A total of over 200 students from 23 Lancaster County schools entered projects in the 2022 North Museum Science and Engineering Fair for judging by 82 STEM-related professionals from dozens of local companies. The seventh- through 12th-grade students' competition included months of research, virtual presentation of their entries and in-person judges' interviews with the finalists.
The North Museum Science and Engineering Fair is affiliated with the International Science and Engineering Fair. Through sponsors such as Amazon, Eurofins, Deb Ehleiter/Thrivent Financial, Corteva, Electron Energy Corporation and Johnson & Johnson, the fair is free to participants.
Curtis Cheng, a junior at Lancaster Country Day School, was named grand champion for "Amphibious Vehicle for Collecting Water Samples" in the Environmental and Mechanical Engineering category. His project was chosen from 205 entries.
The senior champion was George Warfel, a senior at Lancaster Country Day School, for "Thraustochytrids: The Understudied Coral Symbionts," entered in the Microbiology category. The senior reserve champion was Krishna Chinnasamy, an 11th-grader who was registered independently, for "DAXX and TRIM11 Protein Quality Control Systems for the Cure of Neurodegenerative Proteinopathies Using Mouse and Cell Models - A Novel Gene Therapy Approach," in the Biomedical, Health, and Translational Medical Sciences category.
Oliver Hughes, an eighth-grader at St. Leo the Great School, was named junior champion for "What Variety of Oranges Has the Highest Abundance of Vitamin C?" Ava Thurmond, an eighth-grader from St. John Neumann Catholic School, was honored as junior reserve champion for "Save Your Green ... Think Green Roofs."
Curtis and George may continue to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair in Atlanta in May. Additional winners of the North Museum Science and Engineering Fair are listed at http://www.northmuseum.org/nmsef-awards-ceremony/.
In addition to the award-winning students, the North Museum board of directors selected Warwick School District's science educator Doug Balmer to receive its Prize for Excellence in Science Education.
Founded in 1953, the North Museum of Nature and Science has the mission to enable knowledge of nature and science by inspiring individuals, engaging communities and connecting organizations.
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