STEM classes embrace technology to adapt to online learning
by Nicholas Wei, Humans of Harker Staff Writer
October 19, 2020
As the upper school continues in remote fashion for the first semester of the 2020-2021 school year, teachers of STEM classes have adopted new teaching methodologies while adapting old ones in order to create a productive learning environment. Well aware of the importance of student engagement, teachers hav...
Jeffrey Kwan (‘20) participates in the 2020 International Math Olympiad
by Sabrina Zhu, Assistant STEM Editor
October 9, 2020
On Sept. 21 and 22, the 61st annual International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) was held virtually, with Jeffrey Kwan (‘20) participating as one of six students representing the United States. Jeffrey received a Silver medal at the IMO, and the United States placed third after China and Russia. The ...
California struck by record wildfire season
by Mark Hu and Arya Maheshwari
October 3, 2020
Fires have swept across California with over 3.7 million acres in land burned, as of October 3. The state has been dealing with the lasting effects of a harsh heatwave that prompted the California Independent System Operator (ISO), which oversees the state’s electric power system, to declare a temporar...
SARS-CoV-2 vaccines continue Phase 3 trials, testing
by Aditya Singhvi, Aquila Co-Managing Editor
September 28, 2020
As the coronavirus pandemic continues to expand, scientists around the globe are racing to develop and test an effective vaccine that can be approved for widespread use. In the United States, three companies — Moderna, Pfizer and AstraZeneca — have been conducting Phase 3 trials. Phase 3 trials are the last step before a vaccine can be approved, with 30,000 volunteers participating in a study testing the e...
Girls Programming League held virtually for the first time
by Mark Hu and Sabrina Zhu
September 25, 2020
Zoom breakout room “Byte the Dust” is filled with three middle school girls. They excitedly discuss the potential algorithms that can solve one of the problems, before one of them begins sharing her screen. The other two watch eagerly as she opens IntelliJ, an integrated development environment (IDE), ...
Stem Scene: Sept. 22
by Anmol Velagapudi, Mark Hu, and Sriya Batchu
September 22, 2020
Astronomy Club The Upper School Astronomy Club held two guest speaker sessions with a Q&A with Dr. Eugene Chiang from UC Berkeley on Sept. 4th and a talk with Dr. Bruce Macintosh from the Stanford Kali Institute on Sept. 9. Dr. Chiang spoke about his experience as an astronomer, and Dr. Macintosh talked about his rese...
Students’ summer research continues despite new difficulties, Harker research classes adapt to online environment
by Sabrina Zhu, Assistant STEM Editor
September 1, 2020
Upper school students conducted science research during the summer despite new challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though several popular research programs like the California State Summer School for Mathematics and Science (COSMOS) and the Research Science Institute (RSI) were canceled d...
SpaceX partners with NASA to send American astronauts to space
by Mark Hu and Sabrina Zhu
June 2, 2020
SpaceX, a private American space manufacturing company, sent two NASA astronauts into space on Saturday in a launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida, marking the first time that NASA has sent humans into space from American soil since 2011. The Falcon 9’s booster successfully landed on the autonomo...
COVID-19 testing and treatments explained: Cases ramp up as researchers race to find sustainable cures
by Mark Hu, Katie Wang, and Nicholas Wei
May 20, 2020
As COVID-19 infections continue to spread across the nation, hospitals across Santa Clara Valley are taking measures to increase the number of resources available for patients, including ventilators and hospital beds, as researchers search for a vaccine, a long term solution to the virus. Commercial and academic laboratories throughout the Bay Area are faci...
STEM Scene: Upper school clubs continue activities in quarantine
by Tiffany Chang, TALON Reporter
May 4, 2020
With COVID-19 pushing everyone to pioneer alternatives for events made unfeasible by shelter-in-place, upper school STEM clubs have risen to the challenge. Despite the inability to continue hands-on activities or hold on-site events, clubs are managing to stay active through a variety of innovative events ...
Upper school cafeteria limits self-served food items to limit the spread of COVID-19, among other local health measures
by Mark Hu and Sabrina Zhu
March 9, 2020
The upper school has recently removed self-serve food stations to reduce extra student contact with food due to concerns over the coronavirus. As of March 6, the salad and fruit bar in Manzanita and Fresh Mex’s condiment station, which includes guacamole and various salsas, in the auxiliary gym now ...
Upper school hosts annual Harker Programming Invitational with extra precautions due to coronavirus concerns
by Sabrina Zhu, Anna Vazhaeparambil, and Mark Hu
March 8, 2020
Three students huddle around a table in the Nichols atrium, speaking in hushed voices together as their eyes focus on the problem set in front of them. One picks up a pencil and begins drawing out a list of numbers on the page, attempting to explain a potential solution to his teammates. After th...
How are you spending your time in quarantine?
- Watching Netflix (42%, 15 Votes)
- Cooking and baking (25%, 9 Votes)
- Hiking and going on walks (17%, 6 Votes)
- Other (14%, 5 Votes)
- Learning to play an instrument (3%, 1 Votes)
Total Voters: 36
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