Students earn world championships in science and engineering
By Dr. Don M. Jordan, USC

Spring Valley High School students Shivani Agarwal and Graham van Schaik win big at the International Science and Engineering Fair.

At the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), in Albuquerque, N.M., May 14- 19, Graham van Schaik of Spring Valley High School won first place in the Environmental Science category and Best of Show in the Environmental Science competition. Shivani Agarwal, also of Spring Valley, won third place in the Bio- Chemistry category.

The ISEF is the largest pre- collegiate science and engineering competition in the world with over 1500 participants from the U.S. and 50 countries, and over $4 million dollars in awards given out.

Graham, who placed second in this competition last year, won $8000 and a laptop computer presented by the Intel Foundation for his project titled "Pyrethroids and Neurodegeneration: The Absorption of Pyrethroids into S. domesticus (pig) Lungs and the Effect of the Recovered Pyrethroid Levels on PC12 Neurite Retraction." He was mentored by Dr. Paul Housley of the USC School of Medicine.

Shivani won $1000 presented by Agilent Technologies for her project titled "The Effect of Green Tea EGCG on the Ability of p25- Activated Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5 (cdk5) to Induce Cell Death in cos-7 Kidney Cells: Implications for Alzheimer's Disease." Her mentor was Dr. Deanna Smith of the USC Biology Department.

Spring Valley High School and the USC Region II Science and Engineering Fair will also receive $1000 each in recognition of the work of these students.

Dr. Don Jordan, director of the USC Region II Fair says, "This is no small win for S.C.'s USC Region II Science and Engineering Fair or these terrific students, as we must compete against the magnet schools in Virginia, New York, Ohio, and California as well as very many gifted international students".

Other students representing the Midlands from the Region II Science Fair were team members Kaitlyn Rainwater and Ariel Guinn of Dreher High School. Students sent as official observers were Lauren Nixon and Ryan Moran of Spring Valley High School. USC also sent Lisa McAlpine and Dr. Robin Henderson of Spring Valley High School to lead the official ISEF party for the State of South Carolina. In addition, Judith Ray of Dreher High School was a lead teacher and mentor for the USC Region II Science and Engineering Fair.