On Tuesday, May 27, Garden City High hosted an array of student research projects at its annual Science Symposium - the culmination of students' work throughout the school year. Dr. Steven Gordon, Garden City's science research coordinator, says the national focus on S.T.E.M. (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) has spurred more interest in science, and higher achievements. He explained the role of research from Garden City on up.

"The science research program is important in preparing students for STEM careers - it's very useful. We hear this from students who've gone off to college, and we learn how accelerated our students were compared to their peers in college. Many of our current students entered their work in local, regional, and national competitions. This is their opportunity to present to parents, other students who might be interested in the program, and the larger Garden City community," Gordon said.

Dr. Gordon noted that 87 high school students participated with projects, the highest number ever for the district. With such high student involvement parents were enthusiastic about seeing the presentations as well, as about 200 people including the school administration were in attendance. Garden City's school board also witnessed the district's latest science research, as Board President Barbara Trapasso, Vice President Angela Heineman and Board Member Robert Martin attended and applauded the work on display. Statistical data, published scholarly articles, and bio-medical graphics lined the high school library from wall to wall with each project.

According to Gordon, many of the projects students completed this year were done at the high school. In previous years the science research program had a lot of projects conducted at outside laboratories.

"We still have those going on, but we're doing a lot more in-house research now," he said.

Dr. Elena Cascio, Garden City's science curriculum coordinator for grades 6 through 12, said she was impressed with the variety of projects the students selected for research this year. The opportunity to dive in-depth into science created a wide playing field.

"Every student at every level and with every interest will find something to do. We saw behavioral projects, genetics, physics, and engineering - from the highest levels of sophistication to the very simple, everyday life functions. Parents were really engaged and asking questions about what the kids are doing," she said.

Cascio says that many students in high school science classes are unsure of the subject matter and what they want to learn in each class. As she has guided several students, she understood their individual learning curves. Some of the students that presented project Tuesday night were not accelerated in middle school classes. Cascio says the real value in Garden City's science research program is reaching the students who didn't feel connected to science until high school.

She believes D. Gordon's program changes things, and in general science research projects hold the potential to alter perspectives and become a driver of the students' ambitions.

"With research, they will be motivated to take other science courses such AP Environmental Science, AP Biology, or others that they would not even consider taking if there was no research program because they developed a new, personal interest now. They aren't just interested in science, they become advanced in science," Cascio said.

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Garden City showcases science at annual symposium

Today, the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology completed the markup of H.R. 4186, Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology Act of 2014 (FIRST). Last week, the Committee began consideration of the FIRST Act. Roll call votes on amendments and on final passage were delayed until today.

Congress passed bipartisan Competes legislation in 2007 and 2010 which laid out bold policy directions for U.S. scientific research and innovation. The FIRST Act attempts to replace parts of the Competes legislation, but the bill has numerous problems that make it unacceptable for Committee Democrats. H.R. 4186 passed the Committee as amended on a party-line recorded vote.

Ms. Johnson said after the markup, "The America Competes Act is one of the crowning achievements of the Science Committee. It sought to ensure our commitment to maintaining our scientific and technological leadership now and long into the future. What we have done today with the FIRST Act not only fails to advance our science and innovation enterprise, it actually damages it. The Democratic Members of this Committee made every effort to improve this misguided and flawed piece of legislation and we were rebuffed at every turn. This is a sad day for this Committee."

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House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Democrats Oppose FIRST Act

Learn quickly why regulations alone are sometimes not enough to prevent all injuries
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They expected that people in California would be happier because it is more sunny but they found that levels of happiness were exactly the same.

If it is sunny everyday you get used to it and the sunshine doesnt make you any happier.

Most of the time the weather doesnt affect out wellbeing at all. But when we think about it, and think that it does, thats when we get miserable.

In his new book, Happiness By Design Dolan argues that we can think ourselves happy by diverting our attention away from what makes us sad.

Most of our anxieties come from what might be, he argues, If you want to be happier pay attention to the things that make you feel good.

We also need to manage a reallocation of our time towards both pleasure and purpose.

Prof Dolan, who helped the Office for National Statistics come up with new measures for happiness and wellbeing, also claimed that a problem shared was not always a problem halved.

He argued that it was harmful to make people relive traumatic events through therapy, claiming that humans are actually very good at being able to get over tragedy and loss.

After a traumatic event there is an assumption that people are expecting a lot of support and, yes grief is there and they need help, he said.

But those interventions can be harmful. They actually lock in the emotions of the past.

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Rainy days make us just as happy as sunshine

Andrew Carpenter, a 2010 Garnet Valley High School graduate, will be graduating from the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado on May 28th with a degree in Behavioral Science. The three day festivities include graduation with the Thunderbird flyover, commissioning into the Air Force as a 2nd Lieutenant, the Superintendents Reception, a military ball and a final parade. Andrews father, retired United States Navy Commander, will be commissioning his son into the Air Force as an officer.

While at the academy, Andrew received his jump wings after completing five solo jumps and after flight training completed his solo in a plane. He served as baseball team manager and was the guidon for his squadron, carrying his squadrons colors in marches and at formal occasion. He participated in a Portugal Language Immersion Summer Program and enjoyed his junior fall semester as an exchange student to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. He has consistently maintained Deans List for academics and earned the Athletic Directors List for outstanding physical fitness. He ran his first marathon at the academy.

At graduation, Andrew has been selected to lead his squadron at their final parade as Flight Commander. After graduation, Andrew will receive a sixty day leave and will be travelling with academy friends to Europe and Hawaii. He has been selected to attend flight school and will begin training in Pueblo, Colorado and then Columbus, Mississippi. His family includes John and Susan Carpenter of Garnet Valley, Jennifer, of Austin, Texas and Eric in Richmond, Virginia.

While at the academy, Andrew received his jump wings after completing five solo jumps and after flight training completed his solo in a plane. He served as baseball team manager and was the guidon for his squadron, carrying his squadrons colors in marches and at formal occasion. He participated in a Portugal Language Immersion Summer Program and enjoyed his junior fall semester as an exchange student to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. He has consistently maintained Deans List for academics and earned the Athletic Directors List for outstanding physical fitness. He ran his first marathon at the academy.

At graduation, Andrew has been selected to lead his squadron at their final parade as Flight Commander. After graduation, Andrew will receive a sixty day leave and will be travelling with academy friends to Europe and Hawaii. He has been selected to attend flight school and will begin training in Pueblo, Colorado and then Columbus, Mississippi. His family includes John and Susan Carpenter of Garnet Valley, Jennifer, of Austin, Texas and Eric in Richmond, Virginia.

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Carpenter Graduates from Air Force Academy, Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant

inVentiv Using Behavioral Science to Engage Clinical Trial Participants Webinar

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inVentiv Using Behavioral Science to Engage Clinical Trial Participants Webinar - Video

The state of New Mexico spent nearly $24 million on the abrupt transition to Arizona companies that were chosen to replace 15 New Mexico providers of behavioral health services suspected of fraud, some of which have been cleared, state records show.

Gov. Susana Martinezs administration ousted the New Mexico companies last year after an audit by Public Consulting Group turned up $36 million in suspected Medicaid overbilling and whistleblowers accused the providers of billing improprieties. But an investigation by the New Mexico Attorney Generals Office has found no evidence of fraud by the two providers it has reviewed so far.

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Behavioral health switch cost state $24M

In an article published in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science, University of California at San Diego behavioral scientist Ayelet Gneezy and University of Chicago business professor Nicholas Epley tracked peoples responses to three types of promises: broken ones, kept ones, and then ones that were fulfilled beyond expectations. And while its true that everyone gets upset when a promise is broken (Im looking at you, housing-contractors-who-claim-bathroom-renovations-will-be-done-in-a-week), it turns out that overdelivering on something wont make anyone significantly more impressed by your awesomeness. Going above and beyond a promise didnt seem to be valued at all, says Epley.

Epley and Gneezy conducted several studies, ranging from a simple survey of peoples satisfaction after a promise was exceeded to actually promising their subjects something and then seeing what would happen when they broke, met, or outshined it. It turned out that there was almost no change in peoples levels of satisfaction when they were given more than what they were promised. Epley finds this particularly interesting in light of all the promises that companies make to their customers. If you deliver books for Amazon.com and you promise four-day delivery, getting it to people in three days isnt that beneficial to you, says Epley. In other words, this explains why Im only mildly pleased when my plane flight is a few minutes early but Im furious when its delayed.

The reason for this, Epley says, is that promises work a bit like verbal contracts. If I promise you something and you accept that promise, you assume Ill do it, nothing more, nothing less. Interestingly, Epley and Gneezy found that when there was no such contractwhen someone merely hoped that something might happen, but wasnt promised anythingexceeding that expectation made them much, much happier. But when the hope was simply met, people werent as pleased as when it was promised.

It really makes you think about how you spread your effort and how to use your resources wisely, Epley says. If you can guarantee an outcome, youll make your customers (or bosses) happiest when you promise it. But if youre not sure you can do itor if you think you can do it even betteryou might not want to promise anything and surprise them instead.

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Nobody Cares How Awesome You Are at Your Job

Research Methods - Variables and Relationships
An introduction to variables in behavioral science.

By: Mike Sliter

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Research Methods - Variables and Relationships - Video

The University of Utah's College of Social and Behavioral Science has named Cynthia Berg its new dean and Richard Forster its new associate dean.

Jordan Allred,

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SALT LAKE CITY The University of Utah's College of Social and Behavioral Science has named a new dean and associate dean.

Cynthia A. Berg, professor of psychology at the U., has been named the dean of the college effective July 1, pending approval by the board of trustees. Richard R. Forster has been appointed associate dean

Berg has served as interim dean of the college since 2013 and was chairwoman of the psychology department from 2008 to 2011. She joined the U. faculty in 1987 and holds a doctorate in psychology from Yale University.

Berg's research involves developmental and health psychology, examining how individuals in close relationships deal with stress, decision-making, and problem-solving around chronic health conditions such as diabetes and cancer. She has been published and funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Forster has been interim associate dean since 2013. He is a professor of geography and joined the U. faculty in 1999. His research focuses on using remote sensing data to derive information about snow and ice conditions at Earth's surface specifically how glaciers and seasonal snow cover response to climate change.

Forster holds a doctorate in earth and atmospheric sciences from Cornell University.

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University of Utah names dean for College of Social and Behavioral Science

A battle is raging in the House of Representatives over an effort to clip the National Science Foundations wings

Today the science committee of the U.S. House of Representatives will begin debate on a bill key to national research funding and priorities. The Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) Act of 2014 (H.R. 4186) would, among other things, require the National Science Foundation to cut research for social sciences and economics and certify to Congress that each taxpayer-funded grant it issues is in the national interest.

Last week Scientific American published an interview with Neal Lane, a former White House science advisor, that was critical of the FIRST Act. Rep. Lamar Smith (RTexas), chair of the House Science, Space and Technology Committee and co-sponsor of the FIRST Act, contacted us and asked for a chance to respond. We publish Rep. Smiths essay below along with a commentary on the FIRST Act by Hunter Rawlings, president of the Association of American Universities, and Peter McPherson, president of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities.The Editors

The Role of Congress Is to Set Priorities for Research By Rep. Lamar Smith (RTexas)

Technological advancement drives U.S. economic growth. Sustained public and private sector investments in mathematics, engineering, computer science and biology have led to new and expanded industries. Advancements in these fields have created millions of jobs that have supported generations of American families. Since World War II the U.S. has led the world in research and development. And America still spends more on R&D than any other nation.

But experts warn that other nations are catching up. Recent forecasts suggest that China will overtake the U.S. in total R&D spending by 2022. China can already lay claim to the worlds fastest supercomputer, an area of long-standing U.S. dominance. And the World Bank reports that Chinas high-tech exports are more than double those of the U.S.

Unfortunately, there has been a shift in priorities at the National Science Foundation (NSF) away from basic research in engineering and the physical sciences toward social/behavioral/economic (SBE) studies. In his budget proposal for fiscal year 2015 the president proposes to increase SBE by more than 5 percent while freezing or cutting funds for engineering and physical sciences.

I believe the Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) Act sets a better course for taxpayer-funded research. The FIRST Act refocuses taxpayer investments on basic research in engineering, mathematics, computer science and biology, increasing funding for those NSF directorates by between 7 and 8 percent for the next fiscal year. These are the areas singled out by The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine as the primary drivers of our economic future. These are the areas of science with the greatest potential to yield transformational new technologies, catalyze new industries and businesses as well as create millions of new jobs.

Setting priorities for federally funded research is not new. During the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, under both Republican and Democrat administrations, Congress regularly defined annual appropriations and authorizations by academic field. Neal Lane, former science advisor to Pres. Bill Clinton who criticized the FIRST Act in a recent Scientific American interview, apparently has forgotten that Clinton signed the NSF Authorization Act of 1998, which was just as specific in delineating research priorities as the FIRST Act.

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Is Social Science Research in the National Interest?

St. Louis, MO (PRWEB) May 20, 2014

From June 5 to 7, addiction and mental health professionals, physicians, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, and other health care professionals will gather in St. Louis, Mo. for the Insight & Innovation in Eating Disorder Treatment Summit. Among the esteemed panel of speakers are Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH, FACP, Senior Science Advisor to Elements Behavioral Health; Karen Brownd, LPC, CSAT-S, program director at The Center for Relationship and Sexual Recovery at The Ranch; and Susan Strain, ACSW, LCSW, CEDS, program director of eating disorder services at The Ranch.

On Thursday, June 5, Brownd and Strain will co-present The Trifecta for Relapse, from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m. While clients may initially seek treatment for substance abuse, trauma or mood disorders, additional symptoms of co-existing sex, love and relationship addictions and eating disorders may be uncovered, said Brownd. Often, it is a case of one disorder or addiction masking the other.

The presentation will focus on clinical tools and techniques to identify co-existing love, relationship and sex addiction and eating disorders. Treatment and clinical strategies will be highlighted by case examples exploring the roles of shame, secrecy, and the drive to maintain power and control in both sex/love/relationship addictions and eating disorders.

Kicking off the morning on Friday, June 6, Dr. Peeke will present Slipping Into Your Genes: How the New Science of Epigenetics is Redefining Eating, from 8:30 to 10:00 a.m. In this presentation, practitioners will learn simple and practical steps to achieve optimal epigenetic expression for themselves and their patients and create more positive lifelong health outcomes.

Thanks to the groundbreaking science of epigenetics, we now know that DNA is not destiny, said Dr. Peeke. It is incredibly empowering for clinicians and their patients to learn about the ways our physical health and mental well-being are shaped every day by every thought we have, every bite of food we eat and each step we take.

Then, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., in Shame, Blame and Guilt: Solutions for Healing the Triad of Pain, Dr. Peeke will address how these three emotions are associated with self-destructive behaviors, including addiction and disordered eating. Her presentation will explore the underlying issue how toxic shame fuels the compulsive-addictive cycle as well as the solution a holistic and integrative strategy for healing.

To register for the conference, which is co-hosted by The Ranch, visit the Ben Franklin Institute website. To learn more about other speaking engagements in the behavioral health care field, visit the Elements Behavioral Health events page or contact Jeanette Lisalda at jlisalda(at)theelements(dot)com.

About The Ranch

Since 1999, The Ranch has provided comprehensive therapeutic programs that treat the underlying causes of eating disorders, addictions and other self-defeating behaviors. The Ranch offers innovative therapies to address the multidimensional aspects of the whole person while teaching personal accountability in a safe, nurturing, real-life environment. Located on a working horse ranch in the beautiful rolling hills of Nunnelly, Tennessee, The Ranch offers programs with a variable length of stay, which allows each client to anchor new recovery behaviors needed for lasting change. For more information about The Ranch, call (855) 893-5987 or visit http://www.recoveryranch.com.

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Relapse, Epigenetics and Shame Explored by Elements Behavioral Health at Insight & Innovation in Eating Disorder ...

Neighbors of a slain Eatonton couple attending a community meeting over the weekend thought theyd be the ones asking the questions.

They didnt know theyd be on the receiving end of a questionnaire prepared by the FBIs behavioral science unit. More than 50 investigators, including nearly two dozen federal agents, were on hand for Saturdays meeting.

We werent questioning people as suspects, Sheriff Howard Sills said Monday, but we might develop one out of it.

Investigators quizzed more than 200 of Russell and Shirley Dermonds neighbors in the Great Waters community about their security cameras and maintenance workers, among other things. Sills said everyone complied, save for a few people with prior engagements. Further interviews are possible, he said.

Two fishermen recovered the body of 87-year-old Shirley Dermond missing for two weeks Friday afternoon near Wallace Dam in Lake Oconee. She had been dumped in one of the deepest parts of the lake but was discovered hung up in the tree line. Her 88-year-old husbands decapitated body was found May 6 in the garage of the couples home, located about 80 miles southeast of Atlanta.

Investigators had hoped to locate Russell Dermonds head near where his wifes body had been discarded. But Department of Natural Resources rangers canvassing the area over the weekend turned up nothing and have suspended the search pending new leads.

Please return for updates.

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Decapitation mystery | Slain couples neighbors questioned

LOS ANGELES Thousands of spectators gathered in Los Angeles for what is known as the worlds largest high school science research competition.

This year's Intel International Science and Engineering fair in Los Angeles drew 1,700 students from around the globe to compete for $5 million in awards and scholarships.

Zarin Rahman, 17 was among the finalists. She submitted a study suggesting a link between the use of electronic devices and problems with weight management and sleep deprivation.

The award doesnt really matter to me," she noted, "but then, people will know who I am, read my project, and then I can spread my message and research more than I have been already."

Teacher Judith Vasquez, who was on a field trip with students, hopes they will be inspired to pursue careers in math and science, especially the young women.

Because science typically tends to be more of a boy thing," she explained. "Theyre more geared towards it and we want them to be exposed equally exposed to everything."

Students compete in a variety of categories: behavioral sciences, medicine, and physics to name a few. Often times, ideas presented here become reality.

Twenty percent of the students who come here have already gotten a patent for their work or theyve applied for patents," noted said Wendy Hawkins, Intel executive director. "So theyre intending of going back and make these things real.

One of those students is 15-year-old finalist Miriam Demasi. After reading about a 2003 earthquake that leveled a small town in Iran, she developed a new building material. She said her product is cheaper, stronger, and has a higher insulation value, which will result in less deforestation.

I havent implemented it yet but with the help of an aid organization getting it known to those people, I believe they would adopt it readily, she said.

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Youth Take Center Stage at International Science Fair

Student of the Year

Audrey Ewer was announced April 30 as the San Jacinto College Dual Credit/Early College Admission Student of the Year. Ewer, who will graduate from First Baptist Christian Academy this month, will simultaneously earn her Associates Degree from SJC with the completion of 70 semester hours. She is on track to complete a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Science at the University of Houston Clear Lake in May of 2015. Her future plans include a Masters degree in Behavioral Science followed by a doctorate in Anthropology. Carrying a weighted high school GPA of 5.16, Ewer has earned a perfect 4.0 at both SJC and UHCL. At the awards ceremony she was commended by her SJC English professor for her consistent ability to elevate the level of class discussion and to produce thoughtful and well-written papers. She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa, Psi Beta, and the Honors Program at SJC.Ewer has been offered academic scholarships from various universities in excess of 185,000. A resident of Friendswood, she is the daughter of Chad Ewer and Deniss Edwards.

Posted: Sunday, May 18, 2014 4:00 pm

Student of the Year

Posted in Living on Sunday, May 18, 2014 4:00 pm.

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Student of the Year

People of all stripes whether green-living gurus or thrifty penny pinchers, conservatives or liberals want to use less energy. Now, technology and behavioral science are giving them the tools to do it.

On the first Earth Day in 1970, environmental sentiment was proudly worn and fiercely optimistic. It tapped into a deep concern for our future shared by young and old; rich and poor; left, right, and center. Now, as the world faces an accelerating global climate crisis, political will has faded and divided. Grand bargains are far from view. And failure to find common ground and cut carbon pollution could tank the biosphere in ways we cant imagine.

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And yet, today, Im hopeful.

Even though almost all climate scientists agree that human activity is warming the planet, climate change remains politically divisive. But the same can no longer be said of climate solutions. A growing body of evidence suggests that people everywhere, of every political stripe, want to use less energy derived from fossil fuels. And now, technology, economics, and science are aligning behind them.

If the public and private sectors can work together and seize this moment, millions of Americans will soon have powerful new tools to reduce their energy consumption and curb our carbon emissions. The four big ideas below outline the space where consumers and companies, government and industry, left and right find that their common interests saving energy and money align to help save the planet.

On April 23, 1970, The New York Times wrote of the original Earth Day: Conservatives were for it. Liberals were for it. Democrats, Republicans, and independents were for it. So were the ins, the outs, the executive and legislative branches of Government.

Today, Im not sure you could write the same sentence. But you could about energy efficiency. Our behavior as energy consumers is nearly universal; we dont like waste. We dont like throwing money out the window. We want to be good neighbors and good citizens. As it turns out, these things mean as much to people in red states as they do to people in blue states.

Theres plenty of data to prove it, but its easier to look at our statehouses. Even at a time of profound political division, energy efficiency laws have quietly swept across more than half the union from North Carolina to Texas to California. Everyone agrees we shouldnt be wasting energy, and nearly everyone agrees we should be doing something about it.

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Climate change is divisive. Climate solutions are not.

2 hours 58 minutes ago by PRESS RELEASE

It's a moment the married mother of three children, and grandmother of five, has been anticipating for 43 years.

"It was just something I always wanted to do," said Rasmussen, who will be awarded a bachelor's degree in General Studies, with a concentration in behavioral science, at Spring 2014 Commencement ceremonies.

Georgia was just shy of earning a degree from UL Lafayette in 1971, when she, husband Mike and their young son moved to California. Mike, who earned a computer science degree from UL Lafayette in 1970, had enlisted in the U.S. Navy, and would remain stationed in San Diego for four years.

At the time of the move, Georgia had earned 129 hours as an elementary education major. She planned to complete a few remaining degree requirements once the family got settled. But, as she puts it, "life happened."

The couple shared one car, which made attending college classes difficult. Tuition costs in California turned out to be higher than expected. And, as the demands of family life slowly took over, Georgia's college dreams receded.

But they never faded completely. Last fall, she enrolled in the University's distance learning program. "It was my turn," Georgia quipped. Mike, who earned two advanced degrees over the years, agrees. He says "Gee Gee," as he calls Georgia, spent years putting her family's needs first.

The couple, who moved to the New Orleans area after Mike retired from the Navy, raised three children - two sons and a daughter - before relocating to Matthews, N.C. in 1998.

Along the way, Georgia made "significant contributions to our community in city government, the local school system, community hospital, social organizations and Chamber of Commerce," Mike stated via email.

Her devotion helped all of the couple's children earn college degrees, and go on to successful careers. Michael, 44, is a restaurant manager in North Carolina; Christopher, 39, is an attorney in Chicago; and Karen Foster, 35, is an office manager in North Carolina.

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Wife, mother decides it's her turn to get college degree

Like a Jehovahs witness, if you show up at their door and say, Can I interest you in some behavioral economics, theyll say no

When news broke this January that New York magazine was expanding its trademark brand of psychology-backed cultural analysisplayed out in features about dating, parenting and popularityinto a vertical covering social science, the news was a hiccup in the splashier announcement that the mag was reducing its print edition.

The vertical, Science of Us, launched quietly earlier this week, with an array of pieces tying psychology and behavioral economics to the way we live. Louis C.K.s exploration of dating while a fat woman was explored in a newsy piece on why overweight men find it easier to attract partners than their overweight female counterparts and an explanatory piece, perfectly designed for Facebook swapping, gave scientifically-informed tips on winning political arguments. (In the first four hours it was posted, it was shared 61 times.) Theres also the usual quick coverage of takeaways from psychology studies and a more substantial piece by Lisa Miller, exploring whether anxious people make more moral decisions.

Science of Us aspires to explain human experience through social sciencea task which, at its best, is fascinating and illuminating and at its worst is incredibly problematic and fear-mongering. CJR caught up with editor Jesse Singal a few weeks before launch, to talk about how New York is championing social science, and how the magazines breezy tone can translate into rigorous coverage.

Why did New York decide to dedicate a space to social science?

I think that their thought was that you can get people in by asking universal questions about anything. And theyve had some very successful magazine features in that space. Like Jennifer Seniors high school parenting piece [The Collateral Damage of a Teenager.] Her stuff in general, I think it did well. The pieces, which on the one hand dealt with universal themes and, on the other hand, when you read themshe actually gets pretty wonky. Like, in this very lively New York Magazine friendly kind of way. Theres a lot of good social science in there and people want to read this stuff. And once theyre in the door you can sort of bring them a lot of social science if you do it in the right way. This is sort of my line, not New York magazines line, but I think everyone is interested in social sciencethey just dont know it. Like a Jehovahs witness, if you show up at their door and say, Can I interest you in some behavioral economics, theyll say no.

So how does this kind of story change when youre shifting from print to digital?

In some ways, its the same. Like, we want to occasionally run those bigger feature stories that hopefully generate a lot of discussion and controversy. But we also need to figure out a way to tackle the news on a daily basis. So one of the big questions were struggling with is: When is it time to jump on a news story?

Alexis Sobel Fitts is an assistant editor at CJR. Follow her on Twitter at @fittsofalexis.

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New York launches new social science vertical

Rep Zoe Lofgren Proposes Amdmnt to FIRST Act Restoring Social Behavioral Science Funding
Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA-19) proposes an amendment to H.R. 4186, Frontiers in Innovation, Research, Science, and Technology (FIRST) Act of 2014. Rep. Lofgren #39;s...

By: Rep Zoe Lofgren

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Rep Zoe Lofgren Proposes Amdmnt to FIRST Act Restoring Social & Behavioral Science Funding - Video

Two teams from Morgan County hold their respective third-place trophies after the Colorado State Science Fair. From left,: Kaitlin Wells, Kaybree Keating, Sarena Wells and Aubrey Wells. (Jeff Wells / Courtesy photo)

Fort Morgan Middle School student Kaitlin Wells, left, teamed up with Weldon Valley Middle School student Kaybree Keating for a local science fair project and the two were able to advance to the Colorado State Science Fair. The girls received first place for the their team project at the Morgan/Washington Bi-County Science Fair. (Jeff Wells / Courtesy photo)

Two teams of students from Morgan County took home trophies and awards from the Colorado State Science and Engineering Fair April 10 to 12 at the Hilton Hotel in Fort Collins.

The teams consisted of Weldon Valley Middle School student Kaybree Keating and Fort Morgan Middle School student Kaitlin Wells, competing in the junior division, and Fort Morgan High School students Sarena and Aubrey Wells, competing in the senior division.

Their journeys began at the Morgan/Washington Bi-County Science Fair, though.

Keating and Kaitlin Wells received first place for their project, "From Trash to Gas," which was entered in the Junior Division Energy and Transportation category. They took ordinary trash and mixed it with manure to create gas.

Fort Morgan High School students Aubrey Wells, left, and Sarena Wells advanced to the Colorado State Science Fair after receiving first place for their team project in the Health and Behavioral Health Category at the Morgan/Washington Bi-County Science Fair. (Jeff Wells / Courtesy photo)

In the state competition, their project got third place, but also won the Air & Waste Management Association Rocky Mountain States Award and was chosen as first-place winner for the Junior Division Student Choice Award.

The senior division team of Sarena and Aubrey Wells followed a similar path to the state science fair, winning first place for their project in the Health and Behavioral Health category at the bi-county science fair.

The teens' project, "Learning with Style: Analysis and Testing of Learning styles with Pre-School Children," involved testing learning styles of preschool children.

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Morgan County students bring home state science fair trophies