TOP STUDENTS ACROSS MINNESOTA RECOGNIZED AT STATE SCIENCE FAIR
357 students presented STEM research and competed for awards

[ST. PAUL, MN, April 1, 2022] -- Middle and high school students from 70 schools across Minnesota competed in the 85th annual Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair (SSEF) from March 20-31. Qualifying students advanced from earlier regional fairs. The Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) organized the hybrid event. Student presentations and project judging occurred online, followed by an online awards ceremony March 30 and in-person celebration on March 31 at the Science Museum of Minnesota.

“Participating in the Science Fair gives Minnesota students hands-on experience with developing and presenting scientific research,” said MAS Executive Director Lara Maupin. “Science Fair provides critical preparation for subsequent education and careers in science and engineering, strengthening our state’s pipeline of students into these essential fields.”

This year, 38 companies and organizations, including Seagate Technology, Ecolab, and the Broadcom Foundation awarded more than $15,000 in cash prizes as well as other opportunities. Full award results were subsequently posted on mnmas.org. During a live, virtual award ceremony on March 30, keynote speaker and the new dean of the University of Minnesota Humphrey School of Public Affairs Dr. Nisha Botchwey addressed students, encouraging them to “please continue along this path of curiosity, of wanting to know what makes something work and how to improve it. And, perhaps more importantly, sharing your results with your friends, neighbors and the entire world, so your efforts will have positive impacts on our society!” 

The following top awards were also announced.

The Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) Award recognizes Minnesota’s top high school projects. Winning students will compete in ISEF, the world’s largest pre-college science competition, in Atlanta from May 7-13. The 2022 ISEF finalists are:

• Mohit Agarwal and Aedin Yu (Eden Prairie High School), A two-part approach and implementation of early-stage skin cancer diagnosis using a novel dense convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture and affordable computing hardware

• Josiah Butler (Chaska High School), Synthesizing Ethanol from Recycled Cardboard Sludge using a Cellulase Enzyme Blend and Yeast

• Isha Kapoor (Mayo High School), Overcoming melphalan resistance in the treatment of multiple myeloma

• Caleb Smith (SouthWest Metro High School), Harms and benefits of oral sucrose provided to reduce domestic rabbit’s distress during needle prick procedures: Random Controlled Trial

• Adhvaith Sridhar (Wayzata High School), Immune System Innovation: Ushering in a new era of immunology research by characterizing cell populations most impacted by normal microbial exposure for preclinical research and healthcare treatment development success

• Jeffrey Wang (Mayo High School), Automatic Classification of Peripheral Neutrophils on Digital Images Analyzed by Artificial Intelligence

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. Hala Bazzi (Al-Amal School in Fridley) and Kristen Piehl (Visitation School in Mendota Heights) 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 Elizabeth Levinshteyn (Blaine), received a $2,000 award, trophy, and a Segate portable hard drive for her research project titled A Look Into the TINY Earth: Finding Antibiotic Producing Bacteria in Yellowstone Soil. Middle school student Milan Darji (Eden Prairie), received a $1,500 award, trophy, and a Seagate portable hard drive for his work on There’s Not An App For That! A Novel Clinical Assessment Tool To Predict Heart Failure Patient Outcomes.

Ecolab’s Water Vision Awards of $700 went to high school student Nick Baker (Rochester), for his project, The effects of CuSO4 5H2O contamination on freshwater copepods, and middle school student Indira Sivaraj (Elk River), for her project, Sneaky Solutes: Can we trap them?

Ecolab also gave $700 Food Safety Awards to high school student Madison Andrews (Chanhassen), for her project, Safe Food: Analyzing the function of a portable incubator for E. coli powered by electrothermal films, and middle school student Parker Sickmann (Cloquet) for his project, More sustainable than soil? Comparing deep water hydroponics to traditional soil for food production.

The Broadcom Foundation’s Broadcom Coding with Commitment Award, which includes a $250 gift certificate, also went to Milan Darji (Eden Prairie), for his project There’s Not An App For That! A Novel Clinical Assessment Tool To Predict Heart Failure Patient Outcomes.

PLEASE VISIT MNMAS.ORG TO SEE THE FULL LIST OF AWARDS AS WELL AS VIDEOS FOR SELECT PRESENTATIONS.

The Minnesota State Science & Engineering Fair is a program of the Minnesota Academy of Science. Seagate Technology remains the event’s premier sponsor. Additional support comes from the Minnesota Department of Education, Ecolab, Broadcom Foundation, General Mills, and the Hardenbergh Foundation.

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Participating schools
A. I. Jedlicka Middle School
Al-Amal School
Avail Academy (Blaine)
Avail Academy (Edina)
Bagley Secondary School
Bemidji Middle School
Blaine High School
Blessed Trinity Catholic School
Breck School
Burnsville High School
Carondelet Catholic School
Central Middle School (Eden Prairie)
Century High School
Century Middle School (Lakeville)
Chaska High School
Chippewa Middle School
Cloquet Middle School
Connections Academy
Convent of the Visitation School
Cotter Schools
Cromwell-Wright Secondary School
Crookston Secondary School
Dakota Meadows Middle School
Eagle Ridge Middle School
East High School
Eden Prairie High School
Franklin Middle School
Friedell Middle School
Grand Rapids Senior High
Hinckley-Finlayson Secondary School
Holy Redeemer School
John Adams Middle School
Kellogg Middle School
Kerkhoven Murdock Sunburg Jr/Sr High School
Lafayette Public Charter School
Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial Secondary
Lake Middle School
Lincoln K-8 School
Lincoln Senior High
Loyola Catholic School
Mahtomedi Senior High
Maple Grove Senior High School
Math and Science Academy
Mayo High School
Minnehaha Academy North Campus
Minnetonka East Middle School
Minnetonka High School
Mounds Park Academy
Mounds View High School
Nativity of Our Lord
New Life Academy
Northeast Range Secondary School
Orono Senior High
Park Christian School
Perham Senior High
Prairie Winds Middle School
Robert J. Elkington Middle School
Sacred Heart School
Salk Middle School
Shattuck-St. Mary's School
SouthWest Metro High School
Spring Lake Park High School
St. John Lutheran School
St. Paul Academy Summit School
Stella Maris Academy
Stillwater Area High School
Waconia High School
Wayzata High School
Winona Senior High
Woodbury High School