2009 Intel Science Talent Search Winners
Cogito, 03.10.2009
At a black-tie gala in Washington, DC, the top ten winners of the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search (STS) were announced.
Left: First Place winner Eric Larson, Second Place winner William Sun, and Third Place winner Philip Streich. Photo credit: Intel.
The top ten winners of the 2009 Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) were announced on March 10, 2009. The 40 finalists, all high school seniors, had come to Washington, DC, to present their original research projects to esteemed judges and to showcase their work to the public.
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This year's STS finalists also had the thrill of meeting President Barack Obama. Watch the excitement of the finalists
before and after the meeting (right).
The 2009 Top Ten
Eric Larson - First Place,
$100,000 Scholarship
Eric Larson, 17, from Eugene, Oregon, analyzed mathematical objects called “fusion categories” -- a recently discovered type of algebraic structure with applications in string theory, knot theory, and quantum computation. Eric described certain properties of these objects for the first time.
In addition to his accomplishments in mathematics research, Eric has represented the United States at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), winning a Silver Medal in 2007. Read more here, here, and here, and watch Eric give a presentation on his research at the finals of the 2008-09 Siemens Competition. He makes a brief appearance here.
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William Sun - Second Place, $75,000 Scholarship
William Sun, 17, of Chesterfield, Missouri, studied a recently discovered molecule, Golgicide A (GCA), which regulates intracellular transport in a variety of diseases. His work could lead to new approaches for treating bacterial infections or for preventing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s. (bio and video ›)
Philip Streich - Third Place, $50,000 Scholarship
Although nanotubes are known to be extremely strong and conductive, scientists have found them to be insoluble and therefore impractical for real-world applications. Until, that is, Philip Streich, an 18-year-old from Platteville, Wisconsin, used light scattering theory and chemical solvents to prove otherwise. Philip’s research provides the first quantifiable evidence that nanotubes are thermodynamically soluble. Additionally, Philip was able to improve not only the thermodynamic solubility of carbon nanotubes, but also of graphene and cellulose nanocrystals. This work may lead to the development of revolutionary, ultra-strong materials and ultra-fast nanoelectronics. His work has resulted in five provisional patent filings.
(bio and
video ›)
Watch a Cogito interview with Philip (below) at the STS. And read a Cogito interview with Philip from 2007, when he won the top award at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF).
Narendra Tallapragada - Fourth Place, $25,000 Scholarship
Narendra Tallapragada, 17, of Burke, Virginia, found ways to simplify complex mathematical models so that “mini computers” can one day interact on a molecular level. Applications could include the development of intelligent clothing with automatic temperature regulation. (bio,
more, and video ›)
Chelsea Jurman - Fifth Place, $25,000 Scholarship
Chelsea Jurman, 17, of Roslyn, NY, studied underage drinking behavior and its ties to teens' perceptions of their parents' drinking and parenting behaviors. (bio and more)
Noah Arbesfeld - Sixth Place, $25,000 Scholarship
Noah Arbesfeld, 17, of Lexington, Massachusetts, probed an understanding of a fundamental structure underlying all of algebra, with potential impact for string theory. (bio, more, arXiv, and video >)
Alexander Kim - Seventh Place, $20,000 Scholarship
Alexander Kim, 17, of Fairfax, Virginia, conducted genetic and morphological analyses of the giant American river prawn, enriching understanding of species evolution and potential strategies to preserve ecosystem balance. (bio and more)
Preya Shah - Eighth Place, $20,000 Scholarship
Preya Shah, 17, of Setauket, New York, designed and synthesized a tumor-targeting drug that may offer a new delivery approach for chemotherapy agents and treatment of multi-drug resistant cancer without causing side effects. (bio, more, and Cogito video ›)
Nilesh Tripuraneni - Ninth Place, $20,000 Scholarship
Nilesh Tripuraneni, 18, of Fresno, California, formulated a set of hydrodynamic equations investigating quark-gluon plasma. This work may shed light on the origin of the universe and aid in the development of a quantum theory of gravity. (bio, more, and video ›)
Gabriela Farfan - Tenth Place, $20,000 Scholarship
Gabriela Farfan, 18, of Madison, Wisconsin, studied Oregon sunstones - crystalline rocks that can appear red from one angle and green from another. She found that these color differences are due to aligned micro-inclusions. Her discovery could have applications in materials science and thermal shock resistance. (bio and more)
The remaining 30 finalists each received a $5,000 scholarship and a new laptop powered by an Intel® Core™2 Duo processor.
“At a time when our country requires innovation to spur economic growth, it is inspiring to see such talented young people using critical thinking skills to find solutions to scientific challenges,” said Intel Chairman Craig Barrett. “These 40 scientists not only represent hope for America to remain competitive in the global economy, but also verify the power of investing in math and science.”
More News, Videos, and Pictures
The Intel Science Talent Search encourages students to tackle challenging scientific questions and develop the skills necessary to solve the problems of tomorrow. Over the past 67 years, Science Talent Search finalists have gone on to win seven Nobel Prizes, a Fields Medal, the National Medal of Science and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.
The Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the public engagement in scientific research and education, has owned and administered the Science Talent Search since its inception in 1942.
Adapted from materials from Intel and the Society for Science & the Public.
http://www.intel.com/education/sts/2009winners.htm
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