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INDUCTEES: 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 |
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Meet the 2004 Inductees
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Hyeyeon Choi
[comic strip]
Dix Hills , New York
Grade: 12
The
Effect of Supercritical Fluids on Polymer Thin Films
Hyeyeon Choi's research has demonstrated
that supercritical fluids can be used as universal solvents
for polymers and arbitrary co-solvents for binary polymer
systems. In this capacity it can become a universal compatibilizer
for any general polymer blend. This finding has important
applications in designing coatings, adhesives, and other unique
materials inexpensively and environmentally safe.
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Joline Fan
[comic strip]
Columbus , Ohio
Grade: 11
Heat Transfer Enhancement
of Drag Reducing Surfactants Using Ultrasonic Energy
Surfactants have the ability to reduce
drag in pipe flow by as much as 80%, thereby yielding considerable
pumping costs savings for applications such as district heating
and cooling systems. However, one significant drawback of
using surfactants for district heating and cooling systems
is that heat transfer ability of the solution is greatly reduced.
This project studies the novel, non-intrusive technique of
applying ultrasonic energy to degrade the surfactant micelles
before entering the heat exchanger to obtain optimum heat
transfer and drag reduction. Upon exiting the heat exchanger,
the surfactants reconstruct themselves and, once again, exhibit
a drag reduction effect. An alternative method to achieve
drag reduction is also studied by ejecting microbubbles into
the flow system to dampen turbulence and eddies emerging from
the wall region of the pipe. A patent pending Gas Ejector
is concieved and used as an economical and practical device
for microbubble drag reduction applications.
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Elena Leah Glassman
[comic strip]
Pipersville , PA
Grade: 12
Brain-Computer
Interface for the Muscularly Disabled
Muscular disability may deny computer access. Brain-computer
interfaces (BCI’s) using non-invasive electroencephalographs
(EEGs) may allow computer access by substituting for a keyboard
and/or mouse. This invention is a program to interpret EEG signals
as commands for a computer. The system uses state-of-the-art
signal analysis and pattern recognition techniques to achieve
internationally competitive accuracy on a BCI task, which was
to predict which hand was about to move based on the subject’s
EEG. In the process, a filter specialized for EEG signals was
created from a simple model of the neuron action potentials
the EEG measures. The first version of this filter (wavelet)
tied a standard wavelet in performance, and outperformed all
other standard wavelets tested. This is a critical step in the
development of a working prototype.
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Vaishali
Kiran Grover
[comic strip]
Miami , FL
Grade: 11
Environmentally-Friendly
Enzyme Based Antifouling Paint
The enzyme-based antifouling paint
utilizes biodegradable fruit enzymes derived from papaya and
pineapple as the active ingredients in place of conventional
biocides of commonly used heavy metals and highly toxic chemicals
such as tributyltin (TBT) and cuprous oxide. Currently the International
Maritime Organization (IMO) is conducting a worldwide five year
phase out of the widely used TBT by January 1, 2008 .
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Chandler
Macocha
[comic strip]
Oxford , MI
Grade: 8
Wheelchair Backpack Helper
The Wheelchair Backpack Helper is an improvement
on wheelchairs. It allows the user to access personal items
that are in a pack hanging off the back of their wheelchair.
It can be attached permanently or can be detachable to fit
the life style of the user. It is not anything that changes
the wheelchair, but improves its usefulness.
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Sean
Kshitij Mehra
[comic strip]
Jericho , NY
Grade: 12
Using Nanoparticles
to Enhance Polymer Properties for Improved Commercial Applications:
Space Lubricants to Nanolithography
This idea consists of two patentable
inventions based on the same general scientific concept. Both
inventions involve the incorporation of nanoscale particles
into polymer matrices to chemically and physically enhance
the polymer's mechanical properties for improved commercial
applications. The first invention successfully created and
tested an optimal space lubricant that is resistant to the
destabilizing effects of microgravity - a revolutionary improvement
on today's space lubricants that may help ensure a greater
level of safety on future NASA space missions. The second
invention involves incorporating gold nanoparticles into the
nanolithographic polymer mask, which reinforces the polymer
and prevents it from losing its structural resolution at extremely
small scales. The invention of this process, incorporating
nanoparticles for improved nanolithographic procedures, will
make it possible to produce smaller and faster computer chips
and extend the boundaries of computer chip manufacturing.
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Jeffrey
Reitman
[comic strip]
Jericho , NY
Grade: 12
Using Nanoparticles
to Enhance Polymer Properties for Improved Commercial Applications:
Space Lubricants to Nanolithography
(See Description above, under
Sean Mehra)
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