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Young scientists wow judges at regional science and engineering fair
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Hope Hoehler, 13, of St. Mary's Assumption receives a Perseverance award at the 74th annual Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair, Saturday, April 6, 2013. The awards are given to students in the eighth, ninth, or 10th grades competing for their third or fourth year in the fair.
When a judge at Saturday’s Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair asked Ryan Maurer why he built a system to test rocket motors, he didn’t get into scientific gobbledygook about lift factors or voltage curves.
“I do it because it’s cool,” Maurer, 18, a senior at Frazier High School in Perryopolis, said. “I think he was surprised when I said that.”
Maurer and three other local students will head to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix May 12-17 after taking top honors among more than 1,000 students representing 117 schools in the region at the Carnegie Science Center‘s 74th annual competition.
The others headed to Phoenix are: Michael Becich of Bradford Woods, a junior at North Allegheny Senior High School, for his genomic analysis on renal cell neoplasms; Rishi Mirchandani, a 10th-grader at Fox Chapel Area High School, for developing an algorithm for fairly dividing up resources, and Anishaa Sivakumar, 14, a freshman at Franklin Regional Senior High School, Murrysville, for her project on slime mold as a diagnostic tool for lung cancer.
Maurer also received the Carnegie Science Award, given to a top performer from the junior, intermediate and senior divisions.
The other two winners were: Orion Gangopadhyay of Peters, a sixth-grader at the PA Virtual Charter School, and Taylor Robinson of Regent Square, who attends Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy in Wilkinsburg, for the “Itch Matrix.”
For his project, Gangopadhyay, 11, listed “surprising” applications of soil electric conductivity. He said that after earning a geology Boy Scout badge for a trip to Laurel Caverns, he wanted to see if soil could conduct an electric current.
Learning that yes, indeed, it does, Gangopadhyay listed how that could have real-world application, such as gardeners and nurseries determining what nutrients are needed in soil, maybe helping predict earthquakes and determining soil stability when building structures.
Gangopadhyay said he was surprised that his project was picked from among those in biology, chemistry, computer science and math, and physics.
“I saw a lot of really good projects,” he said, including one in which a robot could help predict heart attacks.
Mirchandani, 16, of Fox Chapel said his project could be used to fairly divide land between Israel and Palestine, or for families splitting up an inheritance.
“I am totally speechless I made it (to Phoenix),” Mirchandani said. “What a great validation of the work.”
In all, students received more than $1 million in cash and scholarships during the competition. Projects that received first-place awards will be on display in the Carnegie Science Center on the North Shore until April 14.
Science fair winners
Winners of the 74th Annual Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair were announced Saturday at Heinz Field.
There were 1,031 participants from 117 schools. Here is the breakdown:
275 9th –12th grade students
548 7th -8th grade students
208 6th grade students
Advancing to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair
• Michael Becich, North Allegheny Senior High School, Wexford, for “Genomic Analysis Reveals Variations Specific to Renal Cell Neoplasms”
• Ryan Maurer, Frazier High School, Perryopolis, for “ Rocket Motor Test System 7000”
• Rishi Mirchandani, Fox Chapel Area High School, for “Superadditivity and Subadditivity in Fair Division”
• Anishaa Sivakumar, Franklin Regional Senior High School, Murrysville, for “Slime Mold”
Carnegie Science Awards
• Orion Gangopadhyay of Peters Township, PA Virtual Charter School, for “Soil System Surprise”
• Taylor Robinson of Regent Square, Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy (Wilkinsburg), for “”The Itch Matrix”
• Ryan Maurer of Perryopolis, Frazier High School, for “ Rocket Motor Test System 7000”
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS
Allegheny College Justin Beiriger, Central Catholic High School Cory Bird, Freeport Senior High School Jen Cashman, Peters Township High School Natalie Johnson, Northern High School Lucas Switzer, The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School Konrad Urban, Fox Chapel Area High School Isabella Viducich, Vincentian Academy Carlow University Jen Cashman, Peters Township High School Agnes Hoover, Cambria Heights HS Donielle Horne, Perry Traditional Academy Carnegie Mellon University Raashmi Krishnasamy, Peters Township High School Shea Minter, Shady Side Academy Chatham University Brinda Doshi, Upper St. Clair High School Natalie Johnson, Northern High School Clarion University Nathan Disantis, Freeport Senior High School Brinda Doshi, Upper St. Clair High School Denny Loevlie, Freeport Senior High School Mariam Shalaby, Tan HomeSchool Duquesne University Scholarships valued at $10,000: Rhiannon Dodge, Northern High School Robert Kunkel, Seneca Valley High School Awards to participate in the Summer Undergraduate Research Program: Alec Christensen, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Denny Loevlie, Freeport Area Senior High School College Credit in High School Awards: Taylor Borrelli, Freeport Area Senior High School Mariam Shalaby, Tan HomeSchool Edinboro University Daniel Schnurr, St. Joseph High School Gannon University Michael Becich, North Allegheny Senior High School John Cahill, Blessed Pope John Paul II Science Cooperative Casey Kinol, Shaler Area High School Madilyn Riesco, Northern High School David Schnur, St. Joseph High School Michaela Schreyer, Cambria Heights High School Harrisburg University of Science and Technology Robert Kunkel, Seneca Valley Senior High School David Shipe, Freeport Senior High School Emily Yaruss, The Ellis School Mt. Aloysius College Taylor Borrelli, Freeport Senior High School Rhiannon Dodge, Northern High School Lauren Donatelli, Vincentian Academy Shanelle Fernando, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Agnes Hoover, Cambria Heights HS Uriah Lindsay, Freeport Senior High School Denny Loevlie, Freeport Senior High School Michaela Schreyer, Cambria Heights HS David Shipe, Freeport Senior High School Zachary Stoltz, Cambria Heights HS Penn State Altoona Patrick Illig, Cambria Heights HS James Pence, Cambria Heights HS Zachary Stoltz, Cambria Heights HS Penn State Greater Allegheny Jarrod Cingel, Bethel Park High School Mariam Shalaby, Tan HomeSchool Kristal Sotomayor, Knoch High School Emily Yaruss, The Ellis School Point Park University Taylor Borrelli, Freeport Senior High School Lauren Casertano, St. Joseph High School St. Francis University Jen Cashman, Peters Township High School Nathan Disantis, Freeport Senior High School Denny Loevlie, Freeport Senior High School Madison Minick, St. Joseph High School Rachel Schratz, St. Joseph High School Maddilyn Thoma, Knoch High School St. Vincent College Jen Cashman, Peters Township High School Shanelle Fernando, North Allegheny Intermediate High School David Shipe, Freeport Senior High School Seton Hill University Lauren Casertano, St. Joseph High School Jordan Elmer, Knoch High School Christopher Heldman, Peters Township High School Uriah Lindsay, Freeport Senior High School University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg Jen Cashman, Peters Township High School Emily Yaruss, The Ellis School Waynesburg University Jen Cashman, Peters Township High School Brinda Doshi, Upper St. Clair High School Uriah Lindsay, Freeport Senior High School Perseverance Awards Junior Scientists are Students in 8th, 9th, or 10th grades competing for their third or fourth year. Emily Augustine, Bethel Park High School Hayden Bergad, Freeport Senior High School Sarah Boltey, St. John the Baptist Christopher Cerminara, St. Mary of the Assumption Glenshaw Aditi Chattopadhyay, Fort Couch Middle School Noah Fitzpatrick, Manchester Academic Charter School Hope Hoehler, St. Mary of the Assumption Glenshaw Jahi Jackson, Manchester Academic Charter School Thomas Kim, Carson Middle School Lauren Kolenik, St. John the Baptist Denny Loevlie, Freeport Senior High School Caroline Maltese, St. Mary of the Assumption Glenshaw Sophia Maltese, St. Mary of the Assumption Glenshaw Sarah Mautino, St. John the Baptist Neale Misquitta Jr., Fort Couch Middle School David Mrazik, Carson Middle School Brad O’Hara, Cambria Heights HS Vashisth Parekh, Fort Couch Middle School Vedant Parekh, Fort Couch Middle School Kevin Scott, St. John the Baptist Autumn Adams, St. Agnes Rohan Chalasani, Dorseyville Middle School Victoria Clarchick, Avella Jr/Sr High School Austin Fisher, Dorseyville Middle School Mihir Garimella, Dorseyville Middle School Sabrina Helbig, Oakland Catholic High School Aidan Hoffman, Quiet Creek School of Country Living Brandon Kish, St. Agnes Rachael Kondrat, St. Elizabeth Elementary School Darwin Leuba, Dorseyville Middle School Sarah Maidment, Avella Jr/Sr High School Suvir Mirchandani, Dorseyville Middle School MacKenzie Oravec, St. Agnes Walker Orner, Quiet Creek School of Country Living Varun Parwani, Dorseyville Middle School Ellen Pil, Dorseyville Middle School Ayan Sinha, Dorseyville Middle School Taylor Stavor, St. Agnes Evan Stephenson, Pine-Richland High School Alexa Wilner, St. Agnes Mary Anand, Blessed Pope John Paul II Science Cooperative Andrea Arturo, The Campus School of Carlow University Mohit Bhide, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Ian Cavanaugh, Commonwealth Connections Academy Dylan Grindle, Yough High School Jahnik Kurukulasuriya, The Campus School of Carlow University Michael McAllister, East Catholic School Zain Mehdi, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Sonnet Myers, The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School Serena Nicoll, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Arthini Pulenthiran, Franklin Regional Senior High School Vibha Reddy, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Gabe Ren, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Anishaa Sivakumar, Franklin Regional Senior High School Nila Suresh, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Associate Scientist Awards go to students in the 11th and 12th grades with three or four years of participation, and 10th graders with five years of active participation. Oruba Ahmed, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Calvin Beideman, Beideman HomeSchool Grace Brandstetter, Peters Township High School Brendan Campbell, Upper St. Clair High School Rhiannon Dodge, Northern High School Molly Graham, Bethel Park High School Nichole Helbig, Cambria Heights HS Patrick Illig, Cambria Heights HS Ashley Johnson, Cambria Heights HS Serena Mani, The Ellis School Jonathan Mulick, Bishop Canevin High School Thomas Nash, Vincentian Academy James Pence, Cambria Heights HS Jed Price, Cambria Heights HS David Shipe, Freeport Senior High School Alex Vesey, Cambria Heights HS The Honorary Scientist Award goes to 11th- and 12th-grade students with five or more years of active participation. Taylor Borrelli, Freeport Senior High School Margaret Burris, Pine-Richland High School Lauren Casertano, St. Joseph High School Jarrod Cingel, Bethel Park High School Adam Dando, Franklin Regional Senior High School Brinda Doshi, Upper St. Clair High School Shannon Fagan, Bethel Park High School Matthew Green, Franklin Regional Senior High School Emily Kirk, Cambria Heights HS Pragna Mannam, The Ellis School Piyusha Sane, North Allegheny Senior High School Emily Yaruss, The Ellis School
Category Awards
First Place, Junior Division Consumer Science – Junior Nadine Oury, Falk Laboratory School Life Science – Junior Simon Hebert, Sacred Heart Elementary Physical Science – Junior Orion Gangopadhyay, PA Virtual Charter School First Place, Junior Division First Place, Intermediate Division Behavioral and Social Science – Intermediate Taylor Robinson, Sister Thea Bowman Catholic Academy Biology – Intermediate Mary Anand, Blessed Pope John Paul II Science Cooperative Chemistry – Intermediate Ashwin Srinivasan, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy Computer Science/Math – Intermediate Team of Alex Brufsky and Kevin Chen, Fort Couch Middle School Consumer Science – Intermediate Megan Huey, Ambridge Area Junior High School Earth/Space/Environment – Intermediate Suvir Mirchandani, Dorseyville Middle School Engineering/Robotics – Intermediate Mihir Garimella, Dorseyville Middle School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Intermediate Ratujit Raviprakash, Ingomar Middle School Physics – Intermediate Sarthak Navjivan, Dorseyville Middle School First Place, Senior Division Behavioral and Social Science – Senior Serena Nicoll, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Biology – Senior Rama Godse, Fox Chapel Area High School Chemistry – Senior Sarah Small, Shady Side Academy Computer Science/Math – Senior Rishi Mirchandani, Fox Chapel Area High School Earth/Space/Environment – Senior David Shipe, Freeport Senior High School Engineering/Robotics – Senior Ryan Maurer, Frazier High School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Senior Mariam Shalaby, Tan HomeSchool Physics – Senior Matthew Green, Franklin Regional Senior High School Second Place, Junior Division Consumer Science – Junior Paige Thatcher, Mother of Sorrows Life Science – Junior Alex Dalton, St. Bernadette School Braiden Wills, St. Vitus School Physical Science – Junior Adelle Fernando, Ingomar Middle School Sara Liang, Falk Laboratory School Lyta Nicoll, Montessori Centre Academy Second Place, Intermediate Division Behavioral and Social Science – Intermediate Sophia Spiker, St. Therese School Taylor Stavor, St. Agnes Biology – Intermediate Justin Cook, St. Thomas More School Chemistry – Intermediate Anthony Pampena, St. Thomas More School Computer Science/Math – Intermediate … the team of…. Indra Alagar, Alagar HomeSchool Krishnan Alagar, Alagar HomeSchool Consumer Science – Intermediate Augustine Collins, St. Thomas More School Earth/Space/Environment – Intermediate Emma Burnett, The Ellis School Engineering/Robotics – Intermediate Grace Schneider, Chartiers Valley Middle School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Intermediate Yusuf Shalaby, Tan HomeSchool Physics – Intermediate Justin Abrahim, The Campus School of Carlow University Evan Weston, Wilson Christian Academy Second Place, Senior Division Behavioral and Social Science – Senior Molly Graham, Bethel Park High School Biology – Senior Rachel Schratz, St. Joseph High School Chemistry – Senior James Pence, Cambria Heights HS Computer Science/Math – Senior Nathaniel Horan, North Allegheny Senior High School Earth/Space/Environment – Senior Denny Loevlie, Freeport Senior High School Engineering/Robotics – Senior Arianna Carley, Sewickley Academy Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Senior Anishaa Sivakumar, Franklin Regional Senior High School Physics – Senior Lauren Gronbeck, Eden Christian Academy Third Place, Junior Division Consumer Science: Jayanth Kashyap, Dorseyville Middle School Life Science – Junior Thomas Anand, Blessed Pope John Paul II Science Cooperative Andi Reiser, St. Mary of the Assumption Glenshaw Physical Science – Junior Angalee Beall, Mother of Sorrows Noah Black, Sacred Heart Elementary Zachary Lakkis, Dorseyville Middle School Team of Riley Bell, Chartiers Valley Middle School Alexander Stoker, Chartiers Valley Middle School Third Place, Intermediate Division Behavioral and Social Science – Intermediate Leah Colaizzi, Providence Heights Alpha School Olivia Farmer, Freeport Junior High School Biology – Intermediate Pallavi Muluk, The Ellis School Isabelle Schroeder, Mary Queen of Apostles Chemistry – Intermediate Andrea Arturo, The Campus School of Carlow University Ryan Kendrick, St. Thomas More School Jahnik Kurukulasuriya, The Campus School of Carlow University Computer Science/Math – Intermediate Alayna Bidlack, Providence Heights Alpha School Consumer Science – Intermediate Luke Gallagher, St. Thomas More School Kaylee Polena, Freeport Junior High School Earth/Space/Environment – Intermediate Colin Aikins, Mary Queen of Apostles Samantha Coulter, Gateway Middle School Engineering/Robotics – Intermediate Sahil Doshi, Fort Couch Middle School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Intermediate Madison Havaran, St. Therese School Physics – Intermediate Julie Cepec, Freeport Junior High School Christiana Kandra, Greensburg Central Catholic Junior High School Ella Rosenblatt, The Campus School of Carlow University Third Place, Senior Division Behavioral and Social Science – Senior Kyle Huber, Cambria Heights HS Morgan Scott, Cambria Heights HS Biology – Senior Emily Augustine, Bethel Park High School Chemistry – Senior Jonathan Mulick, Bishop Canevin High School Computer Science/Math – Senior Gerry Chen, Fox Chapel Area High School Earth/Space/Environment – Senior Rhiannon Dodge, Northern High School Engineering/Robotics – Senior Nathan Disantis, Freeport Senior High School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Senior Pranav Murthy, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Physics – Senior Cory Bird, Freeport Senior High SchoolHonorable Mentions Consumer Science – Junior Alexander Kinser, Mother of Sorrows Abigail Osche, Mother of Sorrows Life Science – Junior Jessica Axelson, Falk Laboratory School Matthew Moore, St. Vitus School Chloey Pilston, St. John the Baptist Kathryn Schwartzman, Dorseyville Middle School Physical Science – Junior Joseph Anand, Blessed Pope John Paul II Science Cooperative Mark Bye, St. Agnes Sarah Indyk, Mon Yough Catholic School Sanam Parwani, Dorseyville Middle School Sarah Sinnott, Dorseyville Middle School Behavioral and Social Science – Intermediate Lauren Brawley, Cambria Heights MS Jared Congemi, St. Vitus School Anthony Pignatelli, Freeport Junior High School Samir Yellapragada, Ingomar Middle School Biology – Intermediate Rohan Chalasani, Dorseyville Middle School Kyle Harper, Yough Intermediate/Middle School Tanvi Meringenti, Dorseyville Middle School Eleanor Yaruss, The Ellis School Consumer Science – Intermediate Renee Cebula, Our Lady of the Most Blessed Sacrament School Sophia Yurkovetsky, Pittsburgh Science and Technology Academy …And the team of…. Jaya Alagar, Alagar HomeSchool Rajan Alagar, Alagar HomeSchool Earth/Space/Environment – Intermediate Hope Kumpf, Providence Heights Alpha School Ellen Pil, Dorseyville Middle School Giovanna Tatananni, Mary Queen of Apostles Engineering/Robotics – Intermediate Benjamin Kowenhoven, St. Thomas More School Team of Vashisth Parekh, Fort Couch Middle School Vedant Parekh, Fort Couch Middle School Team of Neale Misquitta Jr., Fort Couch Middle School Pramod Narayanan, Fort Couch Middle School Keshav Reddy, Fort Couch Middle School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Intermediate Jack Farrell, Mary Queen of Apostles Nina Khorey, The Campus School of Carlow University Jesse Plung, Shady Side Academy Middle School Physics – Intermediate Alexander Gala, St. Thomas More School Hannah Kendrick, St. Thomas More School Henry Metzger, St. Thomas More School Lidia Signorella, The Campus School of Carlow University Biology – Senior Surabhi Beriwal, North Allegheny Senior High School Alex Michaels, Southern High School Chemistry – Senior Robert Kunkel, Seneca Valley Senior High School Emily Yaruss, The Ellis School Computer Science/Math – Senior Sophia Lee, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Earth/Space/Environment – Senior Simran Parwani, Fox Chapel Area High School Nila Suresh, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Engineering/Robotics – Senior Natalie Johnson, Northern High School Medicine/Health/Microbiology – Senior Songela Chen, North Allegheny Intermediate High School Luke Deasy, Central Catholic High School Serena Mani, The Ellis School Physics – Senior Patrick Illig, Cambria Heights HS Uriah Lindsay, Freeport Senior High School
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