Students Showcase STEM Skills at Regional Science Fair

SAN BERNARDINO, CA— More than 160 students competed in the 40th Annual San Bernardino, Inyo and Mono Counties Science and Engineering Fair (SIMSEF).

“This year’s virtual competition showcased incredible projects that required creativity, knowledge and commitment,” said County Superintendent Ted Alejandre. “I am extremely proud of the many engaging and complex projects our students have developed. It’s exciting to see our students cultivating an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.”

This regional science fair features science projects designed, developed and displayed by elementary, middle and high school students from schools in each county. Individual and group projects were judged in 21 various science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) categories.

Students competed in three different divisions: Elementary (Grades 4-5), Junior (Grades 6-8) and Senior (Grades 9-12). Submissions from students within the three counties totaled 137 projects, with 115 individual entries and 22 group entries. The awards ceremony took place virtually on March 17, 2022.

Nearly 30 students from the Junior and Senior divisions advanced to the California Science & Engineering Fair, held virtually on April 12, 2022.

Four projects were named 2022 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Finalists. The five students will have the opportunity to travel to Atlanta, Georgia in May and compete with over 1800 students from across the world.

Regeneron ISEF Finalists:
• Makena Bailey & Kyra Phaychanpheng, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “The Effects of Varying Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium (NPK) Ratios on Algal Growth in Wetland Water”
• Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Eastern Sierra of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District “Predicting the onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning.”
• Snow Cameron, Upland High School, Upland Unified School District “Why can’t gamma see? It’s probably AMD.”

Students also earned various Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) Regional Awards:
• American Meteorological Society Award – Makena Bailey & Kyra Phaychanpheng, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “The Effects of Varying Nitrogen:Phosphorus:Potassium (NPK) Ratios on Algal Growth in Wetland Water”
• American Meteorological Society Award – Isabelle Pinto, Los Osos High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, “Need a Little Space?”
• American Psychological Association Award – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District, “Predicting Onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning”
• ASM Materials Education Foundation Award – Lidia Diego, Colton High School, Colton Joint Unified School District, “Can plastic be made differently?”
• Association for Women Geoscientists Award – Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Projecting Disappearance of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• Mu Alpha Theta Award – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District, “Predicting Onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning”
• NASA Earth System Science Award – Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Projecting Disappearance of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• National Geographic Society That’s Geography! Award – Ethan Chang & Kyle Huang, Upland High School, Upland Unified School District, “Breaking Wind”
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award – Elina Kim, Silverado High School, Victor Valley Union High School District, “Microplastics in the Tissues of Farm-Raised Tilapia, Swai, and Salmon”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Mason Young, Inland Leaders Charter School, “Which damper will tamper with the vibrations?”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Michael Flynn, Moore Middle School, Redlands Unified School District, “How Does Viscosity Affect the Protection of a Fragile Object?”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Elina Kim, Silverado High School, Victor Valley Union High School District, “Microplastics in the Tissues of Farm-Raised Tilapia, Swai, and Salmon”
• Office Of Naval Research U.S. Navy/U.S. Marine Corps Award – Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Fat Digestion with Digestive Supplements: Ox Bile and Pancreatin”
• Regeneron Biomedical Science Award – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District, “Predicting Onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning”
• Ricoh USA, Inc. Award – Srinivas Gollapudi, Upland High School, Upland Unified School District, “The Effects of Temperature and pH solutions on Microbial Fuel Cells”
• Society for In Vitro Biology Award – Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Fat Digestion with Digestive Supplements: Ox Bile and Pancreatin”
• The Lemelson Foundation Early Inventor Award – Daniel Chien & Arjun Wazir, Country Springs Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Light Heating”
• U.S Agency for International Development Award – Mason Young, Inland Leaders Charter School, “Which damper will tamper with the vibrations?”
• U.S. Department of Defense STEM Leadership Award – Abigail Espinoza & Isabel Servin, Sacred Heart Academy, “C.S.I. Crime Scene Investigation”
• U.S. Metric Association Award – Sofia Vega, Paul J. Rogers Elementary School, Colton Joint Unified School District, “Alkaline Grass Water”
• U.S. Stockholm Junior Regional Water Prize Award – Elina Kim, Silverado High School, Victor Valley Union High School District, “Microplastics in the Tissues of Farm-Raised Tilapia, Swai, and Salmon”
• U.S. Stockholm Junior Regional Water Prize Award – Ellery McQuilkin, Lee Vining High School, Eastern Sierra Unified School District, “Projecting Disappearance of the Dana Glacier Using Observed Melt Rate and 3D Modeling”
• United States Air Force Award – Wyatt Browning & JC Cervantes, Cameron Elementary School, Barstow Unified School District, “Payload to Mars”
• Yale Science and Engineering Association Award – Arul Loomba, Rancho Cucamonga High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, “Characterization of pathogenic enhancer data using computational analysis”

Professional Engineers of California Government (PECG), Inland Empire Sector Local Community Awards recipients are:
• Elementary Division – Andrew Lee, Gerald F. Litel Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Earthquake Resilient Building”
• Junior Division – Hannah Chaix, Charlotte Mason Schools Co-op, “Testing Potassium Carbonate as a Fire Retardant in House Paint”
• Senior Division – Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Chino Hills High School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Fat Digestion with Digestive Supplements: Ox Bile and Pancreatin”

Project Scientist is a non-profit that aims to increase diversity in STEM fields by empowering girls in pursuit of STEM careers. Three students were awarded the Project Scientist Ignite Award:
• Elementary Division – Ava Utterback, Edwin Rhodes Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “How Does Music Rock the Brain?”
• Junior Division – Hannah Chaix, Charlotte Mason Schools Co-op, “Testing Potassium Carbonate as a Fire Retardant in House Paint”
• Senior Division – Jessie Lin, Los Osos High School, Chaffey Joint Union High School District, “Padding Down Plastic?”

The Sweepstakes and Science and Technology Education Partnership (STEP) Award recognizes projects that are unique and outstanding in their respective divisions. The Sweepstakes and STEP Award winners are:
• Elementary Division – Elementary Division – Andrew Lee, Gerald F. Litel Elementary School, Chino Valley Unified School District, “Earthquake Resilient Building”
• Junior Division – Hannah Chaix, Charlotte Mason Schools Co-op, “Testing Potassium Carbonate as a Fire Retardant in House Paint”
• Senior Division – Varun Srivastava, Redlands High School, Redlands Unified School District “Predicting the onset of Depressive Disorder using Machine Learning.”

County SIMSEF 2022 Gold Medalists in Elementary, Junior and Senior Divisions, by District:

Barstow Unified
Rylan Dokie, Elementary Division
Wyatt Browning, Junior Division
JC Cervantes, Junior Division
Xavior Collado, Junior Division

Chaffey Joint Union High
Arul Loomba, Senior Division

Charlotte Mason Schools – Homeschool Co-op
Hannah Chaix, Junior Division

Chino Valley Unified
Andrew Lee, Elementary Division
Lavith Raj, Elementary Division
Ava Utterback, Elementary Division
Daniel Chien, Junior Division
Arjun Wazir, Junior Division
Makena Bailey, Senior Division
Kyra Phaychanpheng, Senior Division
Ko Er (Carol) Rau, Senior Division

Colton Joint Unified
Audrina Calderon, Elementary Division
Ava Firnkoess, Junior Division

Eastern Sierra Unified (Mono COE)
Ellery McQuilkin, Senior Division
Etiwanda
Ishaan Iyer, Elementary Division
Alexander (AJ) Pesetski, Elementary Division
Shaurya Varshnay, Elementary Division

Inland Leaders Charter School
Samantha Amick, Junior Division
Abigail Espinoza, Junior Division
Isabel Servin, Junior Division
Mason Young, Junior Division

Redlands Unified
Matthew Li, Elementary Division
Jayden Lui, Elementary Division
Amelia Rush, Elementary Division
Michael Flynn, Junior Division
Benjamin Jordan, Junior Division
Varun Srivastava, Senior Division

Upland Unified
Ethan Chang, Senior Division
Srinivas Gollapudi, Senior Division
Kyle Huang, Senior Division
Snow Cameron, Senior Division
Maria Watkins, Senior Division

Victor Valley Union High
Elina Kim, Senior Division

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