's papers were done in a professional, scientific format.

The results of Arnaudo's research will be used in a computer model, Fogg said. "She made a significant contribution to our research," he added.

Arnaudo said she was surprised by the variety of people in the program. Although most of the scholars are high school students entering their senior year in the fall, they had a variety of backgrounds and hobbies that made the program more interesting, Arnaudo said.

The program allowed scholars to stay in a college dorm with a roommate. Arnaudo said she found this helpful in getting a feeling for what it is like to live at college.

Students found time for fun on the weekends in the form of field trips. Among other excursions, Arnaudo climbed Mt. Lassen and went rafting on the American River.

Arnaudo was one of 200 students who applied to the Young Scholars program from as far away as Montana, according to Nan Lorenzen, public relations representative for UC-Davis's Division of Education. Arnaudo had to write a 300-word essay stating why she wanted to be in the program and needed a strong background in science and math. She was also required to supply written recommendations from teachers.

Arnaudo will receive five university extension credits as well as summer school credit from LGHS for participating in the program, Lorenzen said. Cost for the program is $1,680, plus a $50 refundable security deposit, which covers the dorm room and meals for the entire six weeks.

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