Young Scientists and Engineers Take Spotlight at Annual Awards Dinner
Rocky Hill, CT — Connecticut’s most talented young scientists and engineers will be honored by the Connecticut Academy of Science and Engineering (CASE) at its 44th Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner on Tuesday, May 28th at the
Red Lion Hotel Cromwell. Winners of this year’s Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair, Connecticut Junior Science and
Humanities Symposium and Connecticut Invention Convention will be recognized during the evening ceremonies.
The H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence, established by CASE will be awarded to the top winners of the Connecticut
Science & Engineering Fair. 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.
This year’s keynote address will be delivered by CASE Member Meg Urry, PhD, Israel Munson Prof. of Physics and
Astronomy, Yale University. Additionally, twenty-four newly elected members of the Academy will be recognized at the
event.
Student winners to be honored are:
The 2019 H. Joseph Gerber Medal of Excellence
Raina Jain, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT
2019 Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – 1st Place, Life Sciences-Senior DivisionProject: Control of Varroa Destructor Infestation with a Dual-function, Thymol-Emitting Honey Bee Hive Entranceway
Cynthia Chen, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT
2019 Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – 1st Place, Physical Sciences-Senior Division
Project: A Green Nanotechnological Approach for Energy Efficiency and Conservation: Tungsten-doped Vanadium Dioxide
Thermochromic Smart Windows
2019 H. Joseph Gerber Award
Srikar Godilla and Cristian Rodriguez, CREC Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, East Hartford, CT
2019 Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – Urban School Challenge High School Winner
Project: Development of In-situ Fabrication Methods of Martian Construction Material
2019 Connecticut Science & Engineering Fair – Middle School Winner, Urban School Challenge
Srishti Ramakrishnan, Westside Middle School Academy, Danbury, CT
Project: The Study of Effectiveness of Different Separation Methods in Removing Suspended Microplastics from Water
2019 Connecticut Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
1ST Place: Raina Jain, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT
Project: Control of Varroa Destructor Infestation with a Dual-Function, Thymol-Emitting Honey Bee Hive Entranceway
2ND Place: Hannah Goldenberg, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT
Project: Linking Continued Exposure to E-Cigarette Vapor Constituents with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
3RD Place: Olivia Yoo, Darien High School, Darien, CT
Project: Angiotensin-II Hypertension Enhances Morphological Alterations of Tight Junctions
4TH Place: Collin Marino, Greenwich High School, Greenwich, CT
Project: A Versatile, Genetic-Based Cancer Treatment Capable of Selectively Killing Cancerous Cells via the Detection of Single Mutations
5TH Place: Sophia Wang, Amity Regional High School
Project: Real Time Sinkhole Detection Using Civil Engineering Techniques, the Internet of Things (IoT), and Artificial Intelligence
2019 Connecticut Invention Convention (Awardees listed by hometown)
Avon: Leo Southam, Talcott Mountain Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Avon: Zachary Starr, Talcott Mountain Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology
Baltic: Brendan Bezanson, Sayles School
Bethel: Nila Kumar, Bethel Middle School
Bolton: Nicole Barnes, Bolton Center School
Bolton: Gianpaolo Girasoli, Bolton Center School
Colchester: Abigail Belding, William J. Johnston Middle School
Danbury: Max Coisman, St. Gregory the Great School
East Granby: Sara Moore, East Granby Middle School
Ellington: Molly Deptula, Ellington Middle School
Lyme-Old Lyme: Nyla Goulis, Lyme-Old Lyme Middle School
North Windham: Manuel Silva, Charles H. Barrows STEM Academy
Putnam: Lily Goyette, Putnam Middle School
Westport: Tolani Oshin, Greens Farms Academy
Westport: Jakob Zapanta, Greens Farms Academy
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