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RCPS students shine in 2020 state science fair
Posted on 04/27/2020
GSEF 2020 logoMore than 50 young researchers from Rockdale County Public Schools competed in the 72nd annual Georgia Science & Engineering Fair (GSEF), which took place online March 16 through April 10, 2020, receiving more than 70 awards! Congratulations to our winners! These students, listed below, were selected by the GSEF Judging Team and representatives of sponsoring organizations.


GSEF 2020

GRAND AWARDS - JUNIOR DIVISION

Junior Division Best in Category

MATERIALS SCIENCE:
Olivia DeFrancesco, Camille Hall & Jessica Rhee – Gen. Ray Davis Middle School (DMS), “Utilizing Bacillariophyceae (Navicula) to Create Solar Energy”
 

GRAND AWARDS - SENIOR DIVISION

Senior Division Best in Category

BIOMEDICAL & HEALTH SCIENCE:
Ashanah Gayden & Tommy Nguyen – Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology (RMSST), “Application of pH-Responsive Nanogels for Targeted Drug Delivery”
 
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING:
Sarah Burkey – RMSST, “Developing a Urinalysis Immunoassay for Cortisol Detection Year 2”
 


Regional Fair Regeneron ISEF Finalists
Regional Fairs across the state that are directly affiliated with the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) select winners to advance to the ISEF competition. These students were awarded this honor at their Regional Fair prior to advancing to GSEF. The 2020 Regeneron ISEF, originally scheduled for May 2020 in Los Angeles, has been canceled, but these students will still be honored as ISEF Finalists by the Society for Science & the Public.

ROCKDALE COUNTY REGIONAL FINALISTS:
Justin Bromell – RMSST, “Biolistic Gene Delivery as a Potential Treatment for Skin Cancer”  

Sarah Burkey – RMSST, “Developing a Urinalysis Immunoassay for Cortisol Detection Year 2”

Ashanah Gayden & Tommy Nguyen – RMSST, “Application of pH-Responsive Nanogels for Targeted Drug Delivery”
 


GEORGIA SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR  
SENIOR DIVISION TOP TEN GRAND AWARD RECIPIENTS
 
Sarah Burkey – RMSST, “Developing a Urinalysis Immunoassay for Cortisol Detection Year 2”
 
Ashanah Gayden & Tommy Nguyen – RMSST, “Application of pH - Responsive Nanogels for Targeted Drug Delivery”
 



HONORS RIBBONS - JUNIOR DIVISION
FIRST HONORS
Addison Cabe - DMS  
Olivia DeFrancesco - DMS  
Camille Hall - DMS  
Jessica Rhee - DMS  

SECOND HONORS
Caleb Paterson - DMS
Andrew Tyler - DMS

FOURTH HONORS
Prakash Gupta - DMS
Matilda Rodgers - DMS
Rowan Rodgers - DMS

STATE COMPETITOR
Austen Aldrich - Conyers Middle School
Alexa Apiyo - DMS
Love Cheng - DMS
Barkley Dowdy - DMS
Micah Frazier - DMS
Devon White - DMS
Shamar Henry - DMS
Kayla Holland - DMS
Ryan Rakestraw - DMS
Gavin Reece - DMS


HONORS RIBBONS - SENIOR DIVISION
Honors ribbons indicate a student's relative position in the overall fair. They do not take into                consideration either project category or student’s grade, although Junior and Senior divisions                 are calculated separately. First Honors go to projects with total scores ranking approximately at or above the 90th percentile based on overall scores, regardless of category. Second Honors go to the 80th to 90th percentiles. Third Honors go to the 70th to 80th percentiles. Fourth Honors go to the 60th to 70th percentiles.  

FIRST HONORS
Sarah Burkey - RMSST
Ashanah Gayden - RMSST  
Asianna Haughton - RMSST  
Tommy Nguyen - RMSST  
Candy Zheng - RMSST  

SECOND HONORS
Justin Bromell - RMSST  
Hailey Covarrubias - RMSST
Megan Fachisthers - RMSST  
Morgan Gill - RMSST  
Laura Goldgar - RMSST

THIRD HONORS
Tymesha-Elizabeth Kindell - RMSST  
Shivam Vohra - RMSST

FOURTH HONORS
Elizabeth Huynh - RMSST


STATE COMPETITOR
Hector Aguirre - RMSST  
Zaria Battle - RMSST  
Lizbeth Cazares - RMSST  
Sya Chandler - RMSST  
Brandon Gignilliat - RMSST  
Julie Gutsulyak - RMSST  
Emily Kirkwood - RMSST  
Chase Malone - RMSST  
Skyler McLymore - RMSST
Sydney Moodie - RMSST
Amelia Page - RMSST  
Nawal Reza - RMSST   
Mariana Rios - RMSST  
Alisha Robbins - RMSST   
Josephine Slotnik - RMSST  
Maxwell Thomas - RMSST  
Jayda Uslu - RMSST
Gina Wiggs - RMSST  


SPECIAL AWARDS

American Psychological Association Award
Candy Zheng – RMSST, “Pathways to Educational Equality in China”

ASM Materials Education Foundation Award
Zaria Battle & Mariana Rios – RMSST, “Antibacterial Fabric: The Effects of Natural Oil on E. coli”
 
Association for Women Geoscientists Award
Asianna Haughton – RMSST, “Utilizing the Byproduct of Xenoliths”
 
Boehringer Ingelheim Animal Health Biotechnology Award   
FIRST PLACE JUNIOR DIVISION:
Addison Cabe – DMS, “Effects of Blue-Green Algae Dietary Supplements”
 FIRST PLACE SENIOR DIVISION:
Ashanah Gayden & Tommy Nguyen – RMSST, “Application of pH-Responsive Nanogels for Targeted Drug Delivery”
 
National Association of Biology Teachers Biology & Life Science Project Award
SENIOR DIVISION AWARD:
Laura Goldgar – RMSST, “The Effect of Chitosan on Plant Growth”
 
Naval Science Award
Tymesha-Elizabeth Kindell – RMSST, “Electrospinning Graphene Based Skin Grafts for Burn Wounds”
 
PCOM (Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine) Georgia Osteopathic Medicine Award
AWARD WINNER:
Prakash Gupta – DMS, “How Does Blue Light from Electronic Devices Affect Sleep?”
 
Sigma Xi, CDC Chapter Public Health Science Award
SENIOR DIVISION AWARD:
Sarah Burkey – RMSST, “Developing a Urinalysis Immunoassay for Cortisol Detection Year 2”
 
SPIE - Optics and Photonics Science Fair Award
FIRST PLACE JUNIOR DIVISION:
Prakash Gupta – DMS, “How Does Blue Light from Electronic Devices Affect Sleep?”
 
Stockholm Junior Water Prize Regional Award
NOMINEES:
Lizbeth Cazares & Emily Kirkwood – RMSST, “The Effect of Bioremediation on Fracking to Reduce Acid Drainage”
Sydney Moodie & Amelia Page – RMSST, “The Phytoremediation of Trace Metals Using Eichhornia crassipes”
Shivam Vohra – RMSST, “Creation of Metal-Ion Doped Graphene-Semiconductor Composites”
 
UGA Genetics GSA Best Genetics Related Project
SENIOR DIVISION AWARD:
Justin Bromell - RMSST, “Biolistic Gene Delivery as a Potential Treatment for Skin Cancer”
 
U.S. Agency for International Development Science Champion Award
Candy Zheng – RMSST, “Pathways to Educational Equality in China”