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55th Annual New Mexico Science and Engineering Fair

by Kathy Hedges

SOCORRO, N.M., April 14, 2007 – Winners have been announced for the 2007 New Mexico Science and Engineering Fair.

Albuquerque-area students dominated the senior division grand awards of the state-wide science fair. In Physical Sciences, top awards went to:

  • Erika A. DeBenedictis of St. Pius X High School, Albuquerque, for her exhibit “Ping Me! Optimizing Code for Cluster Computing”
  • Zachariah R. Harris of Harris Home School, Bosque Farms, for the exhibit “Chemical Synthesis of Copper 2+ Ion Doped Anatase Titanium Dioxide Using a Hydrothermal Pouch Method”
  • Duanni Huang of La Cueva High School, Albuquerque, for “Laser Damage Prevention for Sensors using Smart Optical Limiters”
  • Caroline Wurden of Los Alamos High School, Los Alamos, for “Great Balls of Fire!”

In Life Sciences, top awards went to:

  • Adam K. Akkad of Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque, for “Study on Effects of N sativa and Thymoquinone”
  • Susannah L. Clary of Los Lunas High School, Los Lunas, for “The Determination of Gender in Pacific and Atlantic Salmon for Improved Management”
  • Rachel M. Lopez of Rio Rancho Mid High School, Rio Rancho, for “Ghost Nets: Biodegradable or Not?”
  • Hang R. Zou of Albuquerque Academy, Albuquerque for “Mechanisms of Inhibition and Apoptosis of Human Prostate Cancer Cells by Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate”

In addition, two team projects received grand awards.

  • Shay Anderson, Monique Pena, and Marques Pena of Texico High School, Texico, for their project “Search for Oil Biodegradation with Marine, Aquatic and Terrestrial Symbiosis”
  • Selina M. Garcia and Brittney Martinez of McCurdy Mission School, Española, for their project “Watershed Watch.”

All of the grand award winners will receive an all-expense paid trip to the International Science Fair, which this year will be held in Albuquerque on May 14 – 18.

Two top winners of the Junior Division, grades 6 through 9, were not eligible to go to the International Science and Engineering Fair but each received a Personal Digital Assistant; a $100 cash award; and subscription to Science News. They were:

  • Majdolene Khweis of Taos Middle School, Taos, for her experiment “Don't Let It Slide”
  • Jordan M Grainger of Rio Rancho Mid High School, Rio Rancho, for his experiment “How well do Disinfectants Work on Surface Bacteria?”

Winners from cities throughout New Mexico are listed at http://www.nmt.edu/mainpage/news/2007/sf2007.pdf

-NMT-