Intel Science Talent Search 2012
From more than 1,800 applicants in Intel Science Talent Search 2012, 40 high school seniors were selected as finalists and invited to Washington, D.C., to present original research to esteemed judges and showcase their work. On March 13, 2012, Intel announced the top ten winners of the 2012 Intel STS at a black-tie gala at the National Building Museum.
Grand Prize: USD 100,000 Scholarship from the Intel Foundation
Nithin Tumma, 17, of Fort Gratiot, Michigan, analyzed the molecular mechanisms in cancer cells and found that by inhibiting certain proteins, medical personnel may be able to slow the growth of cancer cells and decrease their malignancy. This could lead to more direct, targeted, effective and less toxic breast cancer treatments.
Second Prize: USD 75,000 Scholarship from the Intel Foundation
Andrey Sushko, 17, of Richland, Washington, designed and built a tiny motor, only 7 millimeters in diameter, which uses the surface tension of water to turn its shaft. Andrey’s long-time interest in model boats led him to discover this novel approach, which could have applications in micro-robotics.
Third Prize: USD 50,000 Scholarship from the Intel Foundation
Mimi Yen, 17, of Brooklyn, New York, isolated and mapped the gene responsible for mutant behavior in C. elegans, a worm often used as a model in scientific research. Her work may help us better understand the genes that contribute to behavioral variations in humans.
“We invest in America’s future when we recognize the innovative achievements of our nation’s brightest young minds,” said Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini. “Hands-on experience with math and science, such as that required of Intel Science Talent Search finalists, encourages young people to think critically, solve problems and understand the world around them. Rather than simply memorizing facts and formulas, or repeating experiments with known outcomes, this competition engages students in an exciting way and provides a deeper level of understanding in such important but challenging subjects.”
Rounding out the top ten winners:
Seven other Intel STS finalists received top honors and a total of USD 180,000 in awards.
4th Place: Fengning (David) Ding, 18, of Albany, California, classified the irreducible finite dimensional representations of infinitesimal Cherdnik algebras. This mathematics work reveals important symmetries in representation theory and is related to conservation laws.
5th Place: Benjamin Van Doren, 18, of White Plains, New York, investigated the behavior of nocturnal migratory birds, called “morning flight,” considering implications for the growing wind power industry. His work has been published in North American Birds.
6th Place: Neel Patel, 17, of Geneva, Florida, studied how non-speech sound patterns, called sonifications, can convey information. This work could lead to a computer-user interface similar to graphic interfaces developed decades ago.
7th Place: Anirudh Prabhu, 17, of West Lafayette, Indiana, investigated odd perfect numbers, assigning the first non-trivial analytic lower bound for them, a bound in terms of the number of distinct prime divisors. His research suggests that odd perfect numbers do not exist.
8th Place: Clara Fannjiang, 17, of Davis, California, worked to enhance data collected by radio telescopes to generate clearer images, save processing time, and ultimately, help astronomers see farther into the universe. These results have been published by the Society of Exploration Geophysicists.
9th Place: Alissa Zhang, 17, of Saratoga, California, developed three new approaches, using Raman spectroscopy, to improve detection of blood glucose levels, which may lead to new non-invasive, optical monitoring options for people combating diabetes.
10th Place: Jordan Cotler, 17, of Northbrook, Illinois, developed a process – based on quantum mechanics and relativity – to encrypt fiber optic and satellite communications. This cryptography protocol enables the detection of eavesdroppers.
