Originally published in The Vidette-Messenger of Porter County on March 11, 1961.
White Rat Studies Win Liberty Girl Advancement In Talent Search Program
By RITA GETZ
PROGRESS IN SCIENCEーSandra Johnson, (left) 16, Liberty township senior, and former Regional Science fair winner, discusses latest achievement, placement as finalist in Annual Science Talent Search. She will attend Junior Scientist Assembly March 17-18 at Indianapolis when winners of Westinghouse Science Scholarship Awards will be announced. Interviewing her is Mrs. Rita Getz of V-M Editorial staff.
Miss Sandra Johnson, 16-year-old Liberty Township High school senior, has just been notified that she is a finalist in the Annual Science Talent Search in competition for the Westinghouse Science Scholarship awards.
Winners will be announced at the Junior Scientists Assembly which will be held March 17 and 18 in the Claypool hotel, Indianapolis.
Sandra’s entry, “Motor Elements in Simple Cognition” is an experimental psychology study with white rats, dealing with perception.
The project, result of 1½ years research, won the Future Scientists of America award for the attractive young brunette last year. As a result of this win she was appointed to the Indiana University Science School seminar which was held last June in Bloomington.
Through her work at the Institute, Sandra was invited to remain at the university for an additional six weeks, where she worked in the psychological psychiatry lab with Dr. Russell DeValois.
Starts As Freshman
Sandra’s passion for science began in her freshman year, she stated. A regular entrant in the Science fair, she won first place in the junior division in 1958 with a study on colored vision in guinea pigs.
The following year she won top senior division honors at the Northwestern Regional Science fair and was awarded a coveted trip to the National Science fair at Hartford, Conn.
Her present project, which she perfected over the past two years, consists of a three sectioned maze, light avoidance box.
As part of her study, Sandra operated on several white rats, cutting their eye muscles. She learned the surgical procedure from Dr. W.C. Gunther, associate professor of biology at Valparaiso university.
Looks To Future
The young student would like to make experimental psychology her career, she stated. If this is not possible, she would like to enter the biological field.
She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson, RFD 5, Wauhob Lake.
Sandra is the second member of her family who has shown an avid interest in science. A brother is now studying for his Ph.D. in psychology.
A graduate of Liberty, and Valparaiso university, he did his graduate work at Western Reserve university. It was access to his books which sparked Sandra’s interest. She noted.
Although her scientific research takes up much of her spare time, Sandra has organized a Science club at Liberty, and is now its president.
In addition she helped organize the schools’ chapter of the National Honor society, and retains her membership in it through her high grades. She is also on the rosters of the Latin club, French club, National Music Honor society, and is a past officer in the student council.
Her extra-curricular activities include membership in the Young Democrats of Porter county, and the Chellburg Science seminar, which meets weekly at Chesterton High school.
At the moment, she concluded, her biggest ambition is to win a substantial scholarship to one of the nation's colleges.
