Local teens part of Team Canada at Intel science fair in L.A.
Two high school students from Saskatoon will be on Team Canada for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles next week.
Harkirat Bhullar and Melody Song, both 16, are part of Canada’s seven-student team, whose members will showcase their projects in the competition. They are the only two students on this year’s team who are not from Ontario — and they both attend Evan Hardy Collegiate. “I was amazed. I was like, ‘What are the chances of that happening?’” Song said. “I’m just excited for the adventure that we’ll both share.”
The International Science and Engineering Fair hosts about 1,800 students from countries and territories around the world. The students compete for grants and scholarships at the fair, with an average $4 million in prizes available to be won each year.
Bhullar said representing Saskatoon and being the only students on the team from Western Canada adds some pressure to the trip.
“I didn’t completely expect it ... it’s almost a sense of responsibility now that we’re doing this,” he said.
Although they are from the same school, the research conducted by the two teens is very different.
Bhullar’s project is a computerassisted tool that combines behavioural and genetic information to more quickly and accurately diagnose autism. Song developed a molecular marker that would allow farmers to breed more widely edible faba beans to help combat food scarcity.
“Every year I’m amazed at what the students are doing ... the calibre is always extremely high, and the things that they’re working on are always so varied and interesting,” Team Canada Fair Director Dustin Hughes said.
Other projects on the Canadian team range from an extremely accurate electronic baseball umpire to new methods for identifying inhibitors to help prevent and eliminate the Zika virus.
Despite the size of the event, both Saskatoon students said they are more excited than nervous.
“This young scientist community, it’s absolutely warm and welcoming,” Song said. “And we all share that common interest in making the world a better place through our research.”
Team Canada students have won the top award at the fair in each of the last two years.