High School Topical Review in Sleep Science Contest

The American Sleep Medicine Foundation (ASMF) continues to be the leader in promoting sleep research and education by supporting the entry of young physicians and scientists into sleep research and academic sleep medicine. The Foundation strives to educate physicians, researchers and the public about sleep and the health consequences of inadequate sleep and sleep disorders. The ASMF also provides humanitarian aid to disadvantaged individuals with sleep disorders. As the leader in supporting sleep research and education, the Foundation has invested in the future of Sleep Medicine by awarding more than $4 million in grants to date.

To encourage an interest in Sleep Medicine, sleep-related research and the promotion of healthy sleep habits among high school students, the ASMF is pleased to announce the 2012 High School Topical Review in Sleep Science Contest. This contest recognizes excellence in the understanding of scientific research and in the preparation of a topical review paper related to the science of sleep and wakefulness or the effects that sleep disorders and insufficient/inadequate sleep have on health, academic performance, daytime alertness, and public safety.

Download 2012 High School Essay Contest Entry Form

Download High School Essay Contest Flyer

Who is Eligible?

High school students in the U.S. who are a junior or senior during the 2011-2012 academic school year are eligible to enter the contest. Students must be “sponsored” by their science teacher (described below). Submissions will not be accepted from students who are a son or daughter of a member of the AASM Board of Directors, ASMF Executive Board, AASM Education Committee or AASM staff.

What is the deadline?

The submission deadline is Monday, February 6, 2012.

What are the prizes?

Students will be selected as recipients of the following prizes:

1^st Place: One student will receive the following 1^st-place prizes:

A $1,000 savings bond
A 3-day/2-night trip to Boston, Massachusetts for the student and one parent/guardian to attend the SLEEP 2012 26^th Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies LLC from Sunday, June 10, 2012 to Tuesday, June 12, 2012. The recipient will be recognized with a commemorative plaque during the AASM General Membership Meeting on Monday, June 11, 2012

2^nd Place: One student will receive the following prize as the 1^st runner up: A $500 savings bond

3^rd Place: One student will receive the following prize as the 2^nd runner up: A $250 savings bond

Honorable Mention: Up to 12 students will receive the following prize as honorable mention awardees: A $50 savings bond

Publication

In addition, all award recipients will have their paper posted on the AASM Web site at www.sleepeducation.com, and all recognized papers will be considered for publication in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

How do I enter?

To enter the 2012 ASMF High School Topical Review in Sleep Science Contest, you must send an electronic copy of your original review paper as an e-mail attachment to Nick Cekosh, Coordinator at ncekosh@aasmnet.org by Monday, February 6, 2012 You also must complete the two-page Entry Form (attached) and submit it to the AASM national office, using either the address or fax number below. The Entry Form must be received, or postmarked, by Monday, February 6, 2012. No submissions will be accepted after this date. The Entry Form must be filled out completely and must include signatures from the student, parent/guardian and sponsoring science teacher. The topical review paper must be written according to the following guidelines. Submissions that are incomplete or that do not follow the submission guidelines will not be accepted.

American Sleep Medicine Foundation
2510 North Frontage Road
Darien, IL 60561
Fax: 630-737-9790

What are the responsibilities of the sponsoring teacher?

Each entrant must be “sponsored” by his or her science teacher. Sponsorship is merely an acknowledgement from a science teacher that his or her student is submitting a paper for consideration. Students who want to enter the contest should notify their teacher immediately.

What are the guidelines for the topical review paper?

To enter the contest, students must prepare an original topical review paper according to these submission guidelines:

Length
The paper must be at least 2,500 words in length and no more than 3,000 words, including references (approximately 5 to 6 typed pages).

Format
The paper should be typed in the Times New Roman 12-point font with paragraphs formatted in single line spacing. Margins should be 1-inch on all four sides. Your paper should have a cover page that includes the title of your paper, your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, school name and city/state, and your sponsor’s name.

Topics
You must select one of these 12 topics as the subject of your paper:

Sleep Neuroscience: How the brain regulates sleep and wakefulness. This should include a description of the sleep/wake regions of the brain and the neurotransmitters responsible for maintaining wakefulness or promoting sleep. The essay should reflect an understanding of these processes and how they relate to daily life
Sleep Pharmacology: How medications are used to treat sleep disorders. This should include a description of the medications and how they work to influence sleep. Essays should include both prescription medications as well as over-the-counter agents commonly used to treat insomnia or other sleep disorders.
Sleep During Adolescence. This should include a description of how sleep changes during the transition from childhood to adulthood. The essay should discuss the effects of insufficient sleep on mood, behavior and academic performance. The adverse effects on health, mood and academic performance caused by cigarette smoking, caffeine, drugs and alcohol and use of electronic media before bed should be included.
Pediatrics: How sleep disorders affect children. This should include a description of common sleep disorders seen in children and how they impact development.
Aging: How the process of sleep changes as an individual grows older. This should include a description of how sleep changes throughout life and the differences in sleep, sleep architecture, sleep quality and sleep duration between young children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. The essay should also include why the changes occur and what benefits and consequences result from these differences in sleep.
Sleep Deprivation: How sleep deprivation affects academic and athletic performance, health, mood, and weight gain. The essay should reflect an understanding of purpose of sleep and the adverse effects that occur as a result of inadequate quality or quantity of sleep.
Sleep Related Breathing Disorders: How the effective treatment of obstructive sleep apnea improves health and well-being. This should include a description of the epidemiology, pathophysiology and consequences of obstructive sleep apnea, as well as the benefits of different treatment options.
Narcolepsy: How genetic and non-genetic predisposing factors contribute to the development of narcolepsy. The essay should reflect an understanding of what narcolepsy is its potential causes.
Insomnia: How insomnia often is associated with depression. The essay should include the epidemiology of insomnia, which types of individuals are more likely to have insomnia and the adverse effects related to health and quality of life caused by insomnia. The overlap between insomnia and depression, especially during adolescence, should be addressed.
Drowsy Driving: How drowsiness impairs driving ability and threatens driver safety. This should include an understanding of how much sleep is needed and how sleep deprivation effects mental and physical performance, decision making and an increased risk for motor vehicle crashes.
Sleep in Medical Disorders: How sleep is associated with other medical disorders. This should include an understanding of how common medical disorders and their treatments affect sleep or how insufficient sleep can exacerbate medical disorders. The essay could include a general overview of this relationship or provide a more detailed focus on one particular condition or group of diseases.
Sleep Studies: How sleep disorders are detected using overnight polysomnography (PSG). This should include a description and reflect an understanding of how sleep disorders are evaluated, what tests are conducted and why and what these studies reveal about sleep and sleep disorders.

References

The paper must cite 5 to 10 published references, such as scientific books and journals. You may not cite a website as a reference. Relevant journal articles can be found through online gateways such as www.journalsleep.org, www.aasmnet.org/jcsm and www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez. Although they cannot be cited as references, the AASM Web site at www.sleepeducation.com and the AASM blog at www.sleepeducation.blogspot.com are valuable sources of background information. Each reference should be cited in the text in consecutive numerical order with a superscript Arabic numeral outside periods and commas and inside colons and semicolons. Example: Cataplexy is a unique characteristic of narcolepsy.¹The reference section should be included at the end of the paper as “end notes” rather than as footnotes. Examples of how the reference citations should be formatted can be found online at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/bsd/uniform_requirements.html.

How will the submissions be judged?

Each submission will be screened by a staff member at the national office to ensure that it meets the requirements described in the submission guidelines. Accepted submissions will then be sent to the AASM Education Committee for review and evaluation. Each submitted essay will be reviewed and scored by three individuals specializing in the aspect of Sleep Medicine related to your work. The papers will be evaluated according to these criteria:

Accuracy of the content
Depth and understanding of the information presented
Style of writing, including correct punctuation and grammar
Clarity of writing
Quality of the cited references

How and when will the winners be notified?

Upon receiving a submission, a confirmation letter will be sent by e-mail to the entrant. The ASMF will send a letter by mail and email to all entrants, notifying them of the contest results.

What will the trip to Boston be like for the 1^st-place winner?

The ASMF will reserve a round-trip flight and hotel room in downtown Boston for the 1^st-place winner and one parent/guardian. If you are the recipient of this prize, you will arrive in Boston on Sunday, June 10, and will have the rest of that day free. On Monday, June 11, you will attend the opening day of SLEEP 2012, a scientific meeting featuring an international body of more than 5,500 leading researchers and clinicians in the field of Sleep Medicine. After the morning plenary session you will be able to visit the exhibit hall, which features booth displays from more than 125 pharmaceutical companies, equipment manufacturers, medical publishers, software companies, professional organizations and schools. Early in the afternoon, you will attend the AASM General Membership Meeting, where you will be presented with a commemorative plaque. For the rest of the day you will be able to choose which meeting sessions and research presentations you would like to attend. For more details about the meeting, go to www.sleepmeeting.org. You will have the evening free and then will return home on Tuesday, June 12. You will be reimbursed for travel expenses to and from the airport, as well as for your meals during the meeting.

Whom should I contact with questions?

If you have questions about the 2011-2012 ASMF High School Topical Review in Sleep Science Contest, please contact Nick Cekosh at ncekosh@aasmnet.org or 630-737-9700, ext. 9363.