Some teenagers spend their summer vacations swimming or playing sports. One of the things that North Shore Hebrew Academy High School incoming junior Ilana Greenberg did on her summer vacation is calculate the probability that a near-earth asteroid could smash into planet Earth and create massive destruction.
Greenberg spent 39 intense days at the Summer Science Program, located on the New Mexico State University campus, studying Asteroid Orbit Determination. Each student chose an asteroid, tracked its movements using research-level telescopes, and learned how to predict its path using algorithms and coding, as part of a program for gifted high schoolers interested in science research.
“I’ve always loved math and science for as long as I can remember,” said the North Shore Hebrew Academy student. “Even as a kid, I’d sit in class and ask questions and just really wonder about how and why things worked the way they did.”
Greenberg was one of just three rising juniors in the prestigious program, which is aimed at high school seniors. Co-sponsored by MIT, the program includes six weeks of math and science lectures and concludes with students submitting their research on the orbit of specific asteroids to the Minor Planet Center.
The work is important: Close to Earth, there are more than three million asteroids that are up to 140 square meters (1,500 square feet), and less than one percent are tracked. The impact of a single one of these asteroids could cause an explosion equivalent to the detonation of 400 simultaneous atomic bombs and would instantly wipe out any nearby cities.
“I feel really lucky to have this opportunity, to listen to all of these incredibly interesting lectures and then apply that knowledge directly to calculate the orbit,” said Greenberg. “It’s amazing to know that the catalog of the International Minor Planet Center will include some of my original research.”
Following Educational Passions
At NSHAHS, Greenberg is pursuing a highly personalized academic program that supports her insatiable curiosity and quick grasp of difficult concepts. She’s taken calculus as a sophomore and one-on-one AP physics with Dr. Guy Okoko.
As a sophomore, Greenberg snagged a gold medal at the Al Kalfus Long Island Math Fair for her research paper applying calculus to real-world data from the Covid-19 pandemic, exploring how numbers of Covid cases “flattened,” based on precautions taken. This academic year, NSHAHS is organizing independent courses to help Ilana dive into more advanced courses with local college professors.
“I really love learning as an independent pursuit, and I’ve gotten a lot of support to choose the things that interest me, with guidance from NSHA faculty,” said Ilana.
Exercising Both Parts of the Brain
While Greenberg enjoys being in the lab and researching independently, she’s also bringing her talents to a number of NSHAHS extracurriculars. She is the incoming Model Congress president and is also on the math and debate teams. “Debate and Model Congress force me to look at things from different perspectives and analyze a wide variety of subjects in depth,” she said. Greenberg also said her leadership in these extracurriculars is helping to hone her public speaking and learn how to share her passion for knowledge with her peers.
Plus, as a student columnist for the Long Island Herald, Ilana writes about everything from a teenager’s perspective on artificial intelligence to the overturn of Roe v. Wade, to the everyday concerns of local students. Next year, she’ll be the editor-in-chief of North Shore Notes and is currently working on coding the website to create a newly designed digital experience for readers.
As for future plans, Greenberg has a lot of directions that she is considering. “I probably want to do something related to physics research,” she said. “But I also enjoy writing and public speaking and using the more creative part of my brain as well. I just know I want to continue applying the knowledge and research that I’m doing and continue learning always.”
By Rachel Sales
