Schools

Two Yorktown Students Semifinalists of Intel Science Talent Search

The finalists will be announced on Jan. 23 and will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

Two Yorktown High School students – Tanvi Tiwari and David (Linus) Hamann– are among 300 semifinalists of the Intel Science Talent Search.

They were chosen based on their research paper submissions and are in the running to win the top award of $100,000. 

Tanvi’s work focused on optimizing the placement of ground-source heat pumps. These in-ground heat pumps are a form of geothermal energy that use the energy in the ground to heat or cool a home.

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"By determining the optimal distance between the in-ground heat pumps, systems such as this could become more effective and therefore more popular," said Michael Blueglass, a science teacher at Yorktown High School and director of the school's Science Research Program. 

Hamann's project focused on improving methods to improve solar energy forecasting. The inconsistent pattern of energy that accompanies solar energy collectors has been a limiting factor.

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If new solar energy forecasting methods could better determine when energy can be directly routed vs. stored, this sustainable source of energy can be far more effectively utilized," Blueglass said.

Semifinalists were chosen from more than 1,700 entrants who come from 190 high schools in more than 30 states and one American high school overseas. Each semifinalist receives a $1,000 award from the Intel Foundation with an additional $1,000 going to his or her school. 

The finalists will be announced on Jan. 23 and will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. from March 7 to 13. There, they will compete for $630,000 in awards provided by the Intel Foundation.Winners will be selected based on rigorous judging sessions and announced at a black-tie gala awards ceremony at the National Building Museum on March 12. The top award is $100,000; the remaining top 10 winners will receive awards totaling $305,000. 

This is the second of the science research competitions of the year and the second time that Tiwari and Hamann have been recognized, according to Blueglass. 


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