Fifteen MCPS Students Named Intel Science Talent Search Semifinalists

January 8, 2014

Fifteen Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) students have been selected as semifinalists for the 2014 Intel Science Talent Search, one of the most prestigious high school science competitions in the nation. The MCPS students account for 75 percent of Maryland’s 20 semifinalists. The MCPS semifinalists come from Montgomery Blair, Winston Churchill, Richard Montgomery, Poolesville, and Walt Whitman high schools.

The Intel Science Talent Search is administered by the Society for Science & the Public, a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to public engagement in scientific research and education. There were 300 semifinalists nationwide, who were chosen from a pool of nearly 1,800 entries. MCPS has been a national leader in this competition for many years and routinely is one of the school districts with the most semifinalists.

“I continue to be impressed by the high level of creativity, innovation, and commitment our students display in this rigorous competition,” said Superintendent of Schools Joshua P. Starr. “Congratulations to our semifinalists, their families, and the educators that are supporting them.”

The research projects entered by MCPS semifinalists covered a broad range of scientific topics, including cancer treatments, stem cell development, and vaccinations.

Each of the semifinalists will receive a $1,000 award for his or her outstanding research. Additionally, to recognize excellence in teaching and school support, schools will receive an award of $1,000 for each semifinalist, which is to be used to further excellence in science, math, and engineering education.

Forty finalists will be chosen on January 22 and will compete March 6-12 in Washington, D.C., for the top prize of $100,000.

The MCPS semifinalists are:

Montgomery Blair High School
Alexander N. Bourzutschky
Ishaun S. Datta
Neil S. Davey
Daniela I. Ganelin
Yi-Zhi He
Aanchal Johri
Jessica Shi
Hueyjong Shih
Gabriella R. Studt

Winston Churchill High School
Daniel D. Liu
Jessica G. Yau

Richard Montgomery High School
Emily Z. Ma
Suzanne L. Xu

Poolesville High School
Vinay K. Sriram

Walt Whitman High School
Lisa Deng

To see a list of all the semifinalists and their projects, visit the Society for Science & the Public’s website.

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