Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
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Financial Products with The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office
No full textThe Illinois State Treasurer’s Office protects Illinois residents by making smart investment choices while managing the state’s portfolio of approximately $25 billion dollars. The office is dedicated to encouraging savings plans for college or trade school, increasing financial education among all ages, and removing barriers to a secure retirement. As a Financial Products intern, I worked closely with the 529 College Savings and Financial Education teams, providing support on many different projects. Throughout the year, I reported returned mail and provided statistics on retention rates for the First Steps program. The new initiative provides Illinois children with seed funding for BrightStart’s college saving accounts. I also created teacher and student registration guides for the Illinois Personal Finance Challenge, which were sent to teachers across the state. Over the course of a few weeks, I reviewed the sitemap for the financial literacy section of the Treasurer’s Office website and drafted a new sitemap with modern layouts and updated content. Lastly, I scripted a video concept and presented it to Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs and other members of the office. Overall, in my time here I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team and assisting in these projects
Pet Welfare in Chicago
No full textPAWS Chicago, the city’s largest animal rescue, is committed to tackling urban pet homelessness and abuse. Throughout the internship, work has been done with various programs, such as adoption, crisis-care, Parvo+ puppy care, CACC (Chicago Animal Care and Control) diversion, pet food pantries, feral cat TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release), domestic and international transports, fundraising, and more, to aid in PAWS’ mission to create a no-kill city
Studying Bias in Diffusion Models
No full textWith text-to-image (“TTI”) models becoming increasingly popular, it is imperative that we ensure they are as unbiased as possible, an issue many text-to-image models are currently facing. For example, when we ran Google’s Image-FX text-to-image model to create an image of “a CEO from the Fortune 500 list” or “a CEO of the top 10 tech companies,” it always returned a white male. On the other hand, when the same Google text-to-image model was told to generate an image of a teacher, it almost always returned an image of a white woman. In this study, we also ran a white box Stablility Diffusion model to test and detect the biases within a text-to-image model. A key reason for bias in diffusion models is the limited diversity and existing bias in the training data, as bias enters the model through training data and transfer data. To mitigate bias in diffusion models, we need to be able to measure bias and get actionable signals that can help developers take corrective actions. For this purpose, we introduce a new bias factor that can be used to measure bias in a TTI model and other such models
Axonal Structure Identification Using a Graph Transversal and Path Search Algorithm
No full textImageJ is a software platform for open-source image analysis that has assisted researchers with various image analysis applications. Its success has been primarily attributed to supportive and cooperative developer and user communities. ImageJ is also useful for data segmentation, which assigns a label to every pixel in an image such that images with the same label share similar qualities. Segmenting objects is the first step in tracking analysis, which allows researchers to follow the segmented objects\u27 movements over time. Many advanced tools and techniques, including Trainable WEKA Segmentation (TWS) and Labkit, use machine learning to implement pixel classification functionality through the open WEKA library for segmentation. The data used in this study underwent immunohistochemical staining and revealed axonal structures in three separate panels. This paper presents a qualitative analysis of another Fiji plugin, PathFinder, that utilizes a graph transversal and path search algorithm called A* and uses heuristics to estimate the most efficient path, alongside TWS and LabKit
Engaging Communities to Combat Hunger
No full textHunger is a persistent challenge that affects almost 10% of the world daily. This situation poses a drastic problem to people’s health, welfare, and overall daily lives. In response to this issue, large amounts of data need to be categorically analyzed to obtain a higher understanding of the underlying causes of hunger problems in many separate places of the world. In order to address this properly, it is crucial to adopt targeted approaches that address the specific needs of communities and regions. By analyzing data at the county level, we can gain a deeper understanding of the unique factors contributing to hunger within each locality. Additionally, funding for these interventions can be sourced through grants from existing NGOs, along with additional funding through fundraisers through events/online resources, such as websites and social media, can amplify awareness and support for hunger relief efforts. These can help raise awareness and encourage people to do more to help their communities, like volunteering at soup kitchens or volunteering in food drives. A comprehensive approach that integrates data analysis, targeted interventions, and community engagement is essential to effectively combat hunger and improve well-being on a global scale
Heart Catcher
No full textThere is a stark difference in marketed prices for mortgages for the same worth of property when analyzing homes around the vicinity of Chicago compared to below it. These areas share “opposite addresses” in the sense they intersect on another location if folded on a map. This intentional pricing was meant to segregate Black people from white people, a phenomenon known as redlining. The purpose of this project seeks to remedy the effects of redlining. To do so, we seek to begin at a local community level. To build bridges between these separate communities into a welcoming environment, bringing both sides of Chicago and the area below, together. However, it is a focal point in shifting marketing prices to more fair and appropriate ones for the benefit of both communities. Interviewing and seeking aid by companies in charge of real estate and insurance will both be monumental in garnering support for the appropriation in mortgage prices and also help people of minorities who struggle with affording a home
Trees 4 U \u3c3
No full textThe project revolves around a business model focused on utilizing drones for planting trees efficiently and effectively. Its purpose is twofold: to combat deforestation and to streamline reforestation efforts. By employing drones for tree planting, the project introduces a cutting-edge approach to environmental conservation, merging technology with sustainability practices. The problem statement addresses the challenges of traditional tree planting methods, such as time-consuming manual labor and limited accessibility to remote or rugged terrain. The hypothesis is that utilizing drones can overcome these challenges and enhance reforestation efforts on a larger scale. The procedures involve developing drone-based planting systems capable of accurately dispersing seeds or seedlings over designated areas. This includes drone design and modification, seed delivery mechanisms, and navigation systems tailored for reforestation tasks. In summary, the project proposes a solution to the pressing issue of deforestation by harnessing the power of drone technology for tree planting. It aims to revolutionize reforestation efforts, making them more efficient, cost-effective, and scalable
Telemedicine Platform for Remote Mental Health Support
No full textThis project addresses the critical issue of limited access to reliable mental health services, particularly among underrepresented communities. Our approach involves the creation of screening services tailored to prioritize struggling communities, alongside efforts to generate funding for proper outreach. We will focus on addressing the challenges of, ensuring accuracy, awareness, education, and accessibility by moving to a more digital footprint where we can pool of information which is also more accessible. We aim to provide tailored support addressing various mental health concerns and education struggling minority communities, adolescents, young adults, veterans, military personnel, and seniors. Through advocacy, education, and strategic partnerships, we can improve mental health care access and address problems such as intentional self-harm especially since it is the third leading cause of death among adolescents. This project advocates for inclusive, accessible, and effective mental health services for all individuals, regardless of background or circumstance
StressLITS: A Solution to the Growing Teen Anxiety Epidemic
No full textThe National Institute of Mental Health reports that anxiety levels among adolescents have risen significantly in recent years. Affected teenagers suffer from a range of mental health problems including stress and anxiety disorders, which often manifest themselves through panic attacks. Our product aims to equip users with the tools they need to manage this condition. To achieve this, StressLITS utilizes a standard heart rate tracker embedded within a bracelet. This detects spikes in the user’s heart rate in real-time and communicates the recorded data with an app on the user’s mobile device. When a spike signifying a panic attack is detected, the app sends a notification/text to pre-selected contacts that the user trusts and initiates a calming exercise to help the user relax. Additional features are included to ensure the app is safe, accurate, and beneficial. Our core mission is to aid students struggling with panic attacks to receive effective help in their time of need
Measuring Variables Affecting Poverty Against Local Charity Performance
No full textPoverty, the greatest contributor to global outcomes, is an issue with many theoretical solutions and few working implementations. One of the few implementations, charity, stands proud as the most trusted in the public’s eyes. However, even considering the public’s trust in organizations, many problems might affect a charity’s performance. As a result, this project builds on the analysis of a past project, which concluded by finding that charities don’t have a significant effect on poverty reduction in their county. Using the past project’s database of United Way charities across the US with a database of poverty from the Small Area Income Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) census project, our presentation wishes to extend that analysis, concluding for effects across age and other lines