Eight Indian students win big at Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Intel has announced the winners of its International Science and Engineering Fair held to celebrate the spirit of science among the youth.

Nathan Han, a 15-year-old Boston native, was awarded first place for developing a machine learning software tool to study mutations of a gene linked to breast cancer at the programme, held by the Society for Science & the Public. Using data from publicly available databases, Han examined detailed characteristics of multiple mutations of the BRCA1 tumor suppressor gene in order to “teach” his software to differentiate between mutations that cause disease and those that do not. His tool exhibits an 81 percent accuracy rate and could be used to more accurately identify cancer threats from BRCA1 gene mutations. Han received the Gordon E. Moore Award of $75,000.

Among the entries from India, Abhishek Verma and Daksh Dua from Maharaja Agarsain Public School won the top prize of $3,000 in the Animal Sciences category, and the Cultural and Scientific Visit to China Award of $8000 for their work in finding an effective solution against Giardiasis, the most common intestinal parasite in the world.

In addition, Kopal Gupta and Shreya Nandy of the Amity International School won $2,500 in the ASU Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives category, and a fourth prize of $500 in the Chemistry category for their project about detection and removal of pesticides from foodstuff. Debapratim Jana, South Point High School, won the First Award of $500 in the Patent and Trademark Office Society category for his project ‘Multi-layered Phytopigments: Promising Alternative Materials for Solar Cell Development.’

Representing the Vivekananda English Medium School, Deeksha Hebbar won a $500 US savings bond from the Ashtavadhani Vidwan Ambati Subbaraya Chetty Foundation, and another $500 in the Animal Sciences category for her project ‘Cashew Tree (Anacardium occidentale): An Effective Treatment for Cattle Dermatitis.’

Jaya Sagar, of Manali’s Government Senior Secondary School also won a $500 US savings bond along with a $500 award in the Plant Sciences category for her project ‘Brassica juncea (Mustard) Flowers to Attract Pollinators for Better Malus domestica (Apple) Yield.’

The Google CS Connect Award of $5,000 was given to Animesh Tripathi of Sanskriti School. Animesh also won $500 in the Computer Science category for his project ‘Optimizing Digital Content for Color-Blind Audiences Using Enhancement Algorithms.’ And finally 14-year old Amrit Sahu from Dav Public School won $500 in the Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical category for his project ‘VOICE-O-NATOR: An Aid for the Speech Impaired.’


The big winners were Lennart Kleinwort of Germany, who received one of two Intel Foundation Young Scientist Awards of $50,000. for developing a new mathematical tool for smartphones and tablets that brings capabilities to hand-held devices that previously required more sophisticated and expensive computing tools. His app allows users to hand draw curves, lines and geometric figures on the touch screen and watch the system render them into shapes and equations that can then be manipulated at will.

Shannon Xinjing Lee, a 17-year-old Singapore native received the other award of $50,000 for developing a novel electrocatalyst that may be used for batteries of the future. Researchers have been looking for ways to make rechargeable zinc-air batteries practical, as they would be safer, lighter in weight, and have six times the energy density of lithium ion batteries, making them ideal for hybrid vehicles. Lee found that her activated carbon catalyst, which she made entirely from carbonized Chinese eggplant, greatly out-performed a more sophisticated commercial catalyst in stability and longevity tests and will be environmentally friendly and inexpensive to produce.

The International Science and Engineering Fair featured more than 1,700 young scientists from around the world, where more than 500 finalists received awards and prizes for their innovative research. A select number of students with experiential awards, have been chosen for a 11-day trip to China to attend the country’s largest national science competition, speak with researchers at Intel’s lab in Shanghai, and visit the Panda Research Base in Chengdu.