Two Semi-Finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search

Two high-school students that studied at BMIR last year were chosen among the 300 semi-finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search (STS).

Denzil Sikka, of Harker High School in San Jose, CA, worked with David Chen on building models of human aging and development from clinical laboratory data. Rohan Chakicherla of Monte Vista High School in Danville, CA, worked with Atul Butte on the topological properties of obesity-associated genes in protein-protein interaction networks.

“This means that we are not just contributing to science and medicine in general, but we are also contributing to the development of our own local students,” Butte says.

Sikka and Chakicherla will receive a $1,000 award for their outstanding research. Additionally, to recognize excellence in teaching and school support of individual student research, every school will receive an award of $1,000 for each Semifinalist named in the Intel STS 2009. This award is used to further excellence in science, math, and engineering education at the recipient school.

Finalists were announced January 28, 2009. Sikka and Chakicherla were not selected as finalists, but we congratulate them on their achievement as Intel STS Semi-Finalists.

The list of California finalists is here:
http://www.societyforscience.org/sts/68sts/finalists.asp
The list of California semi-finalists is here:
http://sciserv.org/sts/68sts/state.cfm?state=ca

The Intel STS is America’s oldest and most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors. Since 1942, first in partnership with Westinghouse, and since 1998 with Intel, the competition has provided a national stage for America’s best and brightest young scientists to present original research to nationally recognized professional scientists. Each spring, 40 finalists are selected from a nationwide pool of thousands to attend the week-long Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C.

For more details on the Intel Science Talent Search, go here:
http://www.societyforscience.org/sts/index.asp