PROGRAMMES | LUMEN
19
Project Galileo
By
Keevan Kanagalingam
Project Galileo is a Science-based programme that equips Integrated Programme students with research and practical skills that are central to the International Baccalaureate ( IB ) modules and assessments .
Research questions were based on the students ’ personal passions and interests . Topics chosen were wideranging — for instance , my classmates Caleb Chong and Dinesh Peeris did a project on the iron content of white wine , as they were interested to know if wine could provide enough iron to meet the recommended daily amount . Marcus Kuan and Zhuo Chengsheng did a project on the effect of bacteria and fungi in soil on the growth of basil plants , as they were deeply intrigued by ecosystems and how microorganisms can affect the growth of food . My partner , Aeden Chng and I were deeply invested in the phenomenon of antibiotic resistance – where bacteria develop resistance to the antibiotics used to kill them ! As antibiotics are the foundation of many medical procedures , such as organ transplants and cancer treatments , antibiotic resistance has been dubbed one of the biggest threats to global health and we felt drawn to explore the topic further .
Laboratory work was conducted over several weeks . The topics of investigation were student-initiated , and it was truly refreshing for us all to dive deep into the experimental aspect of the sciences . I conducted a Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion test , where antibiotic discs are placed on agar plates streaked with E . coli bacteria . By comparing the diameters of the ‘ empty ’ zones around the bacteria , I could infer the efficacy of the antibiotics .
Most refreshing , however , was learning that in experimentation , nothing ever goes fully according to plan . Very often , I had to stray from my planned methodology , substitute one material for another , or even restart segments of my experiment . My laboratory partner Aeden Chng felt that the experimentation process was a challenging one , with us facing a multitude of problems . In spite of this , the process helped us hone our problem-solving skills , encouraging us to think out of the box to solve the issues we faced . We both especially liked how Project Galileo sought to dismantle the idea of there being “ rights-and-wrongs ” in research .
In all , Project Galileo , a flagship programme of the IP Science Department , teaches and fleshes out much-needed skills of inquiry , research , experimentation and data processing that have prepared me and my cohort for a rich and rewarding experience in our upcoming IB Diploma Programme .
This page ( top ): Raiden ( left ) and Kieran testing the voltage readings to find out the effect of pH on yeast – based microbial fuel cell
This page ( centre ): Zhi En ( left ) and Karthik focused in their microscope work to investigate the effect of salt concentration on the plasmolysis of onion cells