Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair announces county winners

San Diego County students showed off their expertise at the recent 2020 Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair, with dozens being named winners for their projects.

The regional competition, now in its 66th year, challenges students to go beyond classroom studies to do independent research and to present and defend results to judges who are professionals in their fields. More than 880 students submitted projects, and 574 were accepted into the fair.

Nearly 100 students were recommended to go on to the California Science and Engineering Fair, but the COVID-19 outbreak has canceled that event.

Winning top awards at the fair were:

Senior Division Life Science Grand Awards: Rina Cao, University City HS; Kate Wang, Canyon Crest Academy. Runner-Up Awards: Andrew Gao, Canyon Crest; Eleanor Jung, Mt. Carmel HS.

Senior Division Physical Science Grand Awards: Benjamin Faktor, Canyon Crest; Francisco Catanzaro, Cathedral Catholic HS. Runner-Up Awards: Ellen Xu, Del Norte HS; Vivek Vijayakumar, San Marcos HS.

Junior Division Life Science Grand Awards: Sydney Zhang, Mesa Verde MS; Bhadra Rupesh, The Rhoades School. Runner-Up Awards: Leia Ryan, The Rhoades School; Josh Kozak, All Hallows Academy.

Junior Division Physical Science Grand Awards: Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School; Nicholas Usher, Classical Academy MS. Runner-Up Awards: Nandana Madhukara, Pacific Trails MS; Aleister Steadman, Wangenheim MS.

Winners of Professional Society Awards given by different groups were:

American Chemical Society: Kate Wang, Ryan Huang, Canyon Crest; Ian Xu, Del Norte HS; Lukky De Guzman, Chula Vista MS; Jocelyn Sweeney, Nazareth School; Maya Zagursky, San Diego Jewish Academy.

American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics: Nicholas Usher, Classical Academy MS; Nandana Madhukara, Pacific Trails MS; Micah Hall, Mt. Helix Academy.

American Meteorological Society: Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Rina Cao, University City HS.

American Psychological Association: Anjana Shriram, Canyon Crest.

American Society for Non Destructive Testing: Francisco Catanzaro, Cathedral Catholic HS; Nathan McKinney, Good Shepherd Catholic School.

American Society of Materials International: Andrew Martinez, St. Mary Star of the Sea School; Veronica Griger, Coastal Academy.

American Society of Mechanical Engineers: Marc Kuo, La Jolla HS; Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS.

Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association: Andrew Kuang, Canyon Crest; Raj Pabari, Classical Academy HS; Bella Rose Schremmer, University City HS; Vivek Vijayakumar, San Marcos HS; Ashton Anderson, Correia MS; Kai Goodsell, Levi Katriel, Tejas Ravi, The Rhoades School; Nathan McKinney, Good Shepherd Catholic School; Cecilia Moxley, De Portola MS; Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Lorenzo Valenzuela, Corfman School; Nicholas Usher, Classical Academy MS; Kyle Estep, Farb MS.

ASM Materials Education Foundation: Kavya Gupta, Dagny Whall, La Jolla HS.

Association for Women Geoscientists: Sophia Tamashiro, City Tree Christian School.

Association for Women in Science: Bella Rose Schremmer, University City HS; Grace Oualline, La Jolla Country Day School; Mele Barton, Lily Masi, Leia Ryan, Adam Esch, Grace Millikin, Audrey Link, Divya Sharma, Anusha Chatha, The Rhoades School; Hafsah Kazi, Bright Horizon Academy; Jocelyn Sweeney, Shannon Stroup, Nazareth School; Dayna Coates, Rancho del Rey MS; Rosy Montejo, Margaret Nasry, St. Peter the Apostle Catholic School.

BD “Advancing the World of Health” Award: Priscila Munoz, Jadyn Ramirez, Central Union HS; Andres Morales, Gompers Preparatory Academy; Lukky De Guzman, Chula Vista MS; Alyssa Ortega, Corfman School; Melissa Soberanes, Our Lady of Guadalupe Academy.

Biophysical Society: Eleanor Jung, Mt. Carmel HS.

Building Industry Association Cares: Rina Cao, University City HS; Jennine Manalo, St. Rita’s Catholic School; Sawyer Benedict, Jake Streitman, The Rhoades School.

California Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Ryan Huang, Canyon Crest; Josh Kozak, All Hallows Academy.

California Association of Professional Scientists: Vivek Vijayakumar, San Marcos HS.

California Environmental Health Association: Sanjana Gurram, Westview HS; Ema Escobar, St. Didacus Parish School.

California School Nurse Organization: Atulya Mandyam, Westview HS; Patrick Dockery, Gustavo Serena, St. Michael’s School Poway.

DoD STEM Leadership Prize: Nandana Madhukara, Pacific Trails MS.

DRS Daylight Solutions Award for Optics and Photonics: Ian Xu, Del Norte HS; Francisco Catanzaro, Cathedral Catholic HS; Vivek Vijayakumar, San Marcos HS; Sophia Frank, St. John School Encinitas; Logan Benintend, Koe Goodsell, Tejas Ravi, The Rhoades School; Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Tanner Kamencik, All Hallows Academy.

Fred H. Rohr Award from Collins Aerospace: Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS.

Friends of Famosa Slough: Rohan Keswani, Elias Samady, Kelly Bordine, Kaitlyn Podlich, The Rhoades School.

General Atomics Sciences Education Foundation Advanced Materials Award: Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Nicholas Usher, Classical Academy MS.

Hillcrest-Mission Valley Lions Club: Michael Zeng, The Bishop’s School; Ashton Anderson, Correia MS.

Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers: Andrew Kuang, Canyon Crest; Christopher Um, Torrey Pines HS; Marc Kuo, La Jolla HS; Arjun Chatha, David Samy, Tejas Ravi, The Rhoades School; Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS.

Kaiser Permanente: Ellen Xu, Del Norte HS; Andrew Gao, Canyon Crest.

Marine Technology Society: Bella Rose Schremmer, University City HS; Gabriela Serena, St. Michael’s School Poway; Sophia Tamashiro, City Tree Christian School; Savanna Grodeman, Alayda Guerrero, Chula Vista MS; Marcos Hernandez, St. Didacus Parish School; Fatuma Ismail, Bright Horizon Academy.

NACE International: Nathan Do, Farb MS; Alexis Green, St. Michael Academy San Diego; Cooper Lynch, San Diego Jewish Academy.

NASA EARTH System Science Award: Aurora Czajkowski, Bonita Vista HS.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration “Taking the Pulse of the Planet” Award: Mele Barton, The Rhoades School.

Office of Naval Research (U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps) instructional letter only: Ian Xu, Del Norte HS; Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Kara Fan, Westview HS; Gabriela Serena, St. Michael’s School Poway; Chris Choi, Corfman School; Jennine Manalo, St. Rita’s Catholic School; Cecilia Moxley, De Portola MS; Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Kyle Estep, Farb MS; Peyton Slinkard, St. Didacus Parish School.

Price-Pottenger Nutrition Foundation: Haya Belbese, Farah Aswad, Bright Horizon Academy; Taylor Belanich, Grace Howard, The Rhoades School; Ella Yerushalmi, Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School; Jodie Marie Cagayao, St. Michael Academy San Diego.

Professional Engineers in California Government: Christopher Caligiuri, Canyon Crest; Kavya Gupta, Dagny Whall, La Jolla HS; Sanjana Gurram, Westview HS; Nicholas Usher, Classical Academy MS.

San Diego Astronomy Association: Francisco Catanzaro, Cathedral Catholic HS; Vivek Vijayakumar, San Marcos HS; Morgan Brady, Stella Maris Academy; Sawyer Benedict, Jake Streitman, Tejas Ravi, The Rhoades School.

San Diego Audubon Society: Rina Cao, University City HS; Malvyn Lai, Mt. Everest Academy.

San Diego County Dental Society: Preston Bove, Carlie Burns, St. John School Encinitas.

San Diego County Optometric Society: Liora Berg, Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School; Arjun Chatha, David Samy, The Rhoades School; Sydney Zhang, Mesa Verde MS.

San Diego County Veterinary Medical Association: Dylan Feldstein, Canyon Crest; Mele Barton, The Rhoades School.

San Diego County Water Authority: Aurora Czajkowski, Bonita Vista HS; Mohammad Khan, Bright Horizon Academy; Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Marcus Catanzaro, Pacific Beach MS; Jennine Manalo, St. Rita’s Catholic School; Kelly Bordine, Kaitlyn Podlich, The Rhoades School.

San Diego Mensa: Abdirahman Kariye, Bright Horizon Academy; Leila Elasaad, The Rhoades School; Karis Goodwin, St. John School Encinitas; Denisse Podolsky, Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School; Agastya Sridharan, Thurgood Marshall MS.

San Diego Post of the Society of American Military Engineers: Raj Pabari, Classical Academy HS; Sanjana Gurram, Westview HS; Sabrina Sanchez, Bonita Vista HS; Marcus Catanzaro, Pacific Beach MS; Kyle Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Cameron Do, The Rhoades School.

San Diego Psychological Association: Brian Lee, Grace Li, Albert Liu, Scripps Ranch HS; Taylor Belanich, Grace Howard, Leia Ryan, The Rhoades School; Mustafa Mohamed, Bright Horizon Academy; Anjana Shriram, Canyon Crest; Christopher Lindgren, St. Didacus Parish School; Shane Montal, The Children’s School; Adriana Quezada, St. John School Encinitas; Agastya Sridharan, Thurgood Marshall MS; Nicholas Usher, Classical Academy MS; Jack Licha, Soille San Diego Hebrew Day School.

San Diego Section of the International Dark Sky Association: Morgan Brady, Stella Maris Academy; Sawyer Benedict, Jake Streitman, The Rhoades School.

San Diego Society of Health-System Pharmacists: Pranav Bantval, Rishi Chiniga, Francis Parker School; Bhadra Rupesh, The Rhoades School.

San Diego Zoo Global: Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Rohan Keswani, Elias Samady, The Rhoades School.

Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Honor Society: Kate Wang, Canyon Crest; Raj Pabari, Classical Academy HS; Emily Tianshi, The Cambridge School HS; Arjun Chatha, David Samy, The Rhoades School; Rahul Rao, Rikhil Rao, Pacific Trails MS; Melissa Soberanes, Our Lady of Guadalupe Academy.

Society for In Vitro Biology: Ryan Huang, Canyon Crest.

Society of Women Engineers: Petunia Rizo, Mt. Everest Academy; Ellen Xu, Del Norte HS; Bella Rose Schremmer, University City HS; Alondra Villa, Chula Vista MS; Veronica Griger, Coastal Academy; Melissa Soberanes, Our Lady of Guadalupe Academy.

Stockholm Junior Water Prize: Aurora Czajkowski, Bonita Vista HS; Kavya Gupta, Dagny Whall, La Jolla HS; Sanjana Gurram, Westview HS; Mason Holmes, Canyon Crest.

Torrey Pines Docent Society: Rohan Keswani, Elias Samady, Willa Norvell, The Rhoades School.

WateReuse Association - San Diego Regional Chapter: Audrey Vargas, Sweetwater HS; Aurora Czajkowski, Bonita Vista HS; Mohammad Khan, Bright Horizon Academy; Sam Fries, St. Didacus Parish School; Jennine Manalo, St. Rita’s Catholic School; Erin Grace Tuscano, St. Michael Academy San Diego.

Visit https://www.gsdsef.org.