Café Scientifique Meet-up with “Our Future Scientists” at The Front Page Restaurant

High school seniors Ezra Awumey and Yosyp Shvab will be speaking to a group of Ballston area science enthusiasts tomorrow night beginning at 6:15 p.m. at .

As part of an ongoing series of programs sponsored by the Ballston Science and Technology Alliance (BSTA) the event, which is free and open to the public, is entitled “Our Future Scientists.” The Q&A portion of the evening runs from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. No science background is required to attend, only an interest, but registration is required.

For the past two years, Awumey and Shvab have been building nanoscale transistors and redesigning solar cells for their research work as part of an independent science research class at their high school. They investigate shrinking electrical circuits and transistors for computer chips and build conductive polymer solar cells.

Tomorrow evening, Awumey will discuss his research and the differences between conventional silicon solar cells and the prospects for conductive polymer solar cells for consumer applications and academic development.

“My presentation tomorrow evening focuses largely on the Future of Solar Energy; Conductive Polymer Photovoltaics, to be exact,” he said.  “I will talk about Silicon and Gallium Arsenide based solar-cells, and how conductive polymers such as Poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) may be the alternative to these rare, costly, and potentially harmful elements,” he added.

Shvab will present his experiments related to the quest for smaller computer chips and the role of carbon nanotubes and other nanotechnology advancements.

“This past October Yosyp was a regional semi-finalist for a high-level experimental contest sponsored by SIEMENS,” said Shawn Lowe who is a science research teacher at T. C. Williams High School in Alexandria. “He also presented and won awards this past year in San Jose, Ca, where we attended the International Science Engineering Fair.”

Winner of numerous scholarships and science contests (including the MIT Club Award) Awumey plans to receive a Ph.D. in Chemistry or Materials Science after graduating from high school this year. “Ultimately I hope to own a scientific innovations company or become an intellectual property rights lawyer, or both,” he said.

Headquartered in Arlington, Ballston Science and Technology Alliance - the sponsor of Café Scientific - is a non-profit organization established to serve those engaged in and interested in science and technology, with dialogue about contemporary science and technology and its impacts on everyday life. Their strategy is to make science accessible in this type of informal café atmosphere hosting Café Scientific on a regular basis featuring speakers whose expertise span all sciences showcasing various technologies and applications – all delivered in plain English.

The Q & A segment of the tomorrow’s event encourages collaboration and discussion of newfound information and breakthrough research encouraging the building of networks and open dialogues outside the traditional academic context for public discussion of the latest ideas in science.

Special half price burgers are available beginning at 5:30 p.m. In order to get table service and socialize before the presentation, it is advised to get their early! For more information phone 703-228-0861, or email Kaye Breen at ballstonscience@yahoo.com, or visit www.arlingtonvirginiausa.com/bsta for further details on BSTA.  To attend tomorrow’s presentation and discussion  Register Online.