Scientists and students create diabetic research project

BRADENTON — High school graduation has come and gone for Andres Romero yet he still has homework to complete this summer.

Romero, however, will hardly mind the additional work.

How could he when the assignment calls for him to use 3-D animation software that has been used by Hollywood filmmakers to create images in the latest blockbusters “Avatar,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Harry Potter.”

This month, Romero will be using LightWave 3-D software to put finishing touches on a 3-D scientific visualization that illustrates diabetes and how it affects the body.

The visualization is part of a Southeast High Technology Student Association project in which students partner with the Roskamp Institute to animate the disease and research being carried out at the Sarasota facility. Roskamp is considering put the video on its website to illustrate what diabetes can do to the human body.

The project has already won Southeast students second place in the Florida Technology Student Association finals. This month the 3-minute video presentation that includes 3-D animation will be submitted to the National Technology Student Association competition.

The Technology Student Association is a middle and high school program that encourages student interest and career opportunities in technology, innovation, design and engineering.

Southeast High fulfilled the mission of the Technology Student Association in a big way this semester.

The school launched a pilot program of a 3-D animation course in which students get to use software such as LightWave 3D to create objects in virtual space.

“This is the same software that was used in the Harry Potter series of movies,” said Bob Burwell, a television production and 3-D animation teacher at Southeast High. “It’s Hollywood software.”

And to put the software to use, the Technology Student Association partnered with the Roskamp Institute to learn from scientists first hand about the disease, how it impacts the body and how research underway at the institute could tackle diabetes.

“The scientists explained to the students the disease process, the issues that happen at the cellular level and how we’re trying to develop treatments that will be therapeutic,” said James Humphrey, chief operating officer for Roskamp Institute. “From that, students went back and made an animation and video of the disease process and how a drug would inhibit the disease process.”

For Romero, who will continue his education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the project was a perfect combination of technology and science.

“Most of my life I’ve just really liked working with computers, consoles, cell phones, and figuring out how they work,” the 17-year-old said. “This experience, I got to know how they research and find out what these diseases are doing and how they’re trying to fix them.”

Southeast High graduate Blair Milko created the video in which he shot footage at Roskamp, edited the production and provided voice overs.

For Milko, 18, the project was a perfect opportunity to get hands-on experience in broadcasting since he will be heading to the University of Florida to major in broadcast journalism.

“I think it’s phenomenal for us to have access to all of this hands-on experience at such a young age,” Milko said. “The TSA (Technology Student Association) program really allows us to get out there and do the work ourselves.”

This is the second straight year the Southeast High Technology Student Association has partnered with Roskamp on a project. Last year, the student group produced a video highlighting Alzheimer’s. That project won first place in the state finals and fifth in nationals.

Burwell says more of these types of projects will only continue to encourage students to pursue studies in advanced technology.

“What we are doing for the students is creating a good foundation so they can go on to become engineers or pursue other successful careers,” he said.