<bt>Brian Andrew, Rebecca Nakles and Benjamin Leonard were the major award winners at the 21st Annual Loudoun County Regional Science and Engineering Fair. The fair took place Thursday, March 21, at Loudoun Valley High School.
Nakles and Andrew will automatically advance to the International Science and Engineering Fair, May 12 through 18, in Louisville, Ky. All three students will go to the Virginia Science and Engineering Fair on April 6 and 7 at Randolph-Macon College. State winners will go on to the International Science and Engineering Fair.
Andrew, a freshman from Loudoun County High School, won best of fair for his experiment in the biochemistry division. "The Effect of Soil Types on the Decomposition Rate of Buried Apples." Andrew's experiment tested whether the decomposition rate of apples buried under topsoil is greater than that of those buried in sand, peat moss or local soil.
Nakles, a senior from Park View High School, won best of fair for her experiment in the environmental division. "Phytoremediation of Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) in Ceratoptetris Richardi (C-Ferns) and Helianthus (Sunflowers)." MTBE is a gasoline additive that reduces auto emissions, but which also has become a pollutant in ground and drinking water. Nakles' experiment was to discover if sunflowers could use MTBE as a nutrient source via phytoremediation.
Leonard, a sophomore from Loudoun County High School, was named alternate best of fair. His experiment in the engineering division was "Effect of Wing Joints on Flight Time in Folding Wing Ornithopters." Ornithopters are aircraft powered by flapping wings. Leonard's experiment placed a wing joint on the ornithopter to simulate the folding action of a bird's wing on its upstroke.
OTHER CATEGORY winners at the science fair were:
Behavioral and Social Science-first place: Amanda Ruane, Park View High School; second place: Sean Dalby, Loudoun County High School; third place: Alex Leap, Park View High School.
Biochemistry-first place: Brian Andrew, Loudoun County High School; second place: Christopher Case, Park View High School; third Place: Katherine Dye, Park View High School.
Botany-first Place: Kristina Caudle, Potomac Falls High School; second Place: Nathan Glenn, Broad Run High School; third place: Meghan Price, Stone Bridge High School; honorable mention: Stephane Kabesa, Loudoun County High School and Amanda Smithies, Stone Bridge High School.
Chemistry-first place: Dan Espensen, Park View High School; second place: Megan Vernon, Broad Run High School; third place: Colleen Kane, Park View High School.
Computer Science-first place: Derek Elkins, Park View High School; second place: Julie Chung, Broad Run High School; third place: William Angley, Loudoun County High School; honorable mention: Stuart Davis, Park View High School and Reed Pannell, Broad Run High School.
Earth And Space Science-first place: Ashley Veatch, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: Cory Anderson, Loudoun Valley High School; third place: Daniel Higins, Loudoun County High School; honorable mention: Anna Riabtsev, Park View High School
Engineering-first place: Benjamin Leonard, Loudoun County High School; second place: Brian Pinkham, Stone Bridge High School; third place: Daniel Flisek, Stone Bridge High School.
Environmental Science-first place: Rebecca Nakles, Park View High School; second place: Kathleen Oare, Park View High School; third place: Michael Moore, Park View High School; honorable mention: Joseph Doyle and Madison Weitzel, Loudoun County High School.
Mathematics-first place: Christopher Siepmann, Potomac Falls High School; second Place: Amanda Mouser, Loudoun Valley High School.
Medicine and Health-first place: Nena Dominguez, Park View High School; second place: Laura Behrer, Broad Run High School; third place: Hosannah Malubay, Park View High School.
Microbiology-first place: Yassi Pourkazemi, Potomac Falls High School; second place: Carolyn Huynh, Broad Run High School; third place: Zach Snee, Park View High School; honorable mention: Adeeb Aghdassi, Broad Run High School.
Physics-first place; Ryan Burkle, Loudoun County High School; second place: Tyler Amonson, Loudoun Valley High School; third place: Sang Park, Park View High School; honorable mention: Michael Roddewig, Loudoun County High School.
Zoology-first place: Alex Seebeck, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: Lisa Sincavage, Potomac Falls High School; third place: Noah Keen, Broad Run High School; honorable mention: Stephanie A. Wiles, Loudoun Valley High School.
The following special awards were presented at the Loudoun County Regional Science and Engineering Fair:
America Online-Derek Elkins, Park View High School
American Meteorological Society-first place: Ashley Veatch, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: Camilla Nusbaum, Loudoun Valley High School; third place: Scott Spillias, Loudoun County High School.
American Society for Microbiology-first place: Yassi Pourkazemi, Potomac Falls High School; second place: Carolyn Huynh, Broad Run High School; third place: Zach Snee, Park View High School.
Belfour/INRECON-Benjamin Leonard, Loudoun County High School.
Capital PC Users-Derek Elkins, Park View High School; Stuart Davis, Park View High School.
Catoctin Veterinary Clinic-Alex Seebeck, Loudoun Valley High School
Central Intelligence Agency Award/Behavioral and Social Sciences-first place: Sean Dalby, Loudoun County High School; second place: Emily Frost, Loudoun Valley High School; third place: Andrew Moorcones, Potomac Falls High School
Central Intelligence Agency Award/Computer Sciences-first place: William Angley, Loudoun County High School; second place: Carolyn Davis, Loudoun County High School; third place: Stuart Davis, Park View High School.
Central Intelligence Agency Award/Engineering-first place: Gabriel Deukmaji, Broad Run High School; second place: Michael Loew, Broad Run High School; third place: Brian Pinkham, Stone Bridge High School.
Central Intelligence Agency Award/Physics-first place: Tyler Amonsson, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: Ryan Burkle, Loudoun County High School, third place: Samantha Zoller, Loudoun Valley High School.
Fairfax Audubon Society-first place: Alex Seebeck, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: Patrick Yaffee, Loudoun County High School; third place: Camilla Nusbaum, Loudoun Valley High School.
Federal Water Quality Association-first place: S. Gavin Ruedisueli, Loudoun Valley High School; second Place: Jared Fausnaught, Loudoun County High School; third Place: Kendra Gillgren, Broad Run High School. Honorable Mentions: Jennie McKenney, Park View High School, George Wallace, Broad Run High School, and Aubrey Clendenin, Loudoun Valley high School.
George Washington University-Loudoun Environmental Indicators Project: S. Gavin Ruedisueli, Loudoun Valley High School.
Green Party-Matt Diniega, Potomac Falls High School; Cody John Pugsley, Loudoun Valley High School; and John M. White Jr., Loudoun Valley High School.
Institute of Food Technology-Aditi Dholakia, Loudoun County High School.
Iota Sigma Pi (National Honor Society for Women in Chemistry)-Megan Vernon, Broad Run High School.
Izaak Walton League/Loudoun Chapter-first place: Camilla Nusbaum, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: S. Gavin Ruedisueli, Loudoun Valley High School; third place: Jared Fausnaught, Loudoun County High School; honorable mention: Rebecca Nakles, Park View High School.
Kodak Award-Jared Fausnaught, Loudoun County High School.
Loudoun County Farm Bureau-Michael Moore, Park View High School
Loudoun Healthcare Foundation-first place: Nena Dominguez, Park View High School; second place: Laura Behrer, Broad Run High School; third place: Hosannah Malubay, Park View High School.
Loudoun Soil and Water Conservation District-first place: Jack Brown Award ($100 Savings Bond): Joshua Richards, Loudoun County High School; second place: Leslie W. King Award ($100 Savings Bond): Brian Anderson, Loudoun County High School; third place: James W. Rowley Award ($100 Savings Bond): Aubrey Clendenin, Loudoun Valley High School.
Loudoun Wildlife Conservancy-first place: Alex Seebeck, Loudoun Valley High School; second place: Jared Fausnaught, Loudoun County High School; third place: S. Gavin Ruedisueli, Loudoun Valley High School.
National Institute of Industrial Engineers-first place: Joshua Berman, Broad Run High School; second place: Laura Behrer, Broad Run High School; third place: Elaine Carpenter, Potomac Falls High School.
Northern Virginia Dental Association/Virginia Dental Association: Biochemistry-Christopher Hansen, Loudoun Valley High School; Botany-Meghan Price, Stone Bridge High School; Chemistry-Dan Espensen, Park View High School; Computer Science-Julie Chung, Broad Run High School; Environmental: S. Gavin Ruedisueli, Loudoun Valley High School; Mathematics-Amanda Mouser, Loudoun Valley High School; Medicine & Health-Laura Behrer, Broad Run High School; Microbiology-Carolyn Huynh, Broad Run High School; Physics-John M. White Jr., Loudoun Valley High School; Zoology-Noah Keen, Broad Run High School.
Rehau Inc.-Jennifer Forsythe, Park View High School; Michael Loew, Broad Run High School.
Shenandoah University-Rebecca Nakles, Park View High School.
Society of Manufacturing Engineers-first place: Benjamin Leonard, Loudoun County High School; second place: Brian Pinkham, Stone Bridge High School; third place: Julie Chung, Broad Run High School.
U.S. Air Force-first place: Benjamin Leonard, Loudoun County High School; second place: Ashley Veatch, Loudoun Valley High School; third place: Christopher Siepmann, Potomac Falls High School.
U.S. Army Recruiting Command/Frederick, Md.-first place: Kathleen Oare, Park View High School; second place: Julie Chung, Broad Run High School.
U.S. Army Reserve/Earth & Space Sciences: Scott Spillias, Loudoun County High School; Anna Riabtsev, Park View High School.
U.S. Army Reserve/Engineering: Brian Pinkham, Stone Bridge High School; Gretchen Hannes, Potomac Falls High School; John Lanham, Loudoun Valley High School.
U.S. Army Reserve/Physics: Ryan Burkle, Loudoun County High School; Patrick Godfrey, Loudoun Valley High School; Michael Roddewig, Loudoun County High School.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services-Sarah Kott, Potomac Falls High School.
U.S. Naval Sea Systems Command-Brian Pinkham, Stone Bridge High School.
U.S. Public Health Service-Carleigh Gavin, Park View High School; Nena Dominguez, Park View High School; Brittany Sweigart, Stone Bridge High School; Cheryl Welke, Park View High School.
Virginia Department of Environmental Quality-first place: Yassi Pourkazemi, Potomac Falls High School; second place: Michael Moore, park View High School; third place: Kendra Gillgren, Broad Run High School. Honorable mentions: S. Gavin Ruedisueli, Loudoun Valley High School, Sandra Lawson, Park View High School, Matt Diniega, Potomac Falls High School, Rebecca Nakles, Park View High School, and Joseph Doyle, Loudoun Valley High School.
Virginia Water/Stockholm Water-first place: Kathleen Oare, Park View High School; second place: Christina Nguyen, Park View High School.
Williowcraft Farm Vineyards-Amanda Ruane, Park View High School.