RSD Students Win Big at Mid-Columbia Science Fair

More than 20 RSD students earned awards at the 2023 Mid-Columbia Science Fair. Two high school students, Hanford senior Ourania-Maria Glezakou-Elbert and Richland sophomore Advaitha Motkuri were named Grand Prize winners, earning them a ticket to compete in the International Science & Engineering Fair later this year in Texas. The students were commended for their creativity, hard work, perseverance, and the ability to take risks – attributes needed to solve the most pressing problems in the world.

Students in grades 6-12 may compete in the fair by creating and carrying out a research project on a topic of their choosing. Students were evaluated on their research project abstract, display slides, a scientific journal and overview video. Senior division students were also judged on an interview over Zoom with the scientific review committee.

2023 Mid-Columbia Science Fair RSD award winners:

Leona Libby Middle School:

Andre Chin

• Fair Award: 3rd place in the 6th grade physical science division
• Award of Distinction: Scientific Thought
• Special Award: United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement

Sriyan Thallapally

• Fair Award: 2nd place in the 6th grade physical science division
• Award of Distinction: Data Collection and Analysis
• Special Awards: Creativity Award (2nd place, 6th grade division), Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Nominee

Chloe Custodio

• Fair Award: 1st place in the 6th grade life science division
• Award of Distinction: Data Collection and Analysis
• Special Awards: Agriculture Award (distinguished project), Association for Women Geoscientists Award (outstanding project), The Society of Women Engineers Award (6th grade), Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Nominee

Raman Harilal

• Fair Award: 2nd place in the 7th grade physical science division
• Award of Distinction: Clarity of Presentation
• Special Awards: Creativity Award (1st place, 7th grade division), IEEE 7th grade winner

Rohan Nune

• Fair Award: 1st place in the 7th grade physical science division
• Award of Distinction: Experimental Design
• Special Awards: American Chemical Society Award, Office of Naval Research Junior Award, Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Nominee

Owen Rothwell

• Fair Award: 3rd place, 8th grade division
• Award of Distinction: Scientific Thought
• Special Awards: United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement, American Society of Mechanical Engineers Award

Prayrona Choudhury

• Fair Award: 2nd place, 8th grade division
• Award of Distinction: Creativity
• Special Awards: IEEE 8th grade winner, The Society of Women Engineers Award (8th grade), Lemelson Early Inventor Prize (outstanding invention)

Akshath Motkuri

• Award of Distinction: Creativity
• Special Awards: Agriculture Award (distinguished project), Wenas Mammoth Camp Scholarships (6th-8th grade), STEM Enthusiast Award

 

Chief Joseph Middle School:

Theodore Maier

• Fair Award: 2nd place, 6th grade life science division
• Award of Distinction: Data Collection and Analysis
• Special Award: Office of Naval Research Junior Award

Daylin Olsen

• Fair Award: 1st place, 8th grade division
• Award of Distinction: Engineering
• Special Awards: Creativity Award (1st place, 8th grade division), Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Nominee

 

Enterprise Middle School:

Rishi Vijay

• Fair Award: honorable mention, 7th grade physical science division
• Award of Distinction: Engineering
• Special Award: Inspiring Excellence, Inc. Award,

Ali Evans

• Fair Award: 1st place, 7th grade life science division
• Award of Distinction: Honesty
• Special Awards: American Indian Science and Engineering Society Award, The Society of Women Engineers Award (7th grade), U.S. Agency for International Development Award, Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Nominee

 

Richland High School:

Srithan Thallapally

• Fair Award: 2nd place, 9th grade division
• Award of Distinction: Clarity of Presentation
• Special Award: IEEE 9th grade winner

Advaitha Motkuri

• Fair Award: grand prize senior division
• Award of Distinction: Clarity of Presentation
• Special awards: Sivaraman Award

Ryan Lei

• Award of Distinction: Data Collection and Analysis
• Special Awards: American Nuclear Society (Eastern WA) Award, United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement

 

Hanford:

Aashrita Bhamidimarri

• Fair Award: 1st place, 9th grade division
• Award of Distinction: Data Collection and Analysis
• Special Awards: Office of Naval Research Senior Award, U.S. Metric Association Award, Washington State Science and Engineering Fair Outstanding research-based project achievement award

John Phillip Custodio

• Fair Award: honorable mention, senior division
• Award of Distinction: Perseverance
• Special Awards: Sigma Xi Award, IEEE Senior Division Grand Prize, Computer Science Award 2nd place

Nicole Samaan

• Fair Award: 3rd place senior division
• Special Awards: NOAA’s Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award, National Geographic Award

Navaj Nune

• Fair Award: 2nd place senior division
• Award of Distinction: Clarity of Presentation
• Special Awards: United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement, INMM-PNW Award, Sigma Xi Award, GENIUS Olympiad Exceptional Genius Award

Isabella Pinto

• Fair Award: 1st place senior division
• Award of Distinction: Scientific Thought
• Special Awards: Office of Naval Research Senior Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers Award, IEEE Senior Division Grand Prize

Ourania-Maria Glezakou-Elbert

• Fair Award: grand prize, senior division
• Award of Distinction: Experimental Design
• Special awards: Sivaraman Award, American Nuclear Society (Eastern WA) Award, American Society of Mechanical Engineers Award, The Society of Women Engineers Award (11th-12th grade honorable mention)