Students explore various fields at the Science Fair

Many participants qualify for the regional Science Fair hoping to place

Senior Brian Jordan presented his science fair project before a judge. Many students underwent this process in order to be awarded for their projects.

Senior Brian Jordan presented his science fair project before a judge. Many students underwent this process in order to be awarded for their projects.

The James Bowie High annual Science Fair competition where student contestants present their science project results before judges occurred on the chilly evening of January 16.
Over 250 future scientists unfolded their display boards, unpacked models, and recreated technical experiments in the hopes of winning the grand prize.
Nikhil Nair was eventually named the winner for his experiment on the effects of bacteria on turmeric compared to antibiotics. His project was titled “A yellow alternative” and was entered into the microbiology subset before being named the fairs top winner.
“If it were not have been for my teacher assigning it I would have still participated in the Science Fair,” sophomore Nikhil Nair said. “I had been looking forward to it since the summer.”
Nair wasn’t the only award-winner selected by a committee composed of professionals working in the science world and Bowie science teachers. Awards were given in 16 different areas including Environment Management, Behavioral and Social, Biochemistry, Electrical and Mechanical and Environmental Sciences.
“Its a great opportunity for students to explore a passion,” teacher Jill Harding said. “Sometimes it may not be a passion at first, but as they get into really studying something in depth they learn to develop one with time.”
Many science teachers across the campus offered extra credit to their students who entered the competition, but many students compete to showcase skills, to share a passion, or to learn new information.
“I love science, it’s just so interesting, genetics in particular; I’ve always had a thing for them,” sophomore Andrea Nebhut said.
Students often came up with their own concepts, but others sought help from outside groups.
“In my dad’s firm Life Technologies, they have this exosome software which is an LM10 instrument,” sophomore Ksenia Vlassova said. “…From that, my dad and I just came up with an experiment.”
Vlassova’s effort earned her the top spot in the Cellular and Molecular category for an experiment called “Analysis of concentration and size distribution of exosomes in saliva of male, female and pregnant female donors.
“I spoke to a Molecular biology professor, Dr. Greg Clark at The University of Texas at Austin and he gave me tips on what to do and what not to,” Nair said.
More than 75% of the participants in the show have aspirations of working in science fields in the future, either as doctors, or in fields like genetic research, microbiology, and engineering.
“It gives you hope, in the sense that you have all these creative minds that are going to take over the future and that’s what we need, that’s what we’re wishing to foster with this experience as well,” Harding said.
The Bowie Science fair is just a stopping point for most of the winners as they qualified for the regional science fair, which is sponsored by Austin Energy. Held February 19-22 at the Palmer Events Center, the Regional Science fair will host over 3,000 participants from 3rd through 12th grade.
According to Austin Energy literature, the regional fair “encourages and rewards innovative student research and provides scientists, engineers, and other professionals a chance to volunteer in the community.”
“Going to regionals, based on last year when I went I feel that it increased my knowledge,” Vlassova said. “I don’t know if I’ll place, but if I do it’ll be way worth it.”
In additional to the multitude of home-grown efforts, many students were able to utilize outside groups, including many who aligned themselves with a local university program to conduct their experiments, many students have parents who work in the science world are they credited their parents for their help.
“…My mom said ‘why don’t you just do a natural medicine related experiment?’,” Nair said.
Other winners included Sarah Maaz, Shyam Sharma, Andrea Nebhut, Alex Baker, Trevor Wolf, Brian Kang, James Wyllie, Mariana Medina and Marielle Lopez.