Eighteen young scientists from New York City public schools are heading to Reno, Nevada in May for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
The teens were among 176 public school students displaying their research at the New York City Science and Engineering Fair at the American Museum of Natural History on March 25.
Among the winning projects are a new approach to chemotherapy for breast cancer tumors; a new method for Lasik surgery; and how the over expression of BubR1 can produce Aneuploidy in human cells.
“If the level of academic sophistication in these projects is any indication, the future of innovation in our City is truly exciting,” said New York City Schools Chancellor Joel I. Klein, who congratulated all of the participants. “Looking at the projects in this hall, I have no doubt that the students who advance to international competition in Reno will represent New York City well.”
The students, who represented 24 high schools from across the five boroughs, competed in several categories including biology, chemistry, and engineering.
The environment inspired many of this year’s projects.
Jake Saphier and Will Calhoun, sophomores at the High School for Math, Science, and Engineering, designed a wind turbine to power urban areas.
“Our project is based on integrating wind turbines into the urban environment,” Calhoun said as he demonstrated a model turbine using a hair dryer. “One way is to put several of the turbines on top of skyscrapers because wind velocities up there can reach 30 miles per hour. That’s a lot of energy.”
Judges said they were looking for a mix of sophistication and creativity.
“I’m not necessarily looking at the depth of the project but rather, the originality of the idea and the way the student carries it out,” said Julie Trachman, a microbiology professor at Hostos Community College in the Bronx. She has judged this event for the past five years. “I’m always very impressed and that’s why I keep coming back.”
Stuyvesant High School is sending eight students to Reno, the most of any school. The Bronx High School of Science is sending three students, and Forest Hills High School is sending two. Students from Townsend Harris, Sheepshead Bay, Manhattan Center for Science and Mathematics, Francis Lewis, Manhattan International High School will also be representing the City.
The Department of Education helps to organize the Science and Engineering Fair through its College Now partnership with CUNY, which helps to prepare public high school students for college.