Evidence of excellence

In one of the spacious labs in the school's science-math-library building on the Upper School campus, Poly seniors expertly operated an array of...
electronic devices to evaluate a plate of metal oxide materials, while their younger classmates paid close attention.

These former Poly students were part of the SHArK project, a national and international research effort focused on inexpensive solar power. SHArK stands for Solar Hydrogen Activity Research Kit. (The small "r" allows the acronym to be written as a sequence of chemical elements: sulfur, hydrogen, argon and potassium.) SHArK is the brainchild of Bruce Parkinson, a chemistry professor at the University of Wyoming, who attended Caltech and is partnering with Caltech's Center for Chemical Innovation.

'"SHArK's objective is to find a metal oxide that can use sunlight to split water into hydrogen (a storable fuel that could wean us from our dependence on fossil fuels). In the words of Caltech Professor Harry Gray, "There are millions of possible metal oxide combinations. We need thousands of students to check them out."

When Professor Harry Gray of Caltech asked Jill Bush, then chair of Poly's Science Department, whether her students might participate in SHArK, she had no doubt many would jump at the chance. With a science program that strives to support inquisitive, ambitious students and to keep pace with rapid innovation in the field, Poly students take full advantage of elective topics ranging from global health to relativity.

“We are thrilled to give more students the chance to work on projects like SHArK,” Jill Bush said. “Now with more space, and flexible spaces, we finally have enough laboratory classrooms to go around. We're just beginning to explore how the new building will enhance all aspects of our program.”

For Tim Goodwin, being part of the SHArK team meant plenty of first-hand experience in a sophisticated research setting. “I worked in a lab at Caltech with the SHArK program [last] summer, and Poly’s new building offers everything the Caltech lab had—a state of the art fume hood, readily available deionized water, all new safety features—I wish I could have used this building for more than just one year,” he said. “Younger students, especially those with a passion for science, have a lot to look forward to.”

Equipped with seven new laboratory classrooms, the building ensures that Poly will continue to offer students exceptional opportunities for scientific exploration—whether in AP courses, senior electives, or independent research. Because the building is also home to the Math Department, collaboration between the two disciplines is now even easier. "The proximity makes it easier to continue conversations about the flow of the two curricula and how they best complement each other," Bush commented. 

For Poly's SHArK team, this kind of opportunity has been both eye-opening and inspirational. “In addition to gaining a clearer idea of what it means to do scientific research,” Kathryn Hathaway explained. “I’ve also learned a lot about the energy crisis, the immense potential of solar fuels, and the engineering challenges that still need to be addressed.”
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