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Top STEM Breakthroughs of 2020

by Troy Shen
written by Troy Shen

2020- what a crazy year! From the Australian Wildfires, to the Coronavirus Pandemic, we have endured a lot this year. However, this year was one of huge success in the STEM world! Here are the three major breakthroughs of 2020, and why they are so important to human innovation in the future.

5G

One of the most hyped breakthroughs of 2020, 5G marks a very important step in wireless network technology. Not only is 5G ten to one hundred times faster than 4G LTE, it also has larger bandwidth, and reduces latency to virtually zero.

Covid-19 Vaccine

One may question the significance of the Covid-19 vaccine as a breakthrough, but what makes it so special isn’t how it will help end the Coronavirus Pandemic, but how the vaccine was developed. The vaccine was developed using The Genetic Approach, or mRNA. In this approach, mRNA is sent to our cells to develop the certain proteins needed to combat Covid-19. There has never been a fully approved vaccine using this method, but during this pandemic vaccines have been used for emergency use.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing will completely change the computer market in the world. Quantum computers use qubits instead of standard bits used by normal computers. The difference between a bit and an qubit is that an qubit can run many more processes than a normal bit. Quantum computing will result in way faster computers for the future, and a new potential for what we can do with technology.

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Joshua Posthuma

Professional Chess Coach

Joshua Posthuma is an International Chess Master, 4x Michigan State Chess Champion, and professional chess coach from Farmington Hills, Michigan. He earned the National Master (NM) title in Chicago at age 15, the FIDE Master (FM) title by scoring 9/9 in the 2018 Michigan Invitational at age 18, and the IM title at the 2022 Saint Louis Norm Congress at age 22. Since graduating high school in 2018, Joshua has been a full-time chess coach. In the past few years, he has grown into one of the biggest chess coaches in the state of Michigan. Many of his students have made it into the US Top 50 for their age, with two even reaching NM. His strategic thinking has brought him success both on and off the chess board. When he’s not playing chess, you’ll find him playing other board games, or out on the disc golf course.

Simone Ispahani

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Simone Ispahani became acquainted with the world at an early age having grown up in Colorado, the Netherlands, Australia and Hawaii. Simone eventually made her way to Los Angeles, where she attended Biola University, graduating with a degree in Sociology with an emphasis in Criminal Justice and a minor in Biblical Studies. Being biracial and growing up around a diverse array of cultures, Simone was gifted with a unique understanding of the world and a deep seeded desire to help humanity. In college, she first learned about the issue of human trafficking when an expert speaker on modern day slavery challenged her to join the fight. With a newfound perspective, she started to learn as much as she could about the issue eventually leading her to launch Social Brew in October of 2021. Social Brew is an e-commerce coffee company which donates 50% of profits between two non-profit partners to aid in the fight against human trafficking. Simone’s greatest hope for Social Brew is to cultivate a community that creates a place where trafficking victims are seen, known, loved, and given practical tools that help them take back their lives. In her free time, Simone enjoys sipping coffee at one of her favorite local spots in Santa Monica. She also likes hanging out with her senior dog, Max, painting, baking to feed her sweet tooth, listening to vintage vinyl recordings, and spending time with family and friends.

SQ Mah

Google AI Engineer

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Ahron Wayne

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Austen Brantley

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