ROCK SPRINGS — Western Wyoming Community College hosted 68 students from five different schools participating in the Southwest Wyoming Regional Science Fair Jan. 22.
“The science fair gives students statewide a chance to showcase their scientific creativity and ingenuity. We deeply appreciate the participating students and the teachers and families who support them,” David Tanner, Dean of Arts and Sciences said.
The fair is an affiliate of Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), which is the world’s largest international pre-college science competition. The categories, divisions, rules, and judging criteria of the fair are in line with the Intel ISEF requirements.
This year, there were 45 projects from Big Piney Middle School, Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, Pinedale High School, Hanna Elementary and Jackson Hole Community School.
For the past 11 years, TATA Chemicals has donated a monetary prize to the winning student’s school. This year, TATA Chemicals will donate $750 to Pinedale High School for use in promoting the school’s science, technology, engineering, and math program.
The results are as follows:
Overall Winner:
Ash Cooper, from Pinedale High School for his project, Second Chances. Ash was awarded a trophy and medal.
Animal Sciences:
Junior Division
- First place: Symon Carpenter, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Roads in the Cottonwood Ryegrass Area on Sage Grouse Behavior
- Second place: Karter Razar, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Crossing Structures on Mule Deer Behavior
- Third place: Briggs Bailey and Stetson Hoffman, Big Piney Middle School, Behavioral Responses of Cattle to GPS-Based Virtual Fencing Systems
Behavioral and Social Sciences:
Junior Division
- First place: Adison Penfield and Gabriella Bennett, Big Piney Middle School, The Cognitive Effects of ChatGPT on the Brain
- Second place: Saige Erickson and Tailyn Sellers, Kemmerer Jr/Sr High School, Coke vs Pepsi
- Second place: Kelsey Zobell, Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, Who’s Who and What’s What of Chocolate
SR. DIVISION
- First place: Annie Statter and Marlow Stricklin, Jackson Hole Community School, The Cognitive Effects of ChatGPT on the Brain
- Second place: Gabriela Carrillo Granados, Jackson Hole Community School, Back to Reality
Biochemistry/Cellular and Molecular Biology/Bioinformatics and Computational Biology:
Junior Division
- First place: Brynnley Holgate and Brylee Staley, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Herbicide on DNA Structure
- Second place: Callee Wilder, Big Piney Middle School, Extraction and Utilization of Plant-Based Lignin for the Development of Eco-Friendly Fire Retardants
Biomedical and Health Sciences/Biomedical Engineering/Translational Medical Sciences:
Junior Division
- First place: Izabella McCommons and Elizabeth Wagstaff, Big Piney Middle School, The Effects Blue Light Has On Your Circadian Rhythm
- Second place: Isabella Bennet and Colleen Denison, Big Piney Middle School, Bio-Brawl: The Battle Between Wrestlers and Bacteria
- Third place: Anessa Bowen and Cameryn Hanssen, Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, Can you tell the difference in M&M colors?
Chemistry/Energy: Chemical:
Junior Division
- First place: Quinsie Butler, Hanna Elementary, Disintegrating Eggshell
- Second place: Evelyn Frescas, Hanna Elementary School, Ice, Ice Baby Melt!
- Third place: Angelavon Alexander, Hanna Elementary School, Dissolved Mess
Earth and Environmental Sciences/Environmental Engineering:
Junior Division
- First place: Heidi Bell and Avery Burgess, Big Piney Middle School, Removing Microplastics from Water
- Second place: Kyla Arnold, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of High Traffic Levels on Particulate Matter Concentrations Near Roadways
- Third place: Silas Strong and Greyson Wicks, Big Piney Middle School, What is the species diversity, and population densities of flora and fauna within 100 meters of natural gas well-sites compared to control areas in the Hogsback area?
Engineering Mechanics/Sustainable Materials and Design/Materials Science:
Junior Division
- First place: Ezra Howard, Big Piney Middle School, Eco-Energy: Comparing the Output of Biochars Derived from Wood and Manure and Firewood
- Second place: Aidan Rees and Garrett York, Big Piney Middle School, Engineering an Electromagnetic Launcher
- Third place: Weston Eiden, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Nose Cone Shape on Rocket Aerodynamics
Senior Division
- First place: Ash Cooper, Pinedale High School, Second Chances
- Second place: Ash Stam, Jackson Hole Community School, The Effects of Clear Coatings on Microplastic Reduction in Vinyl Records
- Third place: Jacob Heimbouch and Andrew Overbay, Jackson Hole Community School, What type of material is cheapest but still reflects heat the best for aircraft insulation?
Microbiology:
Junior Division
- First place: Karlee Bowles and Raelynn Denison, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Gene Insertion in Creating Glowing Bacteria
- Second place: Amdon Combs, Oaklee Hill, Thadeus Runnion, Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, The Five Second Rule
- Third place: Brexton Dearden, Liam Parks, Brody Wengren Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, What Molds the Fastest?
Physics and Astronomy:
Junior Division
- First place: Chrstina Duchon and Keslie Knotts, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Air Pressure on Volleyball Speed
- Second place: Johnson Bright, Big Piney Middle School, Exploring the Physics Behind Plasma and Using it in a Cannon
- Third place: Kimberly Schneider, Kemmerer Junior/Senior High School, Which sound is the fastest?
Plant Sciences:
Junior Division
- First place: Jensen Bray and Leland Jones, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of CO2 Loading on Rates Plants Growth
- Second place: Alexys Moceika and Sage Polk, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Vape Liquid on the Germination of Alfalfa Seeds
- Third place: Landon Griffin and Gage Jones, Big Piney Middle School, The Effect of Fire Retardant on Plant Cells
Senior Division
- First place: Andie Abad and Kiera Jackson, Jackson Hole Community School, The Interaction Between Microplastics and Plant Roots
