For decades, leaders in science and technology have kicked off their careers with high school research projects for the Science Talent Search. This week, judges announced the finalists for the national competition’s 60th anniversary year.
Chosen from a field of 300 semifinalists, the 40 high school seniors represent just 2.5 percent of those who entered the 2001 Intel Science Talent Search. The finalists’ projects cover topics in the social sciences, biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, math, and engineering.
Science Service, the publisher of Science News, and the Westinghouse Foundation established the Science Talent Search in 1942 to recognize and encourage precollege students who have an extraordinary flair for science, mathematics, and engineering. In March 1998, Intel Corp. of Santa Clara, Calif., became the program’s corporate sponsor.
“Science and technology skills have become basic skills—like reading, writing, and arithmetic—necessary to be competitive in today’s economy,” says Craig R. Barrett, president and chief executive officer of Intel. “The next innovations and ideas will come from these Intel STS students and other young people who are comfortable with technology and have a solid grounding in science and math.”
The finalists range in age from 15 to 18 and include 15 girls and 25 boys. They represent 32 schools in 17 states, with nearly one-third of them—13 students—hailing from New York State. California has the second highest number of finalists with four.
In March, the students will travel to Washington, D.C., to compete for $530,000 in scholarships, including a $100,000 first prize. Each finalist will receive a personal computer and a scholarship of at least $5,000. The awards will be presented on March 12.
The 40 finalists are
- California: Michael Richard Areen, Mira Loma H.S., Sacramento; Gabriel Drew Carroll, Oakland Technical H.S., Oakland; Nathaniel Jay Craig, Mira Loma H.S., Sacramento; Hans Christiansen Lee, The York School, Monterey.
- Connecticut: Heather Charlotte Higgins, Academy of Our Lady of Mercy, Milford; Mariangela Lisanti, Staples H.S., Westport.
- Florida: Linda Jeanette Arnade, Palm Bay H.S., Melbourne; Michael Theprathan Hasper, Maclay H.S., Tallahassee.
- Georgia: Aditya Vikram Sunderam, Chamblee H.S., Chamblee; Rishi Sahai Vasudeva, Roswell H.S., Roswell.
- Indiana: Sarah Adeline Kessans, Eastern H.S., Pekin.
- Louisiana: Cambrian Yangshao Liu, Baton Rouge Senior H.S., Baton Rouge.
- Maryland: Alan Mark Dunn, Montgomery Blair H.S., Silver Spring; William Abraham Pastor, Montgomery Blair H.S., Silver Spring.
- Massachusetts: Michael Zheng-Shee Chiu, Belmont H.S., Belmont.
- Minnesota: Neil Ratna Mehrotra, Hopkins H.S., Hopkins.
- Missouri: Abdur Rasheed Sabar, Parkway West H.S., Ballwin.
- New York: Meredith Ashley Arfa, Byram Hills H.S., Armonk; Dmitriy Aronov, Stuyvesant H.S., New York; Hayley Bay Barna, Byram Hills H.S., Armonk; Craig Joshua Berman, Ward Melville H.S., East Setauket; Jerry Moy Chow, Stuyvesant H.S., New York; Eve Ariel Henry, Byram Hills H.S., Armonk; Kimberly Ann Kempadoo, Ramapo Senior H.S., Spring Valley; David Nejad Khalil, Great Neck North H.S., Great Neck; Nelson Moussazadeh, Great Neck North H.S., Great Neck; Vinod Easwaran Nambudiri, Blind Brook H.S., Rye Brook; Caroline Minh-Phuong Nguyen, Stuyvesant H.S., New York; Monika Paroder, Brooklyn Technical H.S., Brooklyn; Johanna Beth Waldman, Roslyn H.S., Roslyn Heights.
- Ohio: Aaron Louis Iverson, Buckeye Valley H.S., Delaware; Ann Lai, Hathaway Brown School, Shaker Heights.
- Oregon: Melissa Ann Radecki, Oregon Episcopal School, Portland.
- Pennsylvania: Christina Rose Crabtree, Central Bucks H.S. West, Doylestown; Atalie Carina Young, Keystone Oaks H.S., Pittsburgh.
- Texas: Ashvin Kumar Dewan, Hightower H.S., Missouri City; Robert Adam Horch, Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, Denton.
- Virginia: Parimalram Achintya Madduri, Thomas Jefferson H.S. for Science and Technology, Alexandria; Vladimir Sergei Novakovski, Thomas Jefferson H.S. for Science and Technology, Alexandria.
- Wyoming: Jason Wah Lone Chiu, Laramie Senior H.S., Laramie.
