Contact: Maridith Geuder
Eight Mississippi high school scholars are winners in a major science and engineering competition that involved more than 1,000 students from some 40 countries.
A total of 26 state students recently participated in the 2000 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Detroit, Mich., said Joe Sumrall, a Mississippi State University education professor who serves as president of the Mississippi Science and Engineering Fair Inc.
The fair provides an annual forum to judge the research projects of student in grades 9-12. Winners are rewarded with scholarships, summer internships, books and equipment grants, and scientific field trips provided by scientific, professional and educational organizations.
Sponsored by Intel, the fair has been administered by Science Service of Washington, D.C., since its inception in 1950. Intel is the Santa Clara, Calif.-based manufacturer of Pentium integrated computer circuits, while Science Service is a non-profit organization founded in 1921 to promote science education.
"Mississippi did very well in this rigorous competition, with second-, third-, and fourth-place winners," Sumrall said. "In addition, one student won the $3,000 Operation Cherry Blossom Award, which includes an expense-paid trip to Japan."
Winners, their projects and hometowns include:
COLLINSVILLE--Shannon L. Smith, West Lauderdale High School, "Juglone, Plant Benefaction of the Black Walnut Tree." The project won a $500 fourth-place award in botany and a $100 third-place award from the American Society for Horticultural Science.
COLUMBUS--Nicole M. Vincent, Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science, "Inhibition of Salmonella and E. Coli." The two-year study earned a $1,000 third-place microbiology award, as well as a $2,000 scholarship from Indiana University.
JACKSON--Rander G.H. Adams [1447 Wooddell Dr., 39212], Murrah High School, "P53 as a Diagnostic Tool for the Detection of Cancer and Its Role in Tumor Progression." The two-year study earned the United States Army's Operation Cherry Blossom Award, which, in addition to the expense-paid trip to Japan, includes a $3,000 savings bond, and $300 from the Association of the U. S. Army.
OXFORD--Maxwell U. Woolsey, Oxford High School, "Drug Reduction of Submersibles through the Use of Active Surfaces, Phase IV." The project won a $1,000 third-place award in engineering.
RIDGELAND--Alexander G. Clark, St. Andrew's Episcopal School, "Formulation of a Document Content Specification System to Support the Development and Implementation of a Content Index Network." The project won a $1,000 third-place computer science award, as well as a $1,000 certificate from the American Association for Artificial Intelligence.
WEIR--Patrick H. Black, Weir High School, "Use of Biofiltration for the Decontamination of Water." The three-year study earned a $1,500 second-place award in environmental sciences and a $2,000 third-place award in the U.S. Global Change Program.
YAZOO CITY--Annie M. Vaughan and Tara L. Rosenberg, both of Yazoo City High School, "Effects of Tartrazine on Cellular Process of Selected Organisms." The three-year study earned a $1,000 third-place award in team projects.