Projects

Synthesizing Hydrophobic Carbon Dots and the Effect of Injecting Carbon Dots Into Methyl-terminated Polydimethylsiloxane on Gas Permeability

| June 23, 2023

By: Teresa N.Year: 2023School: Westminster HighGrade: 12Science Teacher: Huy Pham In the realm of materials science, Teresa embarked on an intriguing science project aimed at synthesizing hydrophobic carbon quantum dots (HCDs) and investigating their potential as a fluorophore for polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone. By making PDMS fluorescent, Teresa aimed to address the challenge of detecting tears and leaks in …

Evaluation of CAPTCHA to ensure accessibility in the Digital Age

| June 16, 2023

By: Sebastian A.Year: 2023School: Northwood HighGrade: 9Science Teacher: Cathleen Zelesky In an increasingly digital world, it is crucial to ensure that everyone, including individuals with disabilities, can access and utilize digital tools, technologies, and websites seamlessly. However, conventional CAPTCHA systems, designed to differentiate between humans and spam bots, often pose challenges for users with disabilities. Sebastian, a talented …

Developing a New Criterion and Novel Formula to Increase the Accuracy in Exoplanet Searches

| June 9, 2023

By: Zoe T.Year: 2023School: Laguna Beach HighGrade: 9Science Teacher: Jennifer Park In the world of astronomy, the discovery of exoplanets has opened up new frontiers in our understanding of the universe. However, the accuracy of identifying exoplanets using transit photometry has been hindered by false positives, leading to the need for more effective analysis methods. Zoe, a talented …

The Assignment Observer

| June 4, 2023

By: Dylan S.Year: 2023School: Lakeside MiddleGrade: 8Science Teacher: Lauren Feng In the era of digital education, platforms like Canvas have revolutionized the way students and parents engage with homework assignments. While these platforms offer the convenience of real-time updates and accessibility from anywhere, they have also introduced new challenges. Keeping track of homework content and due dates has …

Lift it Up: The Effect of Liquid Density on Hydraulic Elevator Speed

| May 26, 2023

By: Jayden ThiYear: 2023School: Renascence School InternationalGrade: 6Science Teacher: Hannah Juang In this project, Jayden conducted an experiment to explore the impact of different liquids on the speed of a hydraulic elevator. By constructing a mini-hydraulic elevator using everyday materials, Jayden aimed to determine the quickest working liquid for this type of elevator. Water served as the control, …

Golf Ball Dispensing Apparatus

| May 19, 2023

By: Derek K.Year: 2023School: Arnold O. Beckman HighGrade: 11Science Teacher: Charles Beilin Golf is gaining popularity during and post COVID, and practice ranges are often packed at peak hours.Making golf practice at home more effective and efficient will be beneficial to tens of millions golfers of all ages. A portable gravity driven smart golf ball dispenser plays an important …

Evaluating the Carbon Degradation Potential of Marine plasmids

| April 21, 2023

By: Pranav M.Year: 2022School: University HighGrade: 12Science Teacher: Timothy Smay Marine ecosystems play a critical role in the global carbon cycle, and bacteria are the primary drivers of carbon degradation in these environments. However, the distribution and diversity of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes) on plasmids, which are non-chromosomal DNA, of marine bacteria have been relatively understudied until now. Pranav’s …

Tsunami Detection Device

| April 1, 2023

By: Atharv P.Year: 2022School: Fairmont Private Schools, North Tustin CampusGrade: 6Science Teacher: Joshua Riturban Atharv, a 6th grader student, has embarked on an ambitious project to better detect tsunamis. His project involves calculating the speed and time of a tsunami and building a wave tank to simulate a tsunami. Atharv’s project is both innovative and timely, as tsunamis can …

The Effect of Garlic Essence and Varying Concentrations of Bacteriophages on Escherichia coli

| March 24, 2023

By: Ryan M.Year: 2022School: Fairmont Private SchoolsGrade: 8Science Teacher: Michael Morin Each year, E. coli infections cause significant health problems in the United States, with approximately 265,000 illnesses and about 100 deaths reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Current treatments for pathogenic E. coli infections can increase the risk of kidney failure, making it essential …

Estimation of Rate of Mass/Energy Loss in a Black Hole & Neutron Star Binary System Collision

| March 10, 2023

By: Anshul A.Year: 2022School: Portola HighGrade: 11 Science Teacher: John Olivares Gravitational waves are a fundamental concept in astrophysics, which refers to the ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by the revolution of two binary black holes, two binary neutron stars, or a combination of both orbiting around a center axis. These waves were first predicted by Albert …