About Us
Rebecca
Hi, I’m Rebecca. I’m 15 years old. I go to school in Long Island, New York at Ward Melville High School. I’m doing this project as part of the requirement for my junior InSTAR class, which is especially designed to encourage scientific exploration.
When we first started this project, our goal had been to design a webpage based on nanobots. However, after doing some research, we discovered that it be very difficult to write about something that was mostly hypothesis. So instead, we designed this webpage to provide a general understanding of the basics of nanotechnology and how it affects and will affect our everyday lives. Of course, since we just could not abandon the nanobots, we have dedicated our future section to them.
Since it was my job to do most of the research, most of the pages you read somewhat reflect my opinion although I have tried to be as unbiased as possible. As you have probably deducted, I am very excited about the role that nanotechnology may play in the world one day. However, since I understand that some of you might not be as eager to embrace new technology and also since I am a little bit concerned, I have written a controversy section to raise awareness of both the possible benefits and the possible dangers of nanotechnology. After all, I believe the only possible path to world peace is general understanding.
Needless to say, I do not spend my whole life working on this website. Like almost every other student, I am not particularly excited to wake up at 6 a.m. only to find myself falling asleep almost sixteen hours later. During my spare time (that is, if I have any), I usually practice my violin. However, in the fall, I sometimes “forget” to open my violin case because tennis season keeps me very busy. One day, maybe when nanobots do exist, I hope to travel to a Hispanic country and explore its culture. As for now, I can only try to learn how to speak Spanish fluently.
Rachel
Hi, I’m Rachel. As you’ve probably guessed by now, I’m Rebecca’s twin sister. And since most people ask anyway, I’ll tell you this: Rebecca’s older. Like Rebecca, I’m also doing this project for my InSTAR class.
After it was discovered that out of the three of us groups members, I was the most experienced with making webpages, I became responsible with the HTML and the javascript codes. The web layout you see here is not the original layout. Since it is my group’s first year doing Thinkquest, we have run into some difficulties, especially concerning differences in opinions. Sometimes, I think that my sister and I can never agree on anything! Even so, I hope that you like the finished layout as much as I do.
In addition to working with the webpage itself, I also helped in some of the writing. Unlike Rebecca, I am not as enthusiastic about the prospect of a nanotechnology-dominated world. Although I do believe that nanotechnology will provide certain conveniences, I also believe that maybe it will harm more than it will help. Sometimes, I even wonder whether the invention of computers was a hallmark of progress or regression. However, since throughout our research, I have not found any news that gives cause to great alarm, I am very ambivalent towards nanotechnology. Even so, I hope that all will result for the better.
In the few hours that I spare from my junior year in school, I also practice my violin. In the fall, I run cross-country.
Sometimes, when asked the difference between Rebecca and me, we sometimes say that one of us looks somewhat differently. Nonetheless, I believe that the true difference between us is the way we think. I believe in concepts and overall themes; Rebecca says that I always see more than what meets the eye and about half the time, I’m right. Perhaps the difference of greatest matter right now is that I’m always early and Rebecca is always almost late. When I’m done with my homework, she seems to have barely started hers. It annoys me just a little bit when I feel obligated to help her.
Zainab
Hi, I’m Zainab. Like Rachel and Rebecca, I’m a junior at Ward Melville High School. As you’ve probably guessed by now, we’re all doing this project for our InSTAR classes.
While doing my research for our nanotechnology website, I have found that the word “nanotechnology” encompasses a whole world that we know only a little about. Since our website cannot cover all the aspects, we have decided to give a general overview of what we think is most important.
Making this website has surprised me since I had previously thought that nanotechnology was some fancy scientific term that mattered little to the everyday world. I really hadn’t known that nanotechnology has already found its way into the product of everyday life. However, I really can’t decide whether or not I like the assimilation of nanotechnology. I always think that maybe there is some hidden danger that would not be known until half a decade later. Marie Curie died of radioactive poisoning; the very chemical elements she had been working with killed her because of she didn’t know. Maybe the only way that we can prevent nanotechnology from harming us is if we learn more about it. That’s why I believe this website is so important. If we didn’t know anything, we wouldn’t be able to do anything.
As part of my extracurricular activities, I participate in the Ward Melville Girls Fencing Team and the Ward Melville Orchestra. I enjoy playing my viola for fun although sometimes, I find other things to do and don’t practice at home.
Acknowledgments
We would like to thank our InSTAR mentors, Ms. Visconti and Mr. Murphy, for their guidance and suggestions for this project. We also unwillingly thank them for making us actually do this project. Without them, we would not have come this far.
We also would like to thank Dr. Baldo and 5th and 7th periods InSTAR classes for listening to our presentations to this class concerning this project. We greatly appreciate the suggestions that have enabled us to improve the website.
Finally, we would like to thank our parents for their support and understanding. Without them, we would be nowhere.
