2008-09 National First-Place Winners
National First-Place Winners
$50,000 Scholarship
Alexander Chernyakhovsky
William Mason High School
Mason, Ohio
Global Epidemiological Analysis of Avian Influenza Viruses in Humans
"The YES Competition is unique in that it is the only competition that really focuses on one field. This allows participants to meet and learn from experts in the field of epidemiology. The judging panel does a phenomenal job encouraging future scientists in continuing to pursue science and their research."
Broad coverage of the avian influenza, or bird flu, outbreak in 2006 was the source of inspiration for Alexander's project, in which he used computer-based modeling and simulation to predict the timeline for outbreaks of avian influenza and potential risk areas of infection in humans. Alexander's model included data and features such as the tracking of migrating waterfowl, stationary waterfowl, and poultry to determine the routes by which avian influenza infection can spread. His study focused on the potential application of the forecasts of his model to the World Health Organization process of selecting the three strains of influenza included in the flu vaccine each year. Because of the sophistication and complexity of his model, Alexander ran his bio-simulations at the Ohio Supercomputer Center.
Alexander is on the math team and founded the student chapter of the Mason ACM, William Mason High School's computer and technology club. He received the second-place team award in the 2008 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and has placed as both a semifinalist and regional finalist in the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology. Alexander will study biology and computer science when he goes to college next year and hopes to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the California Institute of Technology, or Carnegie Mellon University.
Amrita Sehgal
Menlo-Atherton High School
Atherton, California
Can We Start the War on Osteoporosis Early? Are Teenagers Taking Enough Calcium?
"The finalists at the YES Competition were in high school, yet when they presented their research they sounded like prestigious professors! Every project was innovative and clever, and I honestly learned more about the world and people around me through their projects than I have in my entire life."
While working at the Institute of Clinical Outcomes Research and Education (ICORE) in Palo Alto, California, Amrita wondered if teenagers like her were taking enough calcium to help them prevent osteoporosis later in their lives. She found that only 38 percent of students participating in her study met the requirement for the recommended daily calcium intake, with just 20 percent of girls and 52 percent of boys getting the recommended daily amount. She also found that teenagers got less calcium in their diet as they got older. Amrita believes her results show a need for increased health education among teenagers to promote the importance of calcium intake.
Amrita is an active member of the Outreach Club and volunteers for the Alexandra Chiles Foundation. Her hobbies include golfing, reading, and Indian dance. Amrita will work at ICORE this summer researching the prevalence of osteoporotic hip fractures in males. In the fall, she will attend the University of California, Berkeley, and looks forward to a career in public health.