Skip To Main Content

Logo Image

Logo Title

Manhasset Students Excel at W.A.C. Lighting Invitational Science Fair

Manhasset Students Excel at W.A.C. Lighting Invitational Science Fair

Manhasset High School students recently showcased their scientific expertise at the W.A.C. Lighting Invitational Science Fair, held on April 19 at Herricks High School. This prestigious competition allowed our young researchers to present their original work to panels of professionals and experts across various scientific disciplines.

Following a rigorous judging process, several Manhasset students were recognized for their exceptional research and innovation at an Awards Ceremony on April 22 at Great Neck South High School. In addition to their accolades, top-placing students were awarded monetary prizes: $200 for first place, $150 for second place and $100 for third place.

The district is incredibly proud of these students for their tireless dedication to scientific inquiry and academic rigor. Their success at this high-level competition is a testament to their hard work and the strength of our research programs. We congratulate our winners on these outstanding achievements and look forward to seeing their future contributions to the world of science.

Award Results

General Biology:

1st Place:

  • Andrew Li (Grade 11): Mechanistic Impact of Adhered & Absorbed Antimicrobial Strategies on Surface Persistence of E. coli K-12 in Lettuce

2nd place:

  • Anayis Ciamician (Grade 10) & Kelly Zhu (Grade 10): The Effect of Curcumin on Drosophila melanogaster Locomotor Ability as a Model for Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP)

3rd place: 

  • Elivia Choong (Grade 10) & Talie Lin (Grade 10): Ecotoxicological effects of polyethylene microplastics on the growth, regeneration, and behavior of Dugesia tigrina

Honorable Mention: 

  • Bentley Lam (Grade 11): Optimizing Hydrogels as Amendments and for the Control of Invasive Ant Species

  • Jovan Chow (Grade 10) & Vienna Choong (Grade 10):  Evaluating Planarian Regeneration Time, Head, Growth, CTCF, Oxidative Stress, and Behavioral Locomotion After Application of L-Tyrosine Supplements

  •  Logan Nesterczuk (Grade 11) & Joshua Chung (Grade 11):  Assessment of DEP and Polystyrene Microparticle Neurotoxicity in Alzheimer-Model C. elegans with Evaluation of ZnTiO3 Nanoremediation Supported by Neurobehavioral, Oxidative Stress, and Computational Analyses

Biochemistry:

3rd place: 

  • Sophia Jin (Grade 11) & Li Zhang (Grade 11): Chitin-Enhanced Seaweed Scaffolds for Cartilage Tissue Regeneration

Chemistry:

3rd place: 

  • William Li (Grade 10) & Chase Im (Grade 10): Evaluating the remediation capabilities of chemically and thermally activated hydroponic grown Pontederia crassipes biochar on copper (II) sulfate

Honorable Mention: 

  • Lucus Pai (Grade 11) & Liam Connolly(Grade 11): Novel L-Carnitine-Tuned Fe (II) Phenyl Oxazoline Chitosan-Supported nZVI Composite for Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants

  • John Petropoulos (Grade 10) & Emmett Tay (Grade 10):  A comparative analysis of regeneration techniques on CO2 saturated Musa acuminata peel biochar

Computer Science and Machine Learning:

Honorable Mention: 

  • Roy Shinwoo Choi (Grade 11): Enhancing GPT Accuracy via Iterative Prompt Optimization

Earth and Environmental:

2nd place:

  • Jessica Abraham (Grade 11) & Miley Liu (Grade 11): The Development of a UV Powered Water Purification System Using Graphene-Based Filters for the removal of Azo Dyes in seawater

3rd place: 

  • Errikos Stougiannos (Grade 11): Hybrid Hydrogen Generation & Usage: A Combined Photocatalytic and Photobiological Approach for powering the PEM fuel cell

Honorable Mention: 

  • Katelynn Cai (Grade 10) & Naya Shah (Grade 10): Building a Low-Cost, Paper-Based Sensor for On-Site Detection of Microplastics via Molecular Imprinting and Fluorescent Dye Response using the Natural Biopolymer Cellulose

  • Belen Vazquez (Grade 11) & Krisha Wadhwa (Grade 11): Investigating the Potential of Algae-Derived Hydrogen from Microplastic-induced Oxidative Stress Combated by Antioxidants for PEM Fuel Cells

Engineering:

3rd place: 

  • Chiara D'Angelo (Grade 11) & Paige Petropoulos (Grade 11): Comparing Non-toxic Photostabilized Phycoerythrin, Curcumin, Porphyrin-based Natural Dyes, Butterfly Pea Flowers (Clitoria ternatea) to Ruthenium Based Synthetic Dye as Photosensitizers in Dye Sensitized Solar Cells Approach for powering the PEM fuel cell

Honorable Mention: 

  • David Wu (Grade 10): The Impact of Ice Morphology and Accretion Size on Airfoil Aerodynamic Degradation

Medicine and Health:

2nd place:

  •  Arjun Wanchoo (Grade 11) & Jonah Duhn Sethna (Grade 11): Development of a Waste-Based Quercetin–D-Limonene Hydrogel for Anti-Biofilm Wound Treatment with a Machine-Learning Treatment Guidance App

3rd place: 

  • Soraye Takahashi (Grade 10) & Katerina Katehis (Grade 10): Using Lactobacillus acidophilus and Near Infrared Light (NIR) Photobiomodulation to Combat Amyloid-Beta Plaques in Alzheimer’s Disease Modeled Drosophila Melanogaster

Honorable Mention:

  • Joshua Lin (Grade 10) & Daniel Shen (Grade 10):  Short chain fatty acids reduce cancer biomarkers in gut immune crosstalk-related oncogenesis in a C. elegans model

  • Oscar Shao (Grade 10) & Christina Chang (Grade 10):  Evaluating the impact of Curcumin on the mitigative effect of Diabetes inflicted Drosophila Melanogaster

 

  • district

Photos

A large group of people in formal attire standing in front of a banner that reads %22WAG GROUP TECHNOLOGY ILLUMINATED%22.
Two young women in formal attire stand behind a display table at what appears to be a science fair or exhibition, with various materials and information displayed on the table.
Two young men in suits standing in front of a display board with charts and graphs in what appears to be a school or office setting.
A young man in a suit stands in front of a poster presentation, surrounded by a classroom-like setting with tables and chairs.
Two young women in business attire are standing in a classroom or laboratory setting, with various scientific posters and equipment visible in the background.
Two young women in black suits stand in front of a poster display in what appears to be a conference or exhibition setting.
Two individuals, a man and a woman, are standing in front of a display board in what appears to be a classroom or conference setting. The background features large windows and a high-ceilinged interior, suggesting a spacious and well-lit environment.
The image shows a young man wearing a suit and tie, standing in front of a display board with various charts and graphs. The background appears to be a school or educational setting, with chairs and tables visible.
The image shows a young man in a suit standing in front of a poster display in what appears to be a school or academic setting.
Two young women in black outfits stand in front of a large display board with charts and graphs, likely presenting their research or project at an event or conference.
Two young students in formal attire stand in front of a display board showcasing various charts and graphs in a school setting.
Two young women in business attire are standing next to a display table with a laptop and various presentation materials in what appears to be a school or conference setting.
The image shows two young men in formal attire, likely students, standing in what appears to be an exhibition or conference setting, with various displays and posters visible in the background.
Two young men in business attire standing in front of a display board in what appears to be a school or office setting.
Two young men in formal business attire stand in front of a display board in what appears to be a conference or exhibition hall setting.
The image shows two young women standing in front of a display board in what appears to be a school or academic setting, with a large open space and windows visible in the background.
Two young women in professional attire stand in front of a large poster displaying information, in what appears to be a school or academic setting.
A young man in a suit and tie stands in front of a display board with various charts and graphs.
A young woman in a black jacket stands in front of a large poster displaying various charts and graphs.
A young man in a suit stands in front of a poster for the %22WAC Lighting Invitational Science Fair%22, with his arms crossed and a serious expression on his face.
A young woman in a black suit stands in front of a poster board displaying scientific information, smiling at the camera.
A young man in a suit stands in front of a poster display at what appears to be a school or educational event.
Two young women in professional attire are standing in front of a poster display in what appears to be a school or academic setting.
A young man in a suit stands in front of a poster display, holding a laptop and briefcase, in what appears to be a school or academic setting.