TOP STEM STUDENTS FROM ACROSS MINNESOTA RECOGNIZED AT VIRTUAL STATE SCIENCE FAIR

More than 300 presented original STEM research; competed for awards amid COVID-19 crisis

[ST. PAUL, MN, April 8, 2020] -- Middle and high school students from across Minnesota who were planning to come together at Benilde-St. Margaret’s School (St. Louis Park, MN) to compete in the 83rd annual Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair (SSEF) March 26-28, 2020, competed virtually instead. Qualifying students were selected from among more than 2,500 students in grades 6 - 12 who competed in regional fairs in February.  

In response to COVID-19 mitigation efforts, the Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) cancelled the in-person event and asked more than 400 registered students to upload videos of themselves in front of their presentation boards discussing their research. Three-quarters of them did so in little more than a week. STEM professionals serving as judges reviewed student videos and abstracts from home to provide feedback and determine award winners.

“Students and parents were very flexible,” said Program Director Sara Gomez. “They appreciated what we had to do in a short amount of time to keep the state fair up and running and they really stepped up to the challenge. We were all disappointed not to be able to get together in person, but we tried to stay positive and focus on the students and celebrating their hard work.” 

MAS connected scientists with students through virtual workshops during the past two weeks and continues to explore ways to provide students with additional STEM-related experiences online to replace the networking opportunities they would have had at the state fair. 

STEM professionals from around the state serving as judges were overwhelmingly enthusiastic about the student presentations. “I have come to expect goosebumps and this year did not disappoint!” said Bruce Lueddecke, biochemist, SSEF judge, and longtime awards ceremony emcee. 

Thirty-five companies and organizations, including Seagate, Ecolab, and 3M, awarded $15,000 in cash prizes as well as other awards valued at more than $10,000. MAS announced award winners during a livestream ceremony and online at mnmas.org on April 1. During the live webinar, David Rowe, an engineer at 3M, told student winners, “You may not realize it, but you are already inspiring those around you, peers and adults alike, and I am very excited to see what new inspiration and innovation you come up with next!”

Highlights of the awards ceremony include: 

The Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) Award recognizes up to five of the top high school projects. Winning students typically receive an expense-paid trip to ISEF, the world’s largest pre-college science competition where more than 1,700 students from over 70 countries showcase their research. This year, the Society for Science and the Public and Regeneron cancelled ISEF but will consider all finalists part of the ISEF alumni network. The 2020 ISEF Finalists are:

• John Cardwell & Byron Jia (Breck School), Testing the Waters: Engineering an Innovative Method of Water Health Analysis

• Anthony Chen (St. Paul Academy & Summit School), The Effects of Short Term Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Radiation on Diatom Photosynthetic Productivity

• Mina Mandic (St. Paul Academy), Exploring the Wonders of the Early Universe: Green Pea Galaxies and Light Flux

• Christine Song (Mayo High School), Cure of Breast Cancer (Year III): Discovering Inflammation Inhibitors as a Novel Approach to Treatment of Triple Negative Breast Cancer using 3D Organoid Culture System

• Benjamin Yan (Century High School), Reverse-Engineering Brain Structures in MRI With Deep Learning

The Seagate Excellence in Science Mentoring Award spotlights two outstanding science teachers who find creative ways to nurture students’ interest in scientific research and discovery. Dustin Peyton (Bdote Learning Center, Minneapolis) and Rawan Hamade (Al-Amal School, Fridley) each received $1,000 and a Seagate portable hard drive. Their schools will also receive $1,000. 

The Seagate Rising Star Award recognizes two emerging student scientists whose projects not only exemplify excellence in their category but also demonstrate high degrees of difficulty, complexity, innovation, and effective communication. High school student Jack Gootzeit (Waconia High School) received a $2,000 award, trophy, and a Segate portable hard drive for his research on Environmentally Friendly Alternatives to Standard Road Salts. Middle school student Ella Lynn Holleran (Northfield Middle School), received a $1,500 award, trophy, and a Seagate portable hard drive for her work on WISP - Wearable, Individualized, Sensory Product - A Therapy Tool for Those with Autism & Sensory Processing Challenges. 

Ecolab’s Green Awards of $700 went to high school students Pajntsha Vang and Camille Dokken (Washington Technical Academy) for their project, Comparing Biodiesel and Diesel Carbon Dioxide Emissions: A Look Into Greener Fuel and middle school student Calla Gieser (Bemidji Middle School) for Green Tops-Hot or not.

Ecolab also gave $700 Food Safety Awards to high school student Ahlaam Abdulwali (Minnetonka High School) for The Effect of Artificial Food Colors on the Release of Neurotransmitters within Model Organisms and middle school student Sriram Sureshkumar (Mahtomedi Middle School) for Residual Pesticides on Produce.

3M recognized the top three most innovative middle and high school projects. First place prizes of $500 went to  Sterre Hoogendoorn (Minnetonka High School) for Creating an algorithm to assist saber referees using biomechanical data and Ella Lynn Holleran (Northfield Middle School). 

VISIT MNMAS.ORG OR SSEF AWARDS TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF AWARDS AS WELL AS PHOTOS AND STUDENT VIDEOS.

# # #

STEM:  Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

The Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair is a program of the Minnesota Academy of Science sponsored by Seagate Technology, the Minnesota Department of Education, Ecolab, 3M, General Mills and others. Visit mnmas.org to learn more about our STEM programming for Minnesota students.

Sara Gomez, Program Director

Emily Shepard, Communications

Lara Maupin, Interim Executive Director

Participating Schools:
Al-Amal School
Anoka High School
Avail Academy
Bemidji Middle School
Blaine High School
Blessed Trinity Catholic School
Breck School
Burnsville High School
Cathedral High School, New Ulm
Central Middle School Eden Prairie
Century High School
Champlin Park High School
Chanhassen High School
Chaska Middle School East
Chatfield High School
Cloquet Middle School
Cloquet Senior High School
Concordia Academy
Convent of the Visitation School
Coon Rapids High School - Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering
Cotter High School
Cotter Junior High School
Cromwell-Wright
Crookston High School
Dakota Meadows Middle School
Duluth East High School
Eagle Ridge Middle School
Eden Prairie High School
Friedell Middle School
Grand Rapids High School
Highland Park Middle School
Highland Park Senior High
Hinckley-Finlayson High School
Humboldt High School
Jackson County Central Middle School
Jackson Middle School
John Marshall High School
Kellogg Middle School
La Crescent Middle School
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial
Lakeview Christian Academy
Lighthouse Secondary
Lincoln High School
Lincoln K-8 Choice School
Loyola Catholic School
Mahtomedi Middle School
Mayo High School
Metcalf Middle School
Minnehaha Academy
Minnetonka High School
Minnetonka Middle School East
Minnetonka Middle School West
Mounds View High School
Murray Middle School
Nativity of Mary
Nativity of Our Lord
New Life Academy
Northdale Middle School
Northeast Range HS
Northfield Middle School
Ordean East Middle School
Orono High School
Park Christian School
Parnassus Preparatory School
Perham High School
Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Robert J Elkington Middle School
Sacred Heart
Saint Hubert School
Saint Paul Academy
Saint Paul Central High School
Salk Middle School
Schaeffer Academy
Shakopee High School
Sleepy Eye St. Mary's High School
South Ridge School
St. Helena Catholic School
St. Hubert Catholic School
St. John Lutheran School
Stella Maris Academy, St. James Campus
Stillwater Area High School
Stillwater Middle School
Transfiguration School
Valley Middle School of STEM
Visitation School
Waconia High School
Washington Technology Magnet School
Wayzata High School
Winona Middle School
Winona Senior High School