CSUN Research Journal Receives Exclusive Sponsorship to Help Young Scientists

The Van Nuys Airport and Cal State Northridge are teaming up to produce a new version of the acclaimed Journal of Student Research Abstracts.

The new edition will now offer students from across the country a chance to get their research published. The old version focused on the efforts of local kindergarten through 12th grade students.

The new sponsorship with the airport, will "not look anything like the old," said Cal State Northridge biology professor, journal editor, and statewide trustees outstanding professor, Steven Oppenheimer. "This journal, thanks to the help of the Van Nuys Airport, will now go national and even international. It will include exemplar abstracts and aerospace aviation abstracts. I believe it will be the only such abstracts journal in the world that showcases, the work of so many kindergarten through twelfth grade students."

The airport is sponsoring the journal on a long-term basis, and it will play an instrumental role in the publication's release, said Oppenheimer.

"The airport will basically assume the publishing function of the journal. We will use our resources to type, format, and print the publication," said Stacy Geere, public and community relations director for the airport.

The publication each year features the research of more than 900 science students from kindergarten through 12th grade and has inspired thousands of youth to pursue careers in science.

Though the journal deadline isn't until next year, anticipation for the publication has already stirred interest from the young people to their science teachers.

"This journal motivates kids to go into science," Oppenheimer said. "When they see their names and research in print, it does wonders to excite them to do more science and aim toward a career in science. Getting them interested in research, through this journal, is important for the security of the United States. This nation needs to produce top scientists if it is to remain secure."

Though all science experiments are welcome for submission, the airport encourages students to concentrate on aviation sciences, Geere said.

"We believe the young people of today can be the aviation leaders of tomorrow," she said. "We hope this journal expands to include more students throughout Los Angeles, with a focus on aviation and aerospace research. We are very excited about our partnership with Cal State Northridge."

Past experiments have included research on such topics as fertilization, cancer cells, teaching methods for deaf and disabled children and wind energy.

In addition, the airport plans to hire CSUN student interns to help with the production of the journal.

Van Nuys Airport sponsors other educational programs for local youth, such as an after-school reading program, an Aviation career Educational Academy, and airfield tours for school groups.

For more information, contact Steven Oppenheimer at (818) 677-3336 or via e-mail at steven.oppenheimer@csun.edu.