Pikes Peak Pebble Pups

Pikes Peak Pebble Pups

Saturday, April 23, 2016

Pike Peak Pebble Pup Wins Big at State Science Fair

By Steven Wade Veatch

Jenna Salvat, a ninth grade student at Coronado High School, brought home several awards from the recent Colorado Science and Engineering Fair held at the College of Natural Sciences Education and Outreach Center at Colorado State University in Fort Collins on April 9, 2016.
Her entry, “Sandstone Injectites in Fault Zone Areas: Sedimentological Characteristics Using Analog Models,” won second place in the Senior Division Earth and Space Sciences at the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair. Jenna’s work was honored by other organizations, including the Colorado Mineral Society, the Rocky Mountain Association of Geologists, and the Colorado Section of the American Institute of Professional Geologists. Jenna also received the Naval Science Award and the NASA Earth Science System Award. Her hard work has paid off in spades.


Jenna Salvat, a 9th grader at Coronado High School, 
won second place in the senior division of
 the Colorado Science and Engineering Fair 
with her earth science project.
 Jenna will be advancing with several 
area students to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair 
in Phoenix. Photo by Steven Wade Veatch.

Before moving to the state finals, her project won first place in the regional Science Fair held at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs on February 27, 2016.  Jenna will now travel with her project to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) to be held in Phoenix, May 8-13, 2016. The ISEF is the leading pre-college scientific and engineering research event that is held each May.  In Phoenix more than 1500 students from 70 countries will compete for scholarships, tuition grants, internships, and other prizes.

Jenna began her work last summer with two sponsors: Christine Siddoway, a professor of geology at Colorado College and geoscience researcher Steven Wade Veatch. Jenna’s project centered on analyzing sandstone injected into Pikes Peak Granite. Jenna looked at the simulated rate of injection of liquefied sediment into igneous rock under variable densities and how that would impact the formation of sedimentary structures.

“My project helps to understand the numerous and complex sedimentary structures at exposure sites in the Pikes Peak region that were created in response to the agitation caused by fault zone earthquakes,” Jenna said.

The science fair teaches students how to explore a topic of their own interest, using real scientific inquiry, and then learn how to present their findings. Jenna’s science fair project began on a field trip to the sandstone she is investigating through the Pebble Pups, a special program for youth in the Pikes Peak region to learn about the geosciences. Since then Jenna has put in countless of hours into the project.   She would like to be a geoscientist. “I enjoy the process of science and working at the frontier of discovery,” she said.

Jenna is a member of the Pikes Peak Pebble Pups and is an Earth Science Scholar in that program. The Pebble Pup program operates under the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society. Jenna is also a member of the Colorado Scientific Society.

Welcome! This is the gateway to adventure and discovery

Through this blog pebble pups and junior members of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society can access their lessons, work on assignments and projects, and receive details about field trips in the Pikes Peak Region. This Internet program is also suitable for young people who are interested in Earth science but do not live near a rock club or gem and mineral society or for young people anywhere who want a deeper dive into these topics. The only requirement is that all participants must be members of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society and must fill out the CSMS membership form (under important websites) and send their registration and membership fee in. Steven Veatch is the senior instructor and will need an email from you with your name, address, phone number, and permission from your parents to participate in this program.