Students win awards in science competition

By Jennifer Sicking
Special to the Tribune-Star

TERRE HAUTE April 12, 2008 06:48 pm

— Swara Kopparty’s seizing of an opportunity netted her a college scholarship and an entry into a national science competition.
“I think it’s a great opportunity and an incentive for people to do research,” she said of the 35th Annual Indiana Regional Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.
Kopparty, a senior at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, placed first in the symposium with her research project “The Nature of Bonding in Metal-Carbonyl Complexes.” The symposium was March 6-8 at Indiana State University. Kopparty won a $2,000 scholarship and a $500 award for her teacher, David Drake, to use for classroom supplies.
“What I do is look at complex computational chemistry and try to find interactions that go in complexes,” Kopparty said about her research. “I try to find what holds them together.”
The Junior Science and Humanities Symposia Program promotes original research and experimentation in the sciences, engineering and mathematics at the high school level and publicly recognizes students for outstanding achievement. The national competition is scheduled April 30 to May 4, with the winner there receiving a $16,000 scholarship.
Of the 61 students who submitted research papers for the Indiana regional symposium, 22 were chosen to give oral presentations. Twenty-six students presented their research through posters in a separate competition.
Kopparty said she enjoyed the symposium, as it exposed her to what kind of research other students were doing.
“I like learning about new things, science and math,” she said. “I think it’s a great opportunity and incentive for people to do research.”
Second place and a $1,500 scholarship went to Mia Chen of Carmel High School for her research titled “Kinase suppressor of RAS plays a Critical Role in Modulating Inflammatory Mast Cell Functions.” She also took first place in the poster competition.
Three other finalists received $1,000 scholarships: Sean Hendricks of Marian High School, Nyssa Boyd of Eastern High School and Eric Anderson of Marian High School. Students receiving an honorable mention award were Jessica Jackson of Eastern High School, Stacey Vosters of North Daviess High School, Hannah Scudder of North Daviess High School and Rachel Dalton of Eastern High School.
Poster competition winners were Chen, first; Hendricks and Hunter Stallman of Marian High School, second (tie); Vosters, fourth; Emily Kerns of Noblesville High School, fifth.
Jennifer Sicking can be reached at (812) 237-7972 or jsicking@indstate.edu.