E.S.S.R.E. 2010

Environmental Science Summer Research Experience for Young Women

Welcome to the 2010 homepage of the Environmental Science Summer Experience for Young Women, also known as E.S.S.R.E.

For a decade now, E.s.s.r.e has been offering young women a unique chance to broaden their scienctific knowledge and to experience what it is like to work as a Professional researcher. This year's group of interns was one of our largest ever, and the Fifteen  young women who were involved with this year's E.s.s.r.e came from a wide range of schools including: Roland Park Country School ( Which is where the program is held), Notre Dame Prep, Baltimore City College, and Bryn Mawr School for Girls.   Throughout the program these young ladies learned and explored how to create site maps, perform various chemical tests, take soil samples, create their own experiments, and also build long lasting relationships with one another. 

Mr. Brock's Group                                 Ashley's Group                                Catherine's Group                                 Molly's Group

Biota Survey Results

The first half of the program entailed following Steps to a Biota Survey in order to collect Microclimate Data from four different sites. This year, the previously obstructed site 2 was reincorporated into the program, so each group was assigned to one site for the first half of the program. Each group conducted numerous tests on soils sampled from their assigned site to observe and evaluate the amount of inorganic materials, such as nitrite and nitrate, salts, such as calcium and aluminum, calculate the bacteria, algae, protozoa, and fungi populations, plant diversity, pH levels, soil texture and terrestrial arthropods and other invertebrates within the rpcs campus.

Individual Research Questions

For the second half of the program, the interns remained in their biota survey groups and designed their own experiments to investigate topics of interest in certain microclimates.

to see the group questions and research results, visit the links below each group's photo.

To view their research papers, click on their photos.

Click here to view 2010 ESSRE video (45.7 mb)

Root_MgMnt                                                     

If you have any questions or are interested in learning more about the program, please e-mail the founding project director,  at STEMteacherEmeritus.rpcs@gmail.com   .  Contact current Project director, cheryl carmona, at carmonac@rpcs.org

Thank you for all the hard work, it was three weeks of great fun!

This year's Program was made possible by Dr. Holliday Cross Heine and Human Capital Development, Inc.  We thank them for their generous funding and support.