Other News – March 2021

Applications are now being accepted for the 5th edition of the Summer Physics Camp for Young Women in Northern New Mexico, which offers a unique opportunity to explore what careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) are all about.

Held virtually this year from June 7-19 and organized by the Laboratory and its partners, the free camp will focus on boosting students' understanding of how STEM allows us to accomplish what was unimaginable just a few years ago: including exploring Mars, deciphering the origins of the universe during the Big Bang, understanding COVID-19 behavior and vaccines, and programming and building robots.

The camp is open to young women attending Northern New Mexico schools who have completed Algebra I or higher-level math courses. Acceptance is not based on grades or GPA. The application deadline is Friday April 2, 2021, and students can learn more and apply here.

Virtual event explores COVID-19

On Feb. 24, Laboratory researchers brought a virtual audience to the front lines of the battle against COVID-19 with their Frontiers in Science event, “Coexisting with COVID-19 and the role of science.” The moderated conversation featured computational evolutionary biologist Will Fischer (T-6), applied mathematician Nick Hengartner (T-6) and biological physicist Judy Mourant (B-11), and included questions from the more than 400 online attendees.

The scientists discussed what they’ve learned about the coronavirus down to the genomic level, and what the scientific outlook is for the future of humanity’s relationship with the virus post-inoculation. They also explored how we forecast the number of new infections and use that to help inform policymakers. A recording of the fascinating event is available here.