LR Central’s Ji top winner at state science fair

Little Rock Central High student Nathanael Ji was the top individual winner of the 2012 Southwestern Energy Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair held in March at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.

The 58th annual science fair competition drew 230 students from across the state. Students qualified to participate in the state competition through top placement in regional science fairs.

Ji is the recipient of a $500 prize project for his project titled “Cloning of Coronavirus Nonstructural Protein NSP15 for Expression in Mammalian Cells.”

He and other top placers at this year’s state and regional science fairs will now advance to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh on May 13-18. Students’ travel is being funded by Southwestern Energy Co. and the Arkansas Environmental Federation.

The second-place individual winner, who also is eligible to represent Arkansas at the international fair, is Abhilasha Gokulan of Little Rock Central High for a project on the “Effect of Artificial Sweeteners on Neurodegenerative Disorders: Using PC12 Neuronal Cells as an In-vitro Model.”

Individual alternates to the international fair include thirdplace winner Yuxiu “Katherine” Wang of Little Rock Central High and fourth-place winner Zeferin Turturro of Lisa Academy North.

The top-winning team project award and a prize of $250 each went to Alex Zhang and David Chen of Little Rock Central High. Their project was titled “Going Antiviral: LY29400 as a Novel Class of Antiviral Drug.”

Zhang and Chen’s project also received the Best in State team project designation, netting them another $250 each.

The Best in State individual winner was Sarthak Garg of Little Rock Central High, whose project, the “Effects of Malathion on Brine Shrimp,” earned him a $500 award.

The Best in State secondplace winner was Ji.

Third-place Best in State winner was James Rose of Alpena High for the project “Leaching Lead Phase 4.”

The fourth-place Best in State award went to Gokulan.

Fifth-place Best in State winner was Maliha Bhatti, a student at the Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts in Hot Springs, for the project, “Getting Closer to Treating Cancer: Using Radio Frequency and FE-C Nanoparticles to Deliver Drugs to Cancer Cells.”

Additional information about the 2012 fair can be found at arsciencefair.org.

The following is a list of winners announced at the state competition.

REGIONAL SCIENCE FAIRS

Central Region individual finalists: Garg; Dev Nair, Pulaski Academy, “Sensitivity of Polyaniline/titanium Dioxide Gas Sensors to Ammonia”; Zen Tang, Little Rock Central High, “On Finding Roots Relative to Semiprime Moduli.”

Northeast Region individual finalists: Sarah Grace Pitts, Annie Camp Junior High in Jonesboro, “Regular or Throwback? Do Drosophilia melanogaster Prefer Real Cane Sugar over High Fructose Corn Syrup”; Christopher Abbot Carver, Blytheville High School, “Let’s Grow Some Taters.”

Northwest Region individual finalist: Rose, Alpena High School, “Leaching Lead Phase 4”; Anna Reding, Alpena High School, “Wind Power Phase IV.”

Team finalists: Erin Farmer and Kate Woolverton, Haas Hall Academy, “The Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree. The Evolution of Political Thinking.”

Southeast Region individual finalist: Tim Aulds, Ridgeway Christian School, “Which Golf Ball Will Travel the Farthest Using Various Golfer?”

West Central Region individual finalists: Alec Emry, Arkansas School for Mathematics and Science and Arts for “Allicin and Penicillinase: Negating Penicillin Resistance in Bacterial Culture.”; Bhatti, Arkansas School for Mathematics Science and Arts, “Getting Closer to Treating Cancer: Using Radio Frequency and FE-C Nanoparticles to Deliver Drugs to Cancer Cells.”

STATE CHAMPIONSHIP SCHOOLS BY CLASSIFICATION

Class A and overall winner: Lisa Academy Class AA: Ridgeway Christian Class AAA: Glen Rose High Class AAAA: Pulaski Academy Class AAAAA: Alma High Class AAAAAA: Little Rock’s Parkview Arts and Sciences Magnet High

Class AAAAAAA: Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts.

ARKANSAS SCIENCE FAIR

CATEGORY AWARDS

Animal Science first place: Tabitha Hudspeth, Nettleton Junior High. Second place: Kolby Watts, Alpena High. Third place: Kayla Bishop, Alma High. Honorable mention: Judah Scott, Alma High; Robert Watkins, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts.

Behavioral and Social Science: Shanshan Hu, Little Rock Central High. Second place: Roshni Patel, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Third place: Leila Wang, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Honorable mention: Nhu Phan, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; David Albers, Alma High; Rachel Washam, Annie Camp Junior High; Lauren Humphrey, Fort Smith.

Biochemistry: Gokulan, Little Rock Central. Second place: Tiancheng Zhang, Pulaski Academy. Third place: Braxton Anderson, Alma High. Honorable mention: Devyani Shekhawat, Little Rock Central; Dana Abulez, Little Rock Central; Savannah Colbert, Alpena High.

Cellular and Molecular Biology first place: Abrar Matin, Little Rock Central High Second place: Whitney Gao, Little Rock Central. Third place: Nidhi Gandhi, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Di Mo, Little Rock Central.

Chemistry first place: Kavya Sharman, Arkansas School for Mathematics and Science. Second place: Trisha Bhattacharyya, Little Rock Central. Third place: Katrina Sims, Alpena High. Honorable mention: Nishita Patel, Little Rock Central; Pearl Jangjiravat, Stuttgart; Sonya Mehta, Little Rock Central; Colton Water, Alpena High.

Computer science first place: Ryan Wass, Little Rock Central. Second place: Trevor Drury, Buffalo Island High. Third place: Ayush Saraswat, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Kori Gills, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Montana Ruth, Fort Smith; David Gauch, Haas Hall; Kaleb Porter, Alma High; Dhruba Dasgupta, Little Rock Central; Michael Thompson, Fayetteville High.

Earth and Planetary Science first place: Peyton Wagner, Alma High School. Second place: Jessica Haley, Little Rock Central. Third place: Kaylee Jackson, Lisa Academy. Honorable mention: Shane Bright, Alpena High.

Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical first place: Will Welch, Alpena High School. Second place: Jacob May, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Third place: Anna Troll, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Collin Hunter, Glen Rose High.

Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering first place: Turturro, Lisa Academy North, “Insulating with Frozen Smoke.” Second place: Hunter Dunne, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Third place: Danyal Smani, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Kunal Shah, Little Rock Central.

Energy and Transport first place: Sumeyra Ekin, Lisa Academy. Second place: Paulo Claudio, Pulaski Academy. Third place: Nimit Gandhi, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Nicole Hinman, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Ray Li, Fort Smith; Kley Gogorth, Alma High.

Environmental Management first place: Roshaneh Ali, Little Rock Central. Second place: Emily Tran, Ramsey Junior High in Fort Smith. Third place: Ester Park, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Cortland Mathis, Alpena High; Abigail Holmes, Haas Hall.

Environmental sciences first place: Logan Draper, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts. Second place: Anna Rougeau, Nettleton High. Third place: Emily Trinh, Fort Smith’s Ramsey Junior High. Honorable mention: Hailey Wilkins, Ridgeway Christian; Alden Walters, Little Rock Central; Jacob Brown, Lisa Academy.

Mathematics first place: Jessica Holstad, Alpena High School. Second place: Lynnea Jiangliu, Lisa Academy. Third place: Garrett Anderson, Alpena High. Honorable mention: Julie Rhee, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Mason Sifford, Little Rock Central; Evan Sarag, Alpena High; Sarah Phillips, Star City.

Medicine and Health first place: Joseph Chacko, Pulaski Academy. Second place: Arhita Dasgupta, Little Rock Central. Third place: Brittany Griffin, Alma High. Honorable mention: Alysha Bowen, Alma.

Microbiology first place: Ji, Little Rock Central High. Second place: Ethan Falleur, Alma. Third place: Adil Khan, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Dyimond Anderson, Ridgeway Christian; Zain Saleemudin, Little Rock Central; Amy Zhang, Lisa Academy; Katherine Magoulick, Haas Hall.

Physics and Astronomy first place: Yuxiu “Katherine” Wang, Little Rock Central. Second place: Hayden Roys, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Third place: Rebecca Rainwater, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Honorable mention: Julianna Whitson, Little Rock Central; Kristen Harper, Little Rock Central; Melinda Lue, Little Rock Central; Cody Moore, Alpena.

Plant Sciences first place: Dejuanna Sullivan, Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High. Second place: Zachary Randolph, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts. Third place: Cami Farmer, Alpena. Honorable mention: Victoria Landreth, Ridgeway Christian; Ruth Victoriano, Fort Smith’s Ramsey Junior High; Manasa Veluvolu, Little Rock Central.

Team projects first place: Zhang and Chen of Little Rock Central High. Second place: Elizabeth Bright and Katie Welch, Alpena. Third place: Nick Rincon and Megan Martinez, Fort Smith’s Ramsey Junior High. Honorable mention: Assira Ba and Trae Staggers, Little Rock Central; Kiera O’keefe and Maira O’keefe, Nettleton; Andrew Carr and Weston Rhodes, Alma.

SPECIAL AWARDS

Arkansas Environmental Education Association Award for outstanding environmental science project: Draper of Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts.

Acxiom Award for projects that best use computer science: First place, Shah, Little Rock Central; second place, David Albers, Alma High.

Acoustical Society of America award for outstanding research dealing with acoustics: First place, Cici Cox, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Second place, Lue, Little Rock Central.

Arkansas Energy Office of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission Best Energy Related Project: Sumeyrah Ekin, Lisa Academy.

American Association of Clinical Chemistry best project related to clinical chemistry: Gokulan, Little Rock Central.

American Fisheries Society, Arkansas Chapter, best aquatic science award: Garg, Little Rock Central. Honorable mention: Katherine Magoulick, Haas Hall Academy; Draper, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Rougeau, Nettleton; Maira and Kiera O’keefe, Nettleton; and Annie Meek, Little Rock Central.

American Meteorological Society Best Project Related to Meteorology: First place, Wagner, Alma High; second place, A.J. Popa, Fort Smith Ramsey Junior High.

American Psychological Association outstanding project related to behavioral science: Shanshan Hu, Little Rock Central.

Arkansas Computer Science Teachers Association Award, automatically given to top two computer science projects: Wass, Little Rock Central; Drury, Buffalo Island High.

Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission Projects Related to Preserving Arkansas’ Natural Heritage: Alexandra Honeycutt, Little Rock Central; Zachary Randolph, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Sarah Norys, Fayetteville High and Annie Meek, Little Rock Central.

ASM International Foundation Best Project Related to Materials Science: Yuxiu “Katherine” Wang, Little Rock Central.

Association for Women Geoscientists Foundation Best project related to geoscience done by a female student: Rougeau, Nettleton High.

Dawson Education Service Cooperative for outstanding teacher service to the science fair: Bill Rosser, Fayetteville High.

Griffin Award, given by UCA for creativity in research in the life sciences: Emily Tran, Fort Smith Ramsey Junior High.

Intel Excellence in Computer Science for first place project in computer science: Wass, Little Rock Central.

Mu Alpha Theta Most Outstanding Project in Mathematics: Jessica Holstad, Alpena High.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration most outstanding project related to NOAA’S research goal: Liam Gunter, Pottsville High School.

National Society of Professional Engineers for project that uses the most innovative engineering: Will Welch, Alpena High.

Ricoh Corp. for Environmental Sustainable Technologies for the project that most supports environmentally sustainable development: Anna Troll, Little Rock Central.

Sigma Xi outstanding research by a student: Watkins, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts.

Society for In Vitro Biology for outstanding achievement, ability, and creativity in in-vitro biology: Gokulan, Little Rock Central.

Society for Neuroscience-arkansas Chapter for projects related to neuroscience: first place, Sifford, Little Rock Central; second place, Spencer Cunningham, Fayetteville High; third place, Phan, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts.

Stockholm Junior Water Prize, sponsored by the Water Environment Foundation, for outstanding waterrelated projects: Draper, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts; Anna Rougeau, Nettleton High; Trinh, Fort Smith Ramsey Junior High.

University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Mentor Award, sponsored by Farm Bureau, for excellent medical research: first place Joseph Chacko, Pulaski Academy; second place, Kaleb Lee, Little Rock Central; third place: Arhita Dasgupta, Little Rock Central.

U.S. Geological Survey Best geology related project: Cici Cox, Arkansas School for Mathematics, Science and the Arts.

U.S. Metric Association for best use of the International System of Units: Garrett Brock, Alpena High.

U.S. Air Force Awards Outstanding Projects in Math, Computer Science and Engineering: Math, Jessica Holsted, Alpena High; Computer Science, Wass, Little Rock Central; Engineering, Turturro, Lisa Academy North; and Physics, Yuxiu “Katherine” Wang, Little Rock Central.

Water Environment Federation Award for outstanding project dealing with environmental issues related to water: Katherine Magolick, Haas Hall Academy.

Wildlife Society, Arkansas Chapter, best project related to wildlife or wildlife conservation: William Mitchell, Little Rock Central.

Yale Science and Engineering Award for outstanding 11th-grade project in chemistry, computer science, engineering or physics: Saraswat, Little Rock Central.

T-shirt design winner: Yuxiu “Katherine” Wang, Little Rock Central.