Harbor-UCLA Pediatrics

Dr. Ken Zangwill is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Harbor-UCLA and Professor of Pediatrics at the David Geffen School of Medicine. He has been involved with the LA County Science Fair for about eight years. The fair itself has been in existence for 60 years and is the largest regional science fair in the western U.S. Dr. Zangwill’s research has focused on evaluations of vaccine safety, immunogenicity, efficacy and cost-effectiveness, epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases and more recently, the development of rapid diagnostic tests and topics related to infection prevention.

What’s the most rewarding thing about being involved in the Science Fair?
Serving as a mentor to four high school students was interesting and gratifying. “Interesting” in that it isn’t every day that one can work closely with a small group of teenagers; each of whom was really motivated to answer a research question. Although I guided them to a reasonable question to study (What do community members know and believe about influenza and its prevention?), the students exceeded my expectations with regard to whom they studied (they chose a broad and diverse swath of kids and adults) and the energy they brought to the project development and data collection. They earned an Honorable Mention at the fair for their efforts and later handed me a nearly publishable final product!

Everybody was happy about it, everyone carried their weight within the team, and each student now has a memorable experience on which to reflect. That I could help make this happen was “gratifying”.

In your opinion, what makes an excellent science fair project?
The general goal is to introduce kids to the scientific method and to help them realize that developing a creative approach to an unanswered question can be fun and rewarding. If this experience, moving forward, leads a teen to think more critically about the world around them, or any question they subsequently encounter, then fabulous! I’ve learned that any project – even something as simple as “what grows on stuff in my house?“ – which I worked on with my neighbors’ middle school child – can meet this goal.

Do student participants often pursue careers in the sciences and medicine?
The Science Fair has a long history of being the formative scientific experience for a long list of (later) doctors, engineers, and basic scientists in a variety of fields. Through my wife (who is Chairperson of the Judges Committee), I have come into direct and indirect contact with many simple, elegant, and amazing projects. I frankly didn’t realize the breadth of topics students bring to the table: from the traditional fields (biology, chemistry, physics, etc.) to behavioral science and ecologic science. This year, the fair especially needs behavioral science, ecology, and chemistry judges.

Why do you think it is so important to encourage young people to forge career paths in science and medicine?
It seems that we are now living in a time of anti-science thinking and critique. Be it politicians, policy makers, or your neighbor down the street, opinion and interpretation are often considered equal partners to actual science and scientific fact. I think that the environmentalist movement's motto - “Think Globally, Act Locally” - is applicable to countering this situation. Local participation in the Science Fair can help impressionable minds appreciate what it takes to get at actual facts, and to learn what we don’t know about a topic, which is equally important.

What are the opportunities available at the Science Fair?
People with a science background and an interest in helping young people expand their minds are to be identified, encouraged, and congratulated! In particular, judging only requires a one day commitment, but allows for many hours of opportunity to interact with, influence, and guide the student participants. Many of us think we don’t have the time, energy, or knowledge to make a difference. For the readers of this website, it is simply not true - don’t underestimate yourself! Get involved and do it now. If you cannot be a judge, be a volunteer, but be careful since my experience suggests that it might be addicting!

Why is science cool?
It just is.