How did you get interested in your subject and choose your project?

I first thought about catalytic converters two years ago, when I first participated in the Global Challenge competition. Catalytic converters are devices that are used in automobiles to convert toxic carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and NOx into relatively harmless derivatives of nitrogen. Usually they are grossly expensive and made of precious elements like platinum and rhodium, which are used as redox (oxidation reduction) agents. They are not common in India.

Last year, while thinking about a topic for Global Challenge, I read on the Internet about the ongoing research in nanotechnology at Brookhaven labs. (Using nanotechnology in catalytic converters [CatCons] is not a new idea.) I thought, It can't be the end of the line for this technology. That set the project in motion.

How did you do your project?

This year, the Global Challenge Award included a new category along with the Global Business Plan, which is the “Technical Innovation Plan” (TIP). Our project was in that category. We basically extended our knowledge of nanotechnology into greater scientific depths, and then applied them to existing ideas about nanotech-modified catalytic converters. Our attempt to apply nanotechnology to catalytic converters reduces the cost drastically because it does not work with the metal per se, but rather with the nano-engineered particles.

It wasn't too easy, because instead of two students from the United States and two from India, we had only one student from each country. So it was difficult working with only two of us.

What did you find out (or create)?

We devised a cradle-to-grave life plan for the product. This means that nanoparticles are in a sense recyclable; i.e. they can be re-structured or re-engineered for their usage in CatCons. We also looked at the plan from different angles, such as the technology applied on buffers versus increasing the surface area of the metal mesh, where the redox process takes place, with the help of nanotechnology. We also quantified the impact of such a product on air pollution. By oxidizing carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, the toxicity of emission is reduced.

Did it take much money or special equipment to do your project or your research? If so, how did you get it?

Basically due to the distance factor (I live in New Delhi, India, and my teammate lives in Illinois) we were not able to do any research at a university. So we utilized one of Thomas Friedman's “flatteners” to the fullest: the Internet. However, this year, we have a better formed team and a better researched product.

How long did you work on your project?

The Global Challenge program happens during school year. So one usually starts working in November to finish up in April. But we as a team faced a lot of hurdles (teammates quitting, changing teams and so on) so we could begin working only in February. Usually teams don't have such problems, but unfortunately we did. But in the end it turned out fine because we did not have too many clashing opinions.

Did you work with a mentor? If you did, how did you find your mentor?

Yes, we did work with a mentor. The Global Challenge program assigns mentors to each team who are basically undergraduates. We were lucky to have an exceptionally supportive mentor, Meghna Das, who was one of the winners of the program in 2006-2007.

Are you still working on this project? What will happen with your results?

The future aspects of nanotechnology-modified catalytic converters are immense. Our results will hopefully shed light on how the product works against pollution and global warming, and how it can enter mainstream use.

What advice do you have for students now in a science fair?

Mentors are very important. They continually provide the much-needed inspiration, so choose a mentor you're comfortable with. Also, your idea must have a realistic edge to it, rather than being something that is purely dependent on the future. In the end, it is hard work and your love for the subject that matter.

What advice can you give students who want to get involved in research?

Anybody who is working in research should be really passionate about the topic they have chosen. They also must not get disappointed if things don't work out at first; they always do in the end. Independence, initiative, hard work and optimism are very important.

Where do you plan to attend college?

I have just begun my senior year, and I'm considering applying to various universities in the United States. I hope to attend a good technology school, and I'm really excited about the application process!