Eight local students honored in national STEM competition Broadcom MASTERS recognizes impressive projects from the Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair
In recognition of their impressive research projects submitted for the Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF), eight local students have been named among the top 300 competitors in the 2020 Broadcom MASTERS® — the nation’s premier science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) competition for middle school students.
When PRSEF was canceled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all middle school participants were invited to apply to compete in the 10th annual Broadcom MASTERS, a program of the Society for Science & the Public. More than 80 PRSEF participants applied and joined the national pool of 3,476 applicants, the largest the competition has ever seen.
The eight local MASTERS selected from PRSEF participants are:
- Jacob Collins, Ingomar Middle School
- Project Title: Increase the Enthalpy! – The Use of Plasma-Assisted Combustion in Jet Engines
- Luke Hartman, Fanny Edel Falk Laboratory School
- Project Title: Working for a Good Night of Sleep – Relationship Between Exercise and Sleep
- Aurea Hickenboth, Homeschool
- Project Title: Effect of Insulation on the Temperature of Overwintering Honeybee Hives
- Valor Lekas, Hampton Middle School
- Project Title: How Can We Predict the Effect of Human Pandemics on Recovering Species?
- Anne Lindsay, Freeport Area Middle School
- Project Title: The Optimal Amount of Titanium Dioxide Needed to Reduce Bacterial Proliferation
- Aneri Shethji, Marshall Middle School
- Project Title: The Inhibitory Benefits of Turmeric with Ampicillin on Escherichia coli
- Adhitya Thirumala, Dorseyville Middle School
- Project Title: Developing an Early Screening Application to Detect Lung Abnormalities Using Machine Learning
- David Thomas, Holy Cross Academy
- Project Title: Effects of Vapes and Cigarettes on Platyhelminthes
Each of the top 300 MASTERS will receive a $125 award from the Department of Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (DoD STEM). Thirty of the top 300 will be selected as finalists by a panel of scientists, engineers, and educators from around the nation on September 16 to compete for over $100,000 in prizes.
Click here for more information on the 2020 Broadcom MASTERS.
About Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF)
The Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF) is an open competition of research projects in the fields of science, mathematics, and engineering that draws approximately 1,000 middle and high school students every year. PRSEF has been a Pittsburgh tradition since 1940, and is the third oldest science fair in the United States under the affiliation of Society for Science and the Public, which runs the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) and the Broadcom MASTERS middle school competition. Learn more at PittsburghScienceFair.org.
About Carnegie Science Center
Carnegie Science Center is dedicated to inspiring learning and curiosity by connecting science and technology with everyday life. By making science both relevant and fun, the Science Center’s goal is to increase science literacy in the region and motivate young people to seek careers in science and technology. One of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Science Center is Pittsburgh’s premier science exploration destination, reaching more than 700,000 people annually through its hands-on exhibits, camps, classes, and off-site education programs.
Accessibility: Features for All
Carnegie Science Center welcomes all visitors. We work to assist visitors with disabilities in obtaining reasonable and appropriate accommodations, and in supporting equal access to services, programs, and activities. We welcome visitors in wheelchairs on the deck of our USS Requin (SS 481) submarine. Below-deck visits require full mobility. Hearing assistance devices are available for The Rangos Giant Cinema. Please ask when you buy your ticket.
Please note that requests for accommodations should be made at least two weeks prior to your visit. For specific questions about wheelchairs, strollers, or other programmatic or equipment needs, see the ticket counter located on the first floor of the main building or contact the Operations Department at 412.237.1641 or info@carnegiesciencecenter.org.
About Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Established in 1895 by Andrew Carnegie, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh is a collection of four distinctive museums: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. In 2017, the museums reached more than 1.4 million people through exhibitions, educational programs, outreach activities, and special events.
