
About Utica College

Ewa Szymanska '08 with Professor
Larry Aaronson
A Passion For Science
Ewa Szymanska '08
Ewa's project was a simple one -- typical of what one would expect at a high school science fair.
But it was Ewa's energy and enthusiasm in presenting it that impressed UC Professor of Biology Larry Aaronson, coordinator of the the Utica College Regional Science Fair, a showcase for central New York's top student scientists.
"I was terrified," Ewa recalls. "I only had a poster and a notebook. Kids were coming in with machines and electricity and really fancy boards. I thought, 'There's no way that I'm going to be able to compete here.'"
But she competed, and she won first prize in the natural sciences division and Grand Champion Runner-up, earning an invitation to the Intel International Science Fair in San Jose, CA. "Dr. Aaronson came up and introduced himself to me," says Szymanska. "He said that I did good research and presented it well, and said if I ever wanted to do real science to call him."
"Every time I worked in the UC biology lab, I saw students working with professors. Outside in the hallway, they'd be sitting and having coffee together."
-- Ewa Szymanska '08
- Grand Champion at the UC Science Fair in 2004
- third prize at the international science fair in 2002
- fourth prize at the international science fair in 2004
"Every time I worked in the lab, I saw students working with professors. Outside in the hallway, they'd be sitting and having coffee together. I saw students approach professors and the professors give 150 percent of themselves so the student could succeed. I don't know if I could get that anywhere else."