The Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences and the Arts recognized the top students in the 2017 West Central Regional Science Fair and Senior Research Symposium on Friday.
The annual competition is the culmination of a yearlong Fundamentals in Research Methods project that students must complete in order to graduate. Students who compete in the science fair choose to study traditional science, math, computer science and other STEM-related subjects. Senior Research Symposium students choose subjects in arts, literature and history. Students may also choose to complete a fine arts portfolio in visual arts, music or creative writing.
Students in the science fair and symposium create boards with information on their project. They also complete a 10-minute presentation on their projects in the Junior Academy competition. Portfolio students in the music and creative writing categories produce papers that describe their inspiration for their project, the process they used on the project and other details.
The top three overall winners in the science fair will compete in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair to be held May 14-19 in Los Angeles. Students who won first through third place plus the top honorable mention in individual categories are eligible to compete in the Arkansas State Science and Engineering Fair to be held March 31-April 1 at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Overall winners in the West Central Regional Science Fair were:
• Martin Boerwinkle of El Dorado, first place;
• Carson Cato of Bryant, second place;
• Krishna Patel of Little Rock, third place; and
• Liam Johnson of Pearcy, fourth place.
Boerwinkle’s project focused on a more efficient way to produce items produced with a 3D printer. The goal of his project was to increase the strength of 3D-printed objects while conserving material through the development of a new infill. A vast number of fields — such as prototyping, do-it-yourself manufacturing and medicine — use 3D printing. Improving the strength-to-weight ratio of 3D-printed pieces would be useful for a wide range of the public.
Boerwinkle developed a new algorithm to guide the 3D printer while printing objects. He built the program as an extension of an open-source 3D-printing application called Cura. The developers of Cura agreed to use his algorithm in their program, and it has been included in the newest version of the program.
Boerwinkle used grant funds from the ASMSA Computer Science Summer Research Fellowship he received in the spring 2016 semester to buy a 3D printer to test his algorithm as he worked on it. He said without the grant it would have been extremely difficult to conduct his research, particularly over the summer months.
“It helped me work on a subject I love to work on,” he said. “It helped me on every stage of the design process.”
It was the first year the fellowship was awarded to a student after it was established through gifts to ASMSA’s Coding Arkansas’ Future initiative. The initiative was announced during the 2015 Community of Learning Luncheon.
He said he was surprised by his first-place finish. Boerwinkle said he wasn’t confident that he would finish in the top four much less win first-place overall as the names were announced.
Two students were recognized as overall winners in the humanities categories. Madison Brown of Star City was selected as the overall winner for the Senior Research Symposium. Kim Sloan of Harrison was named the overall winner in the Fine Arts Portfolio competition.
Sloan said her project initially was going to focus on journalism and nonfiction but later expanded to any kind of writing covered by creative writing as well as photography. She said she has always enjoyed writing. She chose to do the portfolio option because of that interest.
“It seemed more interesting than writing a research paper,” Sloan said. “It was a little more variety. I think it represents the arts better than just doing a research paper.”
Last year was the first year students could choose the portfolio option but it was limited to visual arts only. This year students completed portfolio projects in creative writing, songwriting and musical performance, filmmaking and stained glass in addition to the more traditional visual arts.
Brown’s symposium project focused on the history of gambling in Hot Springs. She said her research showed Hot Springs was a very different kind of community than other cities where gambling was legal and popular.
“Hot Springs was the only city that introduced gambling to the area more out of curiosity and more of attraction than necessity compared to other gambling cities who were in financial distress,” she said. “This used to be a miniature Las Vegas. News would be reported all across the nation about Hot Springs.”
Senior Research Symposium
Arts and Literature Research
1. Makiya White of Grady
2. Avery Bell of Austin
Art and Literature Junior Academy
1. Makiya White of Grady
2. Avery Bell of Austin
History Research
1. Madison Brown of Star City
2. Ambria Holler of Jonesboro
3. Chayne Ball of Alma
History Junior Academy
1. Jada Hunter of Delight
2. Jansen Cullipher of Jonesboro
3. Chayne Ball of Alma
Fine Arts Portfolio
Visual Arts
1. Chilton Streett of Little Rock
Runner-up Baylee Byers of Stuttgart
Music
1. Jamie Carmack of Oden
Runner-up Jessi Amason of Benton
Fiction
1. Ivana Tanzil of White Hall
Runner-up Kennedy Neely of Weiner
West Central Regional Science Fair
Animal Science Research
1. Lynn Duong of Fort Smith
2. Team of Will Duke of Pine Bluff and Nick Nahas of North Little Rock
3. Team of Cameron Rhoden of Bryant, John Ostermuller of Little Rock and Gavin Glenn of Bryant
Animal Science Junior Academy
1. Team of Will Duke of Pine Bluff and Nick Nahas of North Little Rock
2. Lynn Duong of Fort Smith
3. Team of Cameron Rhoden of Bryant, John Ostermuller of Little Rock and Gavin Glenn of Bryant
Behavioral Science Research
1. Paige Green of Alma
2. Kyle Antonio of Jonesboro
3. Olivia Stone of Jonesboro
Honorable Mentions: Zack Tomlinson of Lavaca and Lauren Lessenberry of Benton
Behavioral Science Junior Academy
1. Lauren Lessenberry of Benton
2. Megan Tustison of Carlisle and Daven Sipe of Smackover (tie)
3. Paige Green of Alma
Honorable Mentions: Zack Tomlinson of Lavaca and Kyle Antonio of Jonesboro
Cellular and Molecular Biology Research
1. Sharon Amole of Little Rock
2. Christy Tran of Little Rock
Cellular and Molecular Biology Junior Academy
1. Christy Tran of Little Rock
2. Sharon Amole of Little Rock
Chemistry Research
1. Stanton Dillahunty of Hughes
2. Rebecca Parham of Alma
Honorable Mention: Samantha Antley of Lockesburg and Lauren Capes of Booneville
Chemistry Junior Academy
1. Rebecca Parham of Alma
2. Landon Middleton of Bryant
Honorable Mention: Lauren Capes of Booneville
Computer Science Research
1. Martin Boerwinkle of El Dorado
2. Joe Sartini of Benton
3. Phillip Bryan of Conway
Honorable Mention: Brandon Cox of Bryant, Zachary Ward of Russellville, Carter Williams of Dover, Benjamin Allen of Bella Vista
Computer Science Junior Academy
1. Martin Boerwinkle of El Dorado
2. Joe Sartini of Benton
3. Benjamin Allen of Bella Vista
Honorable Mention: Team of Justin Austin of Sherwood, Reed McCollum of Mulberry and Brad Greenway Jr. of Jacksonville; Brock Davis of Hot Springs; Phillip Bryan of Conway
Earth Science Research
1. Krishna Patel of Little Rock
2. Tristan Tompkins of Springdale
3. Elizabeth Solleder of Hot Springs
Earth Science Junior Academy
1. Krishna Patel of Little Rock
2. Tristan Tompkins of Springdale
3. Elizabeth Solleder of Hot Springs
Energy and Transportation Research
1. Logan Jones of Maumelle
Energy and Transportation Junior Academy
Honorable Mention: Logan Jones of Maumelle
Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical Research
1. Liam Johnson of Pearcy
2. Nathan Herring of Cabot
3. Dillon Meaders of Bryant
Honorable Mention: Spencer Hazeslip of Cabot
Engineering: Electrical and Mechanical Junior Academy
1. Liam Johnson of Pearcy
2. Gracie Musgrove of Dover
3. Johnathon Cato of Blytheville
Honorable Mention: Spencer Hazeslip of Cabot, Nathan Herring of Cabot
Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering Research
1. Logan Watts of DeWitt
2. Storm Gardner of Ozark
3. Tim Lee of North Little Rock
Engineering: Materials and Bioengineering Junior Academy
1. Logan Watts of DeWitt
2. Storm Gardner of Ozark
3. Tim Lee of North Little Rock
Environmental Science Research
1. Alanah Claybaugh of Mansfield
2. Jason Ly of Jonesboro
3. Chloe Long of Cabot
Environmental Science Junior Academy
1. Jason Ly of Jonesboro
2. Alanah Claybaugh of Mansfield
3. Matty Murry of Stuttgart
Mathematics Research
1. Carson Cato of Bryant
2. Devin Howard of White Hall
3. Johnathan Brightwell of Cave City
Mathematics Junior Academy
1. Carson Cato of Bryant
2. Devin Howard of White Hall
3. Jackson Gregory of Hot Springs
Medicine and Health Science Research
1. Rachel King of Pocahontas
2. Kenn Duran of Little Rock
3. Claudia Vestal of Jonesboro
Honorable Mention: Tenzing Briggs of Jasper
Medicine and Health Science Junior Academy
1. Claudia Vestal of Jonesboro
2. Kenn Duran of Little Rock
3. Rachel King of Pocahontas
Honorable Mention: Cali Keck of Marion
Microbiology Research
1. Caelan Miller of Jonesboro
2. Taylor Mosley of Conway
3. Team of Alyssa Easterling of Benton and Sam Kalajyan of Cherokee Village
Honorable Mention: Jakub Jilek of Alexander
Microbiology Junior Academy
1. Caelan Miller of Jonesboro
2. Taylor Mosley of Conway
3. Jakub Jilek of Alexander
Honorable Mention: Katherine Evans of Bryant
Physics and Astronomy Research
1. Lilliana Jones of Ferrisburgh
2. Juliet Green of Malvern
Physics and Astronomy Junior Academy
1. Lilliana Jones of Ferrisburgh
2. Katie Welch of Pearcy
Honorable Mention: Juliet Green of Malvern
Plant Science Research
1. Carly Collins of Jonesboro
2. Team of Hollie Hagler of Ozark, Ann Easley of Garland City and Bushra Sardar of Maumelle
3. Hailey Campbell of Leslie
Honorable Mention: Madeline Leicht of Conway
Plant Science Junior Academy
1. Madeline Leicht of Conway
2. Hailey Campbell of Leslie
3. Carly Collins of Jonesboro
Honorable Mention: Team of Hollie Hagler of Ozark, Ann Easley of Garland City and Bushra Sardar of Maumelle
Social Science Research
1. Diego de los Reyes of Hot Springs
2. Amanda Lee of Conway
3. Caleb Miller of Bryant
Honorable Mention: Doyle Smith of Bismarck
Social Science Junior Academy
1. Diego de los Reyes of Hot Springs
2. Caleb Miller of Bryant
3. Amanda Lee of Conway
West Central Regional Science Fair Special Awards
Arkansas Chapter of the American Fisheries Society Best Aquatic Sciences Award
1. Chloe Long of Cabot
2. Jason Ly of Jonesboro
3. Team of Hollie Hagler of Ozark, Ann Easley of Garland City and Bushra Sardar of Maumelle
Honorable Mention: Team of Will Duke of Pine Bluff and Nick Nahas of North Little Rock
ASU Walton Sustainability Solutions Award
Caelan Miller of Jonesboro and Tenzing Briggs of Jasper
American Meteorological Society
Jason Ly of Jonesboro and Alanah Claybaugh of Mansfield
U.S. Metric Association (best use of metric units)
Tim Lee of North Little Rock
ASM International Foundation Most outstanding exhibit in materials science
Logan Watts of DeWitt
NOAA Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award for best project in climate science
Elizabeth Solleder of Hot Springs
Richo sustainable development award
Madeline Leicht of Conway
Water Environment Federation Stockholm Junior Water Prize for best aquatic science project
Jason Ly of Jonesboro, Alanah Claybaugh of Mansfield and Zoe Cameron of Ozark
Association of Women Geoscientists best earth science project by a female student
Krishna Patel of Little Rock
Yale Science and Engineering Association, Inc. most outstanding 11th grade exhibit
Benjamin Allen of Bella Vista
NASA Earth System Science Award
Tristan Tompkins of Springdale
U.S. Air Force award
Joe Sartini of Benton, Johnathon Cato of Blytheville, Liam Johnson of Pearcy and Martin Boerwinkle of El Dorado
Society for In Vitro Biology
Team of Alyssa Easterling of Benton and Sam Kalajyan of Cherokee Village
U.S. Navy and Marine Corps award
Dillon Meaders of Bryant, Tim Lee of North Little Rock and Carter Williams of Dover
Soybean Science Challenge
Madeline Leicht of Conway and Dr. Patrycja Krakowiak, ASMSA biology instructor
Award for Community Innovation Society for Science and the Public
Rebecca Parham of Alma
Most Aesthetically Pleasing Poster
Senior Research Symposium: Makiya White of Grady
West Central Regional Science Fair: Caelan Miller of Jonesboro