Intel Press Release

Over $2 Million in Scholarships and Grants Awarded at 1998 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair

Teens from Worcester, Little Rock Take Top Prize

FORT WORTH, Texas, May 15, 1998 – The world's brightest high school science and engineering students today walked away with more than $2 million in scholarships and prizes at the 1998 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF). Renowned paleontologist and author Dr. Richard Leakey was on-hand to present 16 year-old Karen Mendelson of Worcester, Mass., and 17 year-old Geoffrey Schmidt of Little Rock, Ark., with the 1998 Intel ISEF Glenn T. Seaborg Nobel Trip Award. As the top two all-around competitors at the Intel ISEF, Mendelson and Schmidt will be attending the Nobel Prize ceremonies in Stockholm, Sweden, in December 1998.

For her project, entitled "Noninvasive Optical Method for Measuring Hemoglobin in a Fingertip," Mendelson developed a device that measures blood hemoglobin quickly and painlessly, and eliminates the risk of infection currently associated with blood-handling. Mendelson believes that the new device could be used in blood donation centers, rural-area physician offices and third world countries. A junior at the Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science, Mendelson is fluent in both English and Hebrew and plans to pursue a career in medicine. At the 1997 Intel ISEF, she was awarded $40,000 as an Intel Young Scientist Scholarship recipient.

Schmidt's project, "3-D Computer Graphics Visible-Surface Determination Using Hierarchical Beam Tree Clipping," makes it possible for computer graphics imaging software to render larger, more complex 3-D models in less time than with current applications available on the market. Schmidt is a senior at Little Rock Central High School in Little Rock, Ark.; he also enjoys composing music.

In its second year as title sponsor of the ISEF, Intel has given a number of grants and awards at this year's competition, among them:

Pinnacle Awards – In addition to the two Glenn T. Seaborg Nobel Trip Awards that went to Mendelson and Schmidt, two team projects will be sent to international fairs. The winners are:

  • Chad Ganske, Amit Barman and Jonathan Haines -- "Development of an Internet and Network Efficient Operating Environment." The three students from James Wood High School in Winchester, Va., created InterOs, a more efficient operating environment for computer users. The three students will travel to the European Union fair in Porto, Portugal, in September 1998.
  • Heather Matthews and Twila Paterson -- "Comparing Created and Natural Wetlands Using Cellular Automata." The two students from William J. Palmer High School in Colorado Springs, Colo., observed the difference between man-made and natural wetlands. They will travel to the South American fair in Novo Hamburgo, Brazil, in November 1998.

Intel Young Scientist Scholarships – The following students have each received a $40,000 scholarship to the college or university of their choice. They were selected by a panel of top Intel technologists and scientists for their outstanding work in a field related to Intel's industry.

  • Jonathan Kelner -- "Universality of the Near-Zero Microscopic Eigenvalue Spectrum of Random Matrix Ensembles of Infinite Variance." Kelner's research in the field of quantum chromodynamics investigated the behavior of quarks, which are the particles that comprise protons and neutrons. Kelner is a senior at The Wheatley School and lives in Old Westbury, N.Y.
  • James Lawler – "Phase Boundary Potential in Electrochemical Systems." Lawler developed a mathematical model to predict the electrical potential which forms between a solid and aqueous phase of a metal. He is a freshman at Greenwich High School in Greenwich, Conn.
  • Geoffrey Schmidt – "3-D Computer Graphics Visible-Surface Determination Using Hierarchical Beam Tree Clipping." He also is a recipient of the Glenn T. Seaborg Nobel Trip Award

Best Use of a PC Award – Each of the following recipients of Intel's Best Use of a PC Award will receive a state-of-the-art Pentium® II processor-based computer system:

  • Paul Henderson – "Equalizer tuning for Feedback Reduction: Phase IV." Henderson developed a computer program to maximize the acoustics in auditoriums and arenas. He is a senior and homeschool student in Charlotte, N.C.
  • Catherine Havasi – "Enhanced Fuzzy Logic-Based Program for Control of Theater Spotlights." Catherine's computer program controls theater spotlights using "fuzzy rules" – data such as "the actor's speed is 75 percent fast and 25 percent slow." She is a junior at Franklin Regional Senior High School in Murrysville, Penn.
  • David Pekker – "Designing, Modeling, Building and Testing a Hexapod." David developed a six-legged transport device that navigates irregular terrain better than traditional wheeled or tracked systems. He is a senior at Round Rock High School in Round Rock, Texas.
  • Eric Koperda – "Simulations of Concert Hall Acoustics by Digital Means." Eric developed a technique that simulates the acoustics of any concert hall, based strictly upon physical dimensions. He is a senior at Colins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga.

Best of Category – The following students received $5,000 awards for having the highest scores in their project categories:

  • Behavioral Science – Ashley Eden, "Temporal and Binocular Averaging of Color Visual Noise." Montgomery Blair High School; Silver Spring, Md.
  • Biochemistry – Adam Bly, "Fusion of Epithelial Cadherin cDNA to Green Fluorescent Protein: Phase II." Herzliah High School; Montreal, Canada.
  • Botany – Joseph Hastings, "Effects of Exogenous Ethylene Upon ACC mRNA Transcripts." North Attleboro, Mass.
  • Chemistry – James Lawler, "Phase Boundary Potential in Electrochemical Systems." Greenwich High School; Greenwich, Conn.
  • Computer Science – Geoffrey Schmidt, "3-D Computer Graphics Visible-Surface Determination Using Hierarchical Beam Tree Clipping." Little Rock Central High School; Little Rock, Ark.
  • Earth and Space Sciences – Cristina Beno, "Groundwater Carvonate and Isotopic Hydrology." Mast Academy; Key Biscayne, Fla.
  • Engineering – Mary Manning, "Bioelectrochemicacl Fuel Cells: Modeling the Process." Notre Dame Academy; Covington, Kent.
  • Environmental Science – Natasha Mensch, "Activation and Adsorptive Qualities of Char Produced From the Gasification of Biomass." Tahoka High School; Tahoka, Texas.
  • Gerontology – Susie Morris, "Effect of Aspartame on Maze Learning Behavior on Femal Rats: Phase III." Carbon High School; Price, Utah.
  • Mathematics – Anna Salamon, "What Patterns Exist in the Factors of the Fibonacci Numbers?" San Diego High School; San Diego, Calif.
  • Medicine and Health – Claire Heslop, "B in Spina Bifida: Methonine Challenge." Notre Dame Catholic High School; Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada.
  • Microbiology – Linda Arnade, "Seasonal Effects on the Correlation Between Fecal Coliform Contamination and Well Distance From Septic Tanks." Stone Junior High School; Melbourne, Fla.
  • Physics – Karen Mendelson, "Noninvasive Optical Method for Measuring Hemoglobin in a Fingertip." Academy of Mathematics and Science; Worcester, Mass.
  • Zoology – Andrew Shuman, "Comparative Study of Inflammatory Mediators." Lawrence High School; Cedarhurst, N.Y.
  • Team Project – Chad Ganske, Amit Barman, Jonathan Haines, "Development of an Internet and Network Efficient Operating Environment." James Wood High School; Winchester, Va.

The nearly 1,200 participants at the 1998 Intel ISEF represent the top high school science students from 34 countries. Additional information about the Intel ISEF is available at www.intel.com/education/isef.

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