News Archive

2016 Student Research Showcase Results

May 04, 2016

Student Research Showcase logoSigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society brought together students and professional researchers online last month for its 4th annual Student Research Showcase. Approximately 40 high school, undergraduate, and graduate students entered this science communication competition. They submitted presentation websites that contain an abstract, video, and slideshow about their research projects. 

From April 11–18, approximately 70 Sigma Xi members volunteered to judge the websites. Judges assessed presentations based on the quality of the project’s scientific thought and method. They also critiqued how well the student communicated enthusiasm for their project, explained the significance of their research, used text, charts, and diagrams, and responded to questions. 

Judges picked the top presenters in the High School, Undergraduate, and Graduate divisions. The top project in each division will receive $500 from Sigma Xi. The Undergraduate Division had three presenters so their prize money will be split evenly between the presenters. The presentations were grouped by research area and the judges also named winners in each of these sections.  

All participants will receive judges’ comments by email as well as a certificate of participation. They will be invited to become associate members of Sigma Xi, the international honor society for scientists and engineers. High school participants will be invited to submit a research paper to Sigma Xi’s journal for pre-college research, Chronicle of The New Researcher

2016 Division Winners

High School Division

A Greener Cleaner: Investigating a Potential Biosorbent for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solutions
Ananya Karthik, Saint Francis High School
Section: Environmental Sciences

Undergraduate Division

Mounting Evidence  of the False Consensus Effect in Male Bodybuilders
Bryan S. Nelson, Andre Nakkab, and Ward Pettibone, New York University
Section: Human Behavioral & Social Sciences 

Graduate Division

Drying without dying―Resurrection fern, Pleopeltis polypodioides
Susan P. John, University of Louisiana at Lafayette  
Section: Physiology and Immunology

2016 Section Winners

Biochemistry

Development of a Novel Antiseptic Combination to Target MRSA and Pseudomonas
Janie Kim, Scripps Ranch High School

Cellular and Molecular Biology

Validating an Electroconvulsive Assay for Anti-Epileptic Drug Screening Using Drosophila melanogaster and Protein Kinase G 
Matthew Dardet, Pine Crest School

Chemistry

Characterizing Substrate Specificity of Dopamine and Ascorbic Acid via Cyclic and Differential Pulse Voltammetry using Nitrogen-doped Porous Carbon and Graphene Based Electrodes
Malini Basu, Pine Crest School

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

Functionality of the spotted salamander egg mass polymorphism
Matthew Pintar, University of Mississippi

Engineering

Synthesis and Application of Cost-Effective, Biomimetic Hydrogel Scaffolds Doped with Nanoscale Graphene Oxide: a Novel Approach to Cancer Therapy, Tissue Engineering, and Drug Delivery
Arvind Sridhar, Bellarmine College Preparatory

Human Behavioral & Social Sciences

Perception about Autism: An International Study
Esha Aneja, Dougherty Valley High School

Physics & Astronomy

An Automated Search for Gravitationally Lensed Quasars in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey
Pranav Sivakumar, Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy 

Math and Computer Science

Audio Classification of Humans in Distress
Matthew Stern, The Bronx High School of Science

Physiology & Immunology

Drying without dying―Resurrection fern, Pleopeltis polypodioides
Susan P. John, University of Louisiana at Lafayette  

Environmental Sciences

A Greener Cleaner: Investigating a Potential Biosorbent for the Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solutions
Ananya Karthik, Saint Francis High School

People's Choice Award

The public voted for the inaugural People's Choice Award, which is based solely on the merit of a presentation's video. The prize is $250.

Inaugural People's Choice Award winner

Development of a Novel Antiseptic Combination to Target MRSA and Pseudomonas
Jamie Kim, Scripps Ranch High School
Section: Biochemistry

For more details about this competition, please visit the Student Research Showcase page.

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