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RI Coastal Resources Management Council

...to preserve, protect, develop, and restore coastal resources for all Rhode Islanders

CRMC rewards RI students for science fair projects

April 1, 2014, Wakefield –The RI Coastal Resources Management Council has awarded gift cards to six Rhode Island junior, middle and high school students for their winning projects in the 2014 Rhode Island Science and Engineering Fair.

This year’s science and engineering fair took place on March 16 at the Community College of Rhode Island’s Knight Campus in Warwick, and showcased engineering, science and environmental projects from 45 schools and 300 students from grades 6 through 12. This year students showed a total of 277 projects, and the CRMC awarded bonds for projects ranging from acid rain and invasive species, to preventing landslides and bridge design.

The six students were winners of the individual science fairs at their schools; teachers are allowed to send as many as 15 winners per school. The CRMC awarded prizes in the special awards category, which allows organizations and groups to set their own criteria and choose their own winners.
           
In the Senior Division, for students in grades 9-12, the first place prize of a $100 gift card from the CRMC was awarded to Emily Jacobson of Lincoln High School for her project, “The Effect of Absorptivity of Different Sorbents on Oil and Water,” which examined the effectiveness of different materials to soak up oil from an oil spill. Matthew DePamphilis of Portsmouth High School was awarded the second place prize of a $50 gift card for his project, “Biodiesel,” which looked at the efficiency of different vegetable products to create fuel. Third place and a $25 gift card went to Morgan Kane of Mount Hope High School for the project, “Can Daphnia be Used as a Biological Indicator?” Sophie Nerone of the East Bay MET School received Honorable Mention for her project, “The Difference in Native and Exotic Species Communities Found at Different Salinity Levels in Two Rhode Island Coastal Bays.”
           
The CRMC also awarded four gift cards in the Junior Division for students in grades 6-8. The winner of the first place $100 gift card was Noelle Brown from Saint Philomena School for her project, “The Correlation Between Land Use and Water Quality.” Two second place gift cards for $50 total went to Eric Fitzgerald and Jonathan Fay from Saint Luke’s School for their project, “Effectiveness of Varied Wind Turbine Designs,” which studied different designs, how much wind generated by each, and surveyed neighborhood residents for public perception of wind farms. The two also designed a wind turbine for their neighborhood and its effectiveness. Peyton Luiz of the LaSalle Academy Pegasus Program received third place and a $25 gift card for the project, “Green Roofs: How Green Roof Models are Affected by Heat.” Haris Rana of the Islamic School of Rhode Island won Honorable Mention for the project, “Water Limbo: How Low Can You Go,” which evaluated the water use savings of using a water bladder in a toilet tank.
           
The Council has been giving out special awards for the science fair for more than a decade. This is the 66th year of the science fair. Special awards were established as a way for local businesses and organizations to promote what they do and get students interested in science and engineering-related research. The top two winners of the Rhode Island fair’s general awards category will go on to compete in the international science fair in Los Angeles, May 11-17.

Stedman Government Center
Suite 116, 4808 Tower Hill Road, Wakefield, RI 02879-1900
Voice 401-783-3370 • Fax 401-783-2069 • E-Mail cstaff1@crmc.ri.gov

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