Young Scientists Make Me Feel Old

Congratulations to all participants in the 57th Intel International Science and Engineering Fair. They're all winners in my book.

The Intel ISEF is the the world's largest pre-college science competition. Now in its 57th year, the Intel ISEF is the world's only science project competition for students in grades 9 through 12. The Intel ISEF brings together students, teachers, corporate executives, and government officials from around the world. Students compete for scholarships, tuition grants, scientific equipment, and scientific trips.

This year, nearly 1500 students from 47 countries competed for nearly $4 million in scholarships and prizes in a variety of scientific categories ranging from Computer Science, Engineering, and Mathematics, to Physics, Earth Science, and more.

In the field of Computer Science, the First Award went to:

• Maria Estela Godinez, 16, from Guanajuato, Mexico for her "Deyabu: Reading and Writing Interface for the Blind".

Second Awards went to:

• Caroline Elizabeth Pietsch, 17, of Ossining, New York for her "A Novel Approach to the Automatic Recognition of Emotions in Natural Speech."
• Raphael Ouzan, 18, from Jerusalem, Israel for his "Two Eyes Vision Motion Detection: Tracking and 3D Positioning of an Intruder ".
• Justin Moore Solomon, 18, of Alexandria, Virginia for his "Three-dimensional Face Recognition from Video: Facial Surface Reconstruction and Analysis Using Tensor Algebra and Differential Geometry."

Third Awards were granted to:

• Vidya Ganapati, 18, Portland, Oregon for "Building a Power-Optimized MIPS Pipeline".
• Kristopher Kyle Micinski, 15, Decatur, Texas for "Compiler Design".
• Nadia N. Naja, 17, Dearborn Heights, Michigan for "Java Based Algorithm Automated Prescription Reminder and Renewal".
• Sagar Indurkhya, 16, Durham, North Carolina for "A Study on the Design and Implementation of an Artificially Intelligent Control System".

Fourth Award were given to:

• Vasily Dyachenko, 17, Saint-Petersburg, Russia for his "Back-In-Time Debugger".
• James Daniel Brandenburg, 14, Cocoa, Florida for "Modeling Wave Characteristics".
• Kelley Marie Fleming, 16, Tulsa, Oklahoma for "An Excel-lent Test Analyzer".
• Jonathan J. Pezzino, 17, Glendale, Wisconsin for "Viability of an Alternative Linking Algorithm".
• Nat Piyapramote, 17, Ratchaburi, Thailand for "Statistical-based Adaptive Binarization for Document Imaging".

In the category of Engineering, First Awards went to:

• John Pease Moore, IV, 18, Miamisburg, Ohio for his "Development of Fixed and Flapping-wing Surveillance Micro Air Vehicles".
• Carl Anthony Turner, 16, New Prague, Minnesota for "Designing an Optical Sensor to Easily Decipher the Relative Longevity of a High Pressure Sodium Light Through Spectral Analysis".
• Jessica Lynn Laviolette, 18, Ortonville, Michigan for "Optimizing Ethanol Production Efficiency".
• Erin F. Eppard, 17, Phoenix, Arizona for "Operator Injury Mitigation Using Electronic Sensing, Mechanical Braking, and Decoupling Devices in Hand-held Circular Saws".

The Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards (and a $50,000 scholarship for each) went to:

• Hannah Louise Wolf, 16, Allentown, Pennsylvania for "Sleuthing Epicenter Direction from Seismites, Cretaceous Wahweap Formation, Cockscomb Area, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Utah".
• Madhavi Pulakat Gavini, 16, Columbus, Mississippi for "Engineering of a Novel Inhibitor of Biofilm-Encapsulated Pathogens".
• Meredith Ann MacGregor, 17, Boulder, Colorado for "Cracking the Brazil Nut Effect".

These are by no means the only recipients of awards. Again, congratulations to one and all and thanks to sponsors such as Intel, Agilent Technologies, and others for supporting programs such as ISEF.

Posted by Jon Erickson at 10:16 AM  Permalink