fMRI and THINKing sySTEMically

fMRI and THINKing sySTEMically

an essay by Sam Smith, Age 17

A school of sociology called functionalism recognizes crime as a necessary part of society. There are some sociologists, such as Emile Durkheim, who would go so far as to say crime has positive benefits to society as a whole.  While it may be hard to believe that crime is beneficial, the majority of people would agree that every society has crime, and nearly everybody has first or secondhand knowledge of what being the victim of a crime is, like I do.  Two days before Halloween when I was in second grade, someone had broken into my home and helped himself to whatever he wanted.  It brought my mom to tears, and it was the first time I had ever seen her cry. Traumatic hardly begins to describe the experience.  However, crime does not go unpunished.  Innovations in technology, such as the fMRI, can help protect us today and have the potential to completely revolutionize tomorrow. Thinking systemically, we scoff at the impossible.

DuPont Challenge© Science Essay Competition

DuPont Challenge© Science Essay Competition gets students writing about science! Students in 7th through 12th grade research and write a 700 to 1,000-word essay about a scientific discovery, theory, event or technological application that has captured their interest. Created to honor the Challenger astronauts, students can win savings bonds up to $5,000, and a trip to Walt Disney World and to the Kennedy Space Center.

Teachers win too! Along with the trips with their students, teachers can also win $500 grants. Students have the opportunity to be inspired, to be creative, and to tell a story in this essay about any scientific topic. Teachers can use this competition to motivate students to reach beyond themselves and push the limits! To learn more about the competition, check out the website at http://thechallenge.dupont.com. Entries will be accepted from December 1, 2009 until January 31, 2010.