Seven Jericho High School students recently qualified for this year’s Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, featuring more than 1,700 young scientists, selected from 435 affiliate fairs in more than 70 countries, regions and territories. The students traveled to Los Angeles, CA for this year’s ISEF competition, to compete for about $5 million in awards.
The following students participated: Anuhita Basavaraju – fair participant; Varsha Venkatesh – 4th place in Environmental Science; Kevin Huang – 3rd place in Physics and Astronomy; Kanav Gupta – 3rd place in Medicine and Health Sciences; Amy Xu – 2nd place – Microbiology; Matthew Chun – 2nd place in Chemistry; and Ken Aizawa – 1st place in Biochemistry.
In addition to the top winners, more than 500 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research, including 17 “Best of Category” winners, who each received a $5,000 prize. The Intel Foundation also awarded a $1,000 grant to each winner’s school and to the affiliated fair they represent.
This year’s winner in Biochemistry for “Best in Category” was Ken Aizawa and he was also awarded the Intel Foundation Cultural and Scientific Visit to China Award. The Intel Foundation is partnering with the China Adolescents for Science and Technology Organization to award an 11-day trip to the Chinese cities of Beijing, Chengdu and Shanghai. He will attend the China Adolescent Science and Technology Innovation Contest, the largest national science competition in China.
They will also have the opportunity to visit the Chengdu Panda Research Base, other science education institutes, research centers, middle schools and universities in China. Finalists will exchange ideas with Chinese scientists and like-minded peers, gaining a better understanding of China’s science programs.
“We are extremely proud of the extraordinary accomplishments of these students,” said Jericho Superintendent Hank Grishman. “They serve as outstanding role models and resources for all of our students in the science research program. We congratulate them, as well as Curriculum Associate Brian Cummings and Science Research Coordinator Serena McCalla, on all of their accomplishments this year.”
