Hartford, CT — Connecticut’s most talented young scientists and engineers will be honored by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering at its 31st Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on May 24, 2006 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Cromwell, Connecticut. Winners of the 2006 Connecticut Science Fair, the 2006 Connecticut Science Challenge, the 2006 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, and the 2006 Connecticut Invention Convention will be recognized during the evening ceremonies.

The H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence, established by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering and sponsored by Gerber Scientific, Inc., will be awarded to the two first place winners of the Connecticut Science Fair and the first place winner of the Connecticut Science Challenge. The medal was created to recognize and honor H. Joseph Gerber’s (1924-1996) technical leadership in inventing, developing and commercializing manufacturing automation systems for a wide variety of industries, making those industries more efficient and cost-effective in a worldwide competitive environment.

The Chief of Technology and Innovation of the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Dr. Karl M. Prewo will give the keynote address, entitled “Progress and Plans for the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology.”

Student winners to be honored include:

The H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence:
Pratistha Koirala, E.O. Smith High School, Storrs, CT
2006 Connecticut Science Fair – 1st Place, Life Sciences-Senior Division
Project: Tracking the Localization of AVP1 in Arabidopsis Thaliana Tissue

Jonathan Sellon, Staples High School, Westport, CT
2006 Connecticut Science Fair – 1st Place, Physical Sciences-Senior Division
Project: Modeling Auditory Attention by Implementing IHC Movement into Frequency Selectivity of the Inner Ear: A Novel Approach to Stimuli Separation

Jonathan Sellon, Staples High School, Westport, CT
2006 Connecticut Science Challenge – 1st Place
Project: Modeling Auditory Attention by Implementing IHC Movement into Frequency Selectivity of the Inner Ear: A Novel Approach to Stimuli Separation

2006 Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology
2nd Place National Winner: Kiran Pendri, Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT
Project: “Macrocyclization Using Ring-Closing Olefin Metathesis of a 13-Member Dithiolactone”

2006 Connecticut Science Challenge
1st Place – See H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence award winner

2nd Place: Timothy Grejtak, Darien High School, Darien, CT
Project: “The Design and Construction of a Novel Hydrogen-Fueled Engine System”

2nd Place: Kiran Pendri, Choate Rosemary Hall, Wallingford, CT
Project: “Macrocyclization Using Ring-Closing Olefin Metathesis of a 13-Member Dithiolactone”

Honorable Mention: Raj Ranade, East Lyme High School, East Lyme, CT
Project: “A computer Model for Optimization of a Non-Isothermal Chlorination”

2006 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
1st Place: Jonathan Sellon, Staples High School, Westport, CT
Project: Modeling Auditory Attention by Implementing IHC Movement into Frequency Selectivity of the Inner Ear: A Novel Approach to Stimuli Separation

2nd Place: Kathleen Farley, Darien High School, Darien, CT
Project: “Chronic Stress-Related Reduction of Microglial Proliferation in the Hilus of the Dorsal Hippocampus is reversed by Topiramate”

3rd Place: Timothy Grejtak, Darien High School, Darien, CT
Project: “The Design and Construction of a Novel Hydrogen-Fueled Engine System”

4th Place: Jason Clain, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT
Project: “The Diagnosis of Malignant Melanoma Using Visible Sprectroscopy”

5th PLACE: Nina Lintermans, Staples High School, Westport, CT
Project: “Diagnosis of Asthmatic Reactions Through Protein Arrays and Luminex Technology”

2006 Connecticut Invention Convention
Jennifer Chapman, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School; Mark Cristaldi, Torrington Middle School; Haris Durrani, Bedford Middle School; Eva Hintz, Torrington Middle School; Maya Kelly, Two Rivers Magnet Middle School; Mackenzie Klug, Torrington Middle School; Amanda Makol, Two Rivers Magnet Middle School; Michele Markel, Torrington Middle School; Scott Mitchell, Two Rivers Magnet Middle School; Jill Moraski, Torrington Middle School; Caroline Muhsin, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School; Alyssa Perregaux, Torrington Middle School; Kiley Putnam, Cromwell Middle School; Sarah Rosa, East Haven Academy; Matthew Rosengrant, Torrington Middle School

Twenty-five newly elected members of the Academy will also be recognized during the evening.