Page 23 - TTMNSpring2024

Career Pathways — Agriculture
Teaching Today Minnesota | Spring 2024 Page 23

Capstone Chronicles: Keerti Tumu’s dive into Science Research & Design

gression that prepares students for college or Chemistry. But she didn’t stop there: Jayson like any great scientist, Keerti sees room
career pursuits in five career interest areas. Sandeen, who teaches Science Research & for improvement. “There are some things I
Eden Prairie High School 12th grader Design, shared that “Keerti is a student who wish I could have changed, like making the
Keerti Tumu is a speech and debate team is very interested in science and so really sample size bigger,” she says — and “my
captain, the vice president of community wanted to take all the different courses that findings aren’t necessarily applicable for
service for DECA, a proud member of the are offered.” She was prepared academi- everyone, because I only tested one plant.”
EPHS Asian Student Union, and a passion- cally, and her curiosity and determination Recognizing a margin of error doesn’t keep
ate lover of the natural sciences. Keerti helped too: “She demonstrated a willingness her from celebrating the wins, including an
credits her family’s frequent trips to India to learn the process needed to do this and to unlikely secret weapon: While many more
for inspiring her love of biology, because come up with an experiment with the right traditional science classes proved relevant
“there’s so much nature everywhere and kind of protocols,” said Sandeen. to her Capstone experience, Keerti’s AP
the environment is very green…I think I’ve Statistics class this year taught her about the
always loved that kind of atmosphere, and so Student-led research: Investigating important correlation between sample size
I’ve just always loved biology.” When she environmentally friendly pesticides and statistical significance. Knowing what
needed to fill a gap in her course schedule and herbicides she knows now, Keerti advises students who
last spring and her AP Biology teacher rec- plan to take the Science Research & Design
ommended the Science Research & Design Considering her love of nature, it’s no Capstone to take a Statistics class before-
Capstone, Keerti jumped at the opportunity. surprise that Keerti’s research was focused hand to be even better prepared.
She “wanted to have the experience of con- on helping the environment. She designed
ducting [her] own experiment, seeing how it an experiment to investigate environmen- Tools for the journey
The Science Research & Design Cap-
looks over a long period of time, and making tally friendly alternatives to herbicides and stone is intended to equip students with the
FARMTOFORK
pesticides, because “obviously it impacts the
[her] own conclusions.”
environment, but it can also impact us.”
Eden Prairie Schools
skills to perform rigorous scientific study,
For the experiment, Keerti separated
Planting the seeds for success
including the identification of a problem,
In Eden Prairie Schools, we inspire
30 plants into three groups and tested each
Before taking the Science Research &
each student every day to discover, explore,
investigation design, data collection, data
with a homemade herbicide: a table salt,
and pursue their passions. That mission lies
Design Capstone, Keerti had already planted
vinegar, or citric acid solution. Interest-
at the heart of our Pathways program, which
the seeds for success by taking foundational
Continued on Page 24
ingly, the vinegar solution worked best but
FARMTOFORK
science courses like AP Biology and AP
offers a guided course and cocurricular pro-
FARMTOFORK
FARMTFARM ® OFORKTOFORK
Department of Agriculture, Culinology & Hospitality Management
®
Department of Agriculture, Culinology & Hospitality Management
Department of Agriculture, Culinology & Hospitality Management
®
Department of Agriculture, Culinology & Hospitality ManagementDepartment of Agriculture, Culinology & Hospitality Management @SMSU@SMSU
®
®
Learn about our many ag-related
Learn about our many ag-related Learn about our many ag-related
programs — contact us for information
programs – contact us for information!programs – contact us for information!
√ Agricultural Education, BS
√
√ Agricultural Education, BS Agricultural Education, BS
√ Agricultural Solutions, BS
√
√ Agricultural Solutions, BS Agricultural Solutions, BS
√ Agronomy, BS
√ Agronomy, BSAgronomy, BS
√
√ Agribusiness Mgmt., BS/AS
√ Agribusiness Mgmt., BS/ASAgribusiness Mgmt., BS/AS
√
√ Agriculture, BAS
√ Agriculture, BASAgriculture, BAS
√
Contact Kristin Kovar, Contact Kristin Kovar, √ Ag Comm. & Leadership, BS
√
Associate Professor of Associate Professor of √ Ag Comm. & Leadership, BSAg Comm. & Leadership, BS
√ Culinology , BS
®
Agricultural Education at Agricultural Education at
√
√
Culinology
®
®
kristin.kovar@smsu.edu with kristin.kovar@smsu.edu with Culinology , BS , BS
OFFICE OF ADMISSIONOFFICE OF ADMISSION √ Hospitality Mgmt., BS
1501 STATE STREET, MARSHALL, MN 562581501 STATE STREET, MARSHALL, MN 56258 any questions or to request any questions or to request
√
800.642.0684 • WWW.SMSU.EDU800.642.0684 • WWW.SMSU.EDU information. Learn more at information. Learn more at √ Hospitality Mgmt., BSHospitality Mgmt., BS
www.smsu.edu/go/ag.www.smsu.edu/go/ag. √ New — Animal Science Minor