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Plano students make science fiction a reality
By Heather M. Smith, Staff writer
Clark High School student, Ryan Alexander was one of only 19 students to win the best in category at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.
Just more than 1,500 students competed in the world’s largest pre-college science competition held in Reno, Nev. Students from 56 nations, including Russia, Pakistan, China and Belarus, competed for nearly $4 million in scholarships and awards.
Alexander entered his project “Gone With the Windmills: An Analysis of the Effectiveness of an Oscillating Wind Energy Generator.” He won best in the category of energy and transportation. The award is one of the highest honors given to students at the fair.
“What I like about his project is that he did it all himself, no professor helped him,” said Kathy Bambenek, Alexander’s honors research and gifted chemistry class teacher. “To me that’s amazing. His project is completely different than anything you’ve seen. When he was announced as the winner, I was jumping up and down and all the other teachers from Plano that were there went crazy. For me it was a chance of a lifetime. I felt like I was coaching an Olympic athlete.”
Through his experiment, Alexander found that both the natural and the normal oscillator produced around 240 percent more power than the current turbine designs. The Darius design produced around 400 percent more power and the high altitude oscillator produced 582 percent more power. Alexander applied for a patent on his project. Alexander said he has talked to lawyers and the patent is “slowly coming.”
“His design was extremely efficient,” said Linda Flack, secondary science coordinator for Plano ISD. “If it continues, it could make some changes in our country. Ryan has really taken this to a different level. It’s hard to describe how you feel when you know kids like that.”
For his effort, Alexander won a total of $10,500 in scholarships. He won a $5,000 scholarship for winning the best in category, he won the Power Plus Engineering scholarship for $1,500 and the National Collegiate Inventors and Investors Alliance awarded him a scholarship for $1,000. The Alliance scholarship recognizes innovation and invention. Finally, Alexander won a $3,000 scholarship for placing first in his category. In addition, Alexander won a trip to Switzerland and the Environmental Protection Agency Award, which includes a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete in the 2010 “P3: People, Prosperity, and the Planet Design Competition for Sustainability.” Alexander’s project will also be displayed at the National Mall.
Clark High School will receive a $1,000 to promote a science fair.
“I’m planning to invest some and some will go to my college fund,” Alexander said. “The most exciting thing I won was best in category because the contest was very intense. It’s very challenging to get to ISEF and to win best in category was quite astounding. My parents were quite amazed, but my sister said she knew I would win.”
Alexander said he is excited to go to Switzerland for the chance to meet scientists. At the National Mall, he will have his own booth to set up and explain his project.
“I hope to make good contacts in D.C. While I was in Nevada, I got to meet some noble prize winners. For me it’s not so much what they did, but how they came up with it. I really feel like I can do something for the future.”
Alexander said he began work on his project in the summer of 2008, but he’s been working with windmills since seventh grade. He said while playing his violin he noticed that the vibration of the strings. The “aero elastic flutter” was first noticed by Nikola Tesla, inventor and engineer. The windmills Alexander built are based on that idea. His don’t have blades, but instead are shaped like a long narrow box with four sides but no top or bottom. A thin material that will flutter in a breeze in the center of the box, attached at the ends to magnets and coils. When the material swings in the wind, the magnets move, generating an electric field.
“This isn’t the first windmill of its kind, but some of my designs are completely unique,” Alexander said. Science has always been my favorite subject. I don’t do projects for award. I want them to be used in real world.”
In the fall, Alexander will skip the last two years of high school and go straight to college. He will enroll with the Texas Academy of Math and Science (TAMS) at the University of North Texas.
“I’m very excited because the environment at college will be more conducive to learning,” Alexander said. “I’m excited about the research opportunities available there.”
Janice Zhang, a senior at Plano Senior High School, also won various awards at the International science fair. Zhang submitted her project, “Information Distance and Its Implementation in Spam Detection” for the computer science category. Zhang won a $150,000 scholarship from the Drexel University, from the University of Florida Institute of Technology, she won a $12,500 scholarship renewable for each of the four years. In addition, Zhang won a $3,000 scholarship from the U.S. Army.
“All of the projects were just incredible,” Flack said. “The students are doing the level of work that you would expect in college and post-college. The kids that win are just exceptional.”
Brian Truong and Rohan Shah both Clark High School students submitted their project, “Navy Scum: A study of the Prevention of Biofilm.” In the environmental management category, the project was recognized with an honorable mention from the U.S. Coast Guard. The award recognizes the projects that best display the potential for improving boating and water safety that furthers the Coast Guard's mission.
Flack said the projects were similar to what people see in science fiction, but through the students, the ideas came to life.
All projects received top honors at Regional and State Science Fairs and their qualification to attend this event is often a once in a life-time achievement. Finalists for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair are selected annually from more than 550 International Science and Engineering Fair-affiliated fairs around the world. Their projects are then evaluated onsite by more than 1,000 judges from nearly every scientific discipline.
“It is encouraging to see how the young men and women at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair have developed novel solutions to some of the world’s toughest problems,” said Intel chairman Craig Barrett. “I’ve been learning from these young scientists since Intel began scholarships in 1996 and look forward to seeing how their innovations will improve the global economy in the years to come.”
Contact Heather Smith at HSmith@acnpapers.com
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Rebecca wrote on May 29, 2009 2:02 PM:
" It is amazing to see such incredible innovation from our young men and women in high school. "Only children can see the sun," right? "
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