WASHINGTON — It could have been the brainy version of American Idol — bright lights, fancy clothes and fanfare introducing America’s next top scientist.
![](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/9929.jpg?resize=300%2C225&ssl=1)
Eric Larson, 17, of Eugene, Ore., won first place in the Intel Science Talent Search at a gala held the evening of March 10. Larson will take home a $100,000 scholarship from the Intel Foundation for his work exploring the mathematical concept of fusion categories. Fusion categories can have implications for string theory, quantum computation and knot theory.
Second place and a $75,000 scholarship went to William Sun, 17, of Chesterfield, Mo. Sun investigated a recently discovered molecule, golgicide A, as a potential drug to block the movement of bacterial toxins within cells. He showed that golgicide A targets a specific gene involved in intracellular transport and then pinpointed a mutation in the gene unique to canines that confers resistance to the drug. The work may shed light on neurodegenerative diseases.