Congratulations to these inspiring teens for kicking butt at one heck of a demanding science competition recently: Top teen scientists seek real-world solutions in their research
The Orlando Science Center [link] held the 10th Dr. Nelson Ying Science Competition on April 26 and 27.
Not your everyday science fair with exploding volcanoes of baking soda or test tubes filled with colored water, this competition requires high-school students to present research, which must have an altruistic application, in front of a judges’ panel of scientists, engineers and educators.
This year’s pool of 28 applicants was narrowed to five: Damien Denis, 17, a senior at Edgewater High School; Mansfield Burlingame, 17, a junior at Lake Brantley High School; Halei Benefield, 17, a junior at Spruce Creek High School; Noel Turner, 16, a junior at Satellite Beach High School and Gordon Wilson, 16, a junior at Spruce Creek High School.
Although barely old enough to drive and still too young to vote, all tackled larger-than-life issues, from Gordon’s research on developing a supernutritious plant with the ability to fight cancer to Halei’s findings on generating alternative energy from wastewater to the winning project, Noel’s research on stem cells.
