Awardees: 2020

Congratulations to our 2020 Grand Prize Senior Division Awardees

JiWoo Chung
First Place | Shaker HS
Project Title: Enhancing Transient Transfection Methods Using DMSO Treatment in HEK 293 Cells

Hannah Shell
Second Place | BH-BL HS
Project Title: Expression of c-MYC in Human Endothelial Cells Results in Abnormal Vascular Morphogenesis and Metabolic Reprogramming

Henri Prevost
Third Place | Warwick Valley HS
Project Title: Assessing Toxic Airborne Nicotine Concentrations From Use of Electronic Vapor Products (EVP) in Public Middle and High School Bathrooms to Quantify Youth Exposure

Jadyn Caruthers
First Honorable Mention | Taconic Hills HS
Project Title: An Investigation into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Expression as it Relates to Military Rank

Amol Kumar
Second Honorable Mention | Guilderland HS
Project Title: Challenges and Solutions for Computer Recognition of Diverse Spoken Contact Names

Eliza Hogan
Third Honorable Mention | Hudson Falls HS
Project Title: The Quantitative Effect of Colchicine on the Inhibitory Growth of Pseudogymnoascus destructans

Congratulations to our 2020 Grand Prize Junior Division Awardees

James Lian, Arin Khare, Kai Vernooy
First Place | Iroquois MS
Project Title: Hacking the Election: Measuring and Solving Gerrymandering in Today’s Political System

Sophia Boice
Second Place | Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Various Agricultural Byproducts as Deicers on Seed Germination

Andrew Calderon, Ishan Khambete
Third Place | Shaker Jr HS
Project Title: What Angle Between the Branches of a Tree is Best Suited for Sun Collection?

Owen Compani
First Honorable Mention | Broadalbin-Perth MS
Project Title: Move It! Enhancing Vehicle Traffic Patterns at a Big-Box Store.

Simone Waters
Second Honorable Mention | Greenwich MS
Project Title: Bacterial Composting: The Effect of Added Bacteria on Compost Efficiency

Honora LaRock
Third Honorable Mention | Greenwich CSD
Project Title: Mycoremediation, Testing the Effectiveness of Pleurotus Ostreatus to Remediate Glyphosate Contaminated Soils

Regional Awardees Senior Division

Albany Molecular Research (AMRI)

Ava Herzog, Saratoga Springs HS 
Project Title:  The Effect of the rd1 Mutation on Circadian Locomotor Activity and Nesting Behavior in Mice

ASM (American Society for Microbiology)

Olivia Biasetti, Saratoga Springs HS
Project Title: The Effect of Increased  Humidity Levels on the Fungus: Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis

Brown League Sports Award

Joey Laurer, Saratoga Springs HS
Project Title: Predicting Potential for Baseball Pitchers’  UCL Damage Through the Correlation of Elbow Stress to Leg Strength

Dudley Observatory

Anavi Parikh, Shaker HS
Project Title: Analyzing Astronomical BHB Star Data

GCRSEF Excellence in Computer Science Award

Andrew Huang, Shaker HS
Project Title: English Helper: an AI-Based, Interactive and Personalized American Accent Tutor for Everyone

Linda Austin DNA Science and Technology Award

Isaac Murrell, Nyack HS
Project Title: The Utilization of CRISPR Sequences in E. coli to Reveal Point of Origin

Momentive Performance Materials

Simran Arneja, Monroe-Woodbury HS
Project Title: The Effectiveness of Scalability and Material Capabilities in Soft Microrobotics Actuators

National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT) Science Research Award

Annika Berlin, Rondout Valley HS 
Project Title: Examining the Role of Val/Met Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Alzheimer’s Disease Using Female CRISPR Rat Models

National Grid

Rohan Menon and Ian Vernooy, Niskayuna HS 
Project Title: Aquametric – Distributed and Low-Cost Stream Monitoring

Nuclear Society

Robert Morabito, Newburgh Free Academy 
Project Title: Developing a Novel Approach for Energy Sourcing for a Thermoelectric Cooler Based Atmospheric Water Generator Using a Microbial Fuel Cell Based Upon Wastewater

Jane Golub Price Chopper’s Golub Foundation

Amol Kumar, Guilderland HS 
Project Title: Challenges and Solutions in Computer Recognition of Diverse Spoken Contact Names

Regeneron Award

Xiangwan Sun, Bethlehem Central HS 
Project Title: Pseudomonas Aerugionosa Antigen Expression and Purification

RPI $40,000 Scholarship

Amol Kumar, Guilderland HS 
Project Title: Challenges and Solutions in Computer Recognition of Diverse Spoken Contact Names

SI Group Award

David Gabriel, Greenwich Central HS 
Project Title: An Investigation into the Properties of Varicolored Copper (II) Oxide Nanoparticle Doped Silica Aerogels.

STANYS Eleanor M. Reed Research Excellence Award

Shiyuan (Jessica) Zhang, Emma Willard 
Project Title: Plant Diseases Detection and Treatment Based on Convolutional Neural Network

Walter Eppenstein Astronomy/Physics Award

Aya Habbas, Nyack HS 
Project Title: The Orbital Parameter Distribution of Primordial Black Holes

Regional Awardees Junior Division

Albany Molecular Research

Arisha Khawaja and Audrey Smith, Shaker Jr HS
Project Title: Mineral Sunscreen vs Chemical Sunscreen

American Society for Microbiology (ASM) Eastern Branch

Simone Waters, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: Bacterial Composting:  The Effect of Added Bacteria on Compost Efficiency

Cullen Blake/Deena Mousa Excellence Award

Sara Oakley and Kaiya Fraley, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: What Is a Healthy Natural Remedy for Preserving Fruit such as Apples?

Momentive Performance Materials

Zahi Ladkhan, Shaker Jr HS
Project Title: Will the Use of Conductive Paint Around a Bed Reduce the Amount of Sleepwalking Injuries?

National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT)

Honora LaRock, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: Mycoremediation, Testing the Effectiveness of Pleurotus Ostreatus to Remediate Glyphosate Contaminated Soils

National Grid

Elizabeth Marci, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Artificial Light on the Growth of Soybeans

Nuclear Society

Andrew Calderon and Ishan Khambete, Shaker Jr. HS
Project Title: What Angle Between the Branches of a Tree is Best Suited for Sun Collection?

Price Chopper Golub Foundation

Sana Bargeer and Sarah Nune, Shaker Jr. HS
Project Title: Fruit Dispute

Regeneron

Jack Fortier, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Bacteria on our Clothes from Dryers

SI Group Award

Arjen Davidson and Joseph Skiff, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: Flocculation Water Treatment

STANYS Eleanor Miller Reed Science Research Award

Ava Aierstok and Eli Buretea-Bloom, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Road Salt on Early Cabbage Growth and Germination

ISEF Awardees Senior Division

American Meteorological Society

Rohan Bagchi, Shaker HS
Project Title: Assessing Cyclone Damage Potential for Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Using a Convection-Permitting Pseudo-Global Warming Simulation

American Psychological Association (APA) and Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS)

Liam Epstein, Saratoga Springs HS
Project Title: The Relationship Between Temperament and Implicit Language Aptitude

ASM International Foundation Outstanding Materials Award

Anthony Bruno, Monroe-Woodbury HS
Project Title: Report on the Thermal Conductivity of Gold Nanostar Based Nanofluids

Mu Alpha Theta

Patrick Dai and Labesh Baral, Shaker HS
Project Title: A New Approach to Gradient Descent

Nasa Earth Systems

Annabelle Bangs, Nyack HS
Project Title: The Influencers of Albedo and the Impact of Albedo on Surface Temperature

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Logan Plowinske, Columbia HS
Project Title: The Effect of Oxybenzone on the Health of Freshwater Organisms

Regional Ricoh Sustainable Development Award

Shravan Ranganathan, Monroe-Woodbury HS
Project Title: Effect of Cancer Treatment on the Cognitive Functioning and Quality of Life of Cancer Patients

Society for In Vitro Biology

Agnes Yang, Shaker HS
Project Title: Development of an Anti-Synuclein Intrabody for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and Spinal Cord Injury

Stockholm Junior Water Prize

Rachel Lee, Saratoga Springs HS
Project Title: The Effects of Varying Levels of Shungite on Water Purity

Jennifer Callan, Rondout Valley HS
Project Title: The Deletion of the arcA Gene from Escherichia coli LSBJ CRP* for the Improved Production of Polyhydroxydecanoate (PHA)

Katherine Hardy, Rondout Valley HS
Project Title: A Preliminary Assessment of Microplastic Pollution in the Esopus Creek: An Ashokan Reservoir

US Metric

Anna Lansford, Saratoga Springs HS
Project Title: The Effect of Pre-Earthquake Positive Air Ionization on the Movement and Behavior of Lumbricus terrestris

USAID From the American People

Mikayla Washburn, Hudson Falls HS
Project Title: The Effect of Color Worn by a Handler on the Heart Rate of a Horse

US Air Force

Rohan Menon and Ian Vernooy, Niskayuna HS
Project Title: Aquametric – Distributed and Low-Cost Stream Monitoring

U.S. Navy & Marine Corps

Hayden Butterfield, Columbia HS
Project Title: The Comparison Of Boron And Carbon Fiber In Composite Materials

Jadyn Caruthers, Taconic Hills HS
Project Title: An Investigation Into Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptom Expression As It Relates to Military Rank

Nathan Wang, Shaker HS
Project Title: Deep Learning Based CT Thermometry for Thermal Tumor Ablation

Yale Science & Engineering Association Inc

Saad Aloraifi, Shaker HS
Project Title: Univeresal Water Based Dumbell

ISEF Awardees Junior Division

American Meteorological Society

Kylie Lundberg, Greenwich CSD 
Project Title: The Effect of Climate Change on The Transmission of Sunlight Through an Algal Bloom

Association of Women Geoscientists

Sophia Boice, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Various Agricultural Byproducts as Deicers on Seed Germination

DoD STEM Leadership Prize

Ava Aierstok and Eli Burettea-Bloom, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Road Salt on Early Cabbage Growth and Germination

Lemelson Early Inventor Prize

James Lian, Arin Khare, and Kai Vernooy, Iroquois MS
Project Title: Hacking the Election: Measuring and Solving Gerrymandering in Today’s Political System

US Metric

Caroline Kelly, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effect of Different Lengths of Exposure in 100% Acetone on the Biodegradation of Microplastics

US Air Force and Reserve

Zahi Ladkhan, Shaker Jr. HS
Project Title: Will the Use of Conductive Paint Around a Bed Reduce the Amount of Sleepwalking Injuries?

Owen Compani, Broadalbin-Perth MS 
Project Title: Move it!  Enhancing Vehicle Traffic Patterns at a Big-Box Store

 US Navy

Noah Davis, Greenwich CSD
Project Title:  Building a Better Knee

Zahi Ladhkan, Shaker Jr HS
Project Title: Will the Use of Conductive Paint Around a Bed Reduce the Amount of Sleepwalking Injuries?

Caroline Kelly, Greenwich CSD
Project Title: The Effects of Different Lengths of Exposure in 100% Acetone on the Biodegradation  in Microplastics