The Intel International Science & Engineering Fair Features Students from Around the World, including 3 from Georgia

The annual Intel International Science and Engineering Fair includes some 1,600 student scientists and engineers from nearly 70 countries, who compete for more than $4 million in prizes including college scholarships.

To date, an estimated 25% of the competing students have applied for, or been awarded, a patent for their work.

The winner will receive a top prize of $75,000 and be awarded the Gordon E. Moore Award. Two runner-up projects will win $50,000 each and be recognized with the Intel Foundation Young Scientist Award.

The competition features a large cross-section of scientific categories including:

  • Microbiology and Plant Sciences
  • Medicine & Health
  • Electrical and Chemical Engineering
  • Physics and Astronomy
  • Mathematical Sciences
  • Behavioral and Social Sciences

Each of the finalists has completed original scientific work relating to solutions for real life problems.

According to an event press release, the Georgia finalists include:

Julia Abelsky from Atlanta, GA – Julia is an 18 yr old senior from North Springs Charter High School – In her project she altered the way light moves through a material in order to create a substance that could cloak a specific object and make it invisible to the viewer's eyes. This was created using a tuned polymer that will allow light waves to run out of energy and are not able to bounce back and hit the viewer's eyes.

Sergio Parra from Auburn, GA – Sergio is an 17 yr old junior from Mill Creek High School – His project dealt with making the return to the Moon more economically feasible, using materials directly found on the Moon's surface to make concrete, much like the concrete on Earth. Not only is it cheaper than transporting construction materials from Earth to the Moon, but concrete made on the Moon has certain properties that make it compressively stronger than concrete made on the Earth, meaning less concrete can be used to sustain the same weight.

Lydia Zemmali from Atlanta, GA – Lydiac is a 15 yr old freshman from North Atlanta High School – In her project she researched if fruits containing proteases can ruin your gelatin dessert? – She researched the structure of proteins, including collagen and gelatin proteins. In addition, I researched proteases, the fruits they are found in, and their structure and function