Michael Hyman, a junior at Centennial High School in Ellicott City, Md., demonstrates his “Physiologically Perceived Three-Dimensional Graphic System for Microcomputers,” a project that won him a $40,000 U.S. Steel scholarship in a national competition. The device, which he built for $50, can be used in flight simulation, solar construction, and geological analysis. The Student Exposition on Energy Resources, held in New York City on June 7, was sponsored by the National Energy Foundation. Entries were judged by five panelists from industry and education.
Ten high-school students may be able to watch the space shuttle ascend on its future flights, knowing that the projects they designed will be on board.
The students’ projects were chosen from more than 3,000 entries in a competition sponsored by the National Science Teachers Association and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
The proposed shuttle experiments covered a wide range of topics, including the study of immunological response in zero gravity, the effects of weightlessness on aging brain cells, and the development of chicken embryos in space.
Once chosen, the projects become the property of nasa and will be considered for future shuttle flights depending on the available space.
The winners, whose names were announced this month, are: Alexander H. Swirnoff, Bronx High School of Science, New York City; Michael Thaddeus, Hunter College High School, New York City; John C. Vellinger, Jefferson High School, Lafayette, Ind.; Lori H. Woodward, Brush High School, Brush, Colo.; Elizabeth A. Campbell, Shawnee Mission East High School, Shawnee Mission, Kan.; Constantine N. Costes, Randolph School, Huntsville, Ala.; Andrew I. Fras, Binghamton High School, Binghamton, N.Y.; Daniel J. Hebert, Appleton High School West, Appleton, Wis.; Daniel B. Saal, Yeshiva University High School for Boys, New York City; Rachel M. Safman, Montgomery Village Junior High School, Gaithersburg, Md.
