Twenty-one Nacogdoches High Schools displayed 19 projects Tuesday for the district science fair. Projects touched on fields of environmental engineering, chemistry, microbiology, material science, animal science, computer engineering, biochemistry, plant science and mathematics.
Judges were rating the projects on Tuesday while they were on display on the second floor of the NHS library.
Adrian Belista
English Ivy Phytoremediation of Aluminum-Contaminated Soil (Environmental Engineering) – Adrian Belista – The purpose of this experiment is to explore the efficacy of English Ivy in remediating aluminum-contaminated soil. To test the hypothesis that English Ivy will reduce the presence of aluminum in the soil, 6 samples of soil will be contaminated with an aluminum potassium sulfate solution; 3 samples will contain English Ivy and 3 samples will not. The samples will be tested by the SFA Soils Lab and analyzed to examine how effective the English Ivy were at remediating the soil.
Sam Bentley
Recycled 3D Printing Filament (Environmental Engineering) – Sam Bentley – This research project's purpose is to make recycled 3D printing filament out of plastic medicine bottles, cereal containers, and water bottle caps. After making the recycled filament, the next step is to test how well each plastic prints in a 3D printer and then compare results with pre-existing filament. Overall this project will contribute to recycling plastics with 3D printing, which makes good prints.
Kathryn Boyett (left) and Sterling Smith
The Colonization of Moon Soil (Chemistry) – Kathryn Boyett and Sterling Smith – The purpose of this project is to test an efficient and sustainable way to nutrify moon soil. This was accomplished by using worms and crickets to create an organic way to fertilize the moon soil and add nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to the soil. The end goal was to see if there was an increase in nutrients from the final testing of the soil to the initial testing of the soil which was the control after two months.
Nayeli Carrillo
Antibacterial Properties of Bee Propolis and Red Onion Extract (Microbiology) – Nayeli Carrillo – The main focus of this research project is to determine if the antibacterial properties of red Allium cepa and bee propolis are more effective at inhibiting the growth of the bacteria Escherichia coli when the two solutions are combined, rather than individually used to inhibit the growth Escherichia coli. Testing the inhibitory effect of red Allium cepa and bee propolis will be completed by using the Well Diffusion Method. The presence of bacteria after a 24hr period of inhibition will then be compared to the presence of bacteria prior to inhibition.
Vivianna Chavarria
Creating Eco-Friendly Leather From Dragon Fruit (Material Sciences) – Vivianna Chavarria – The purpose of this experiment is to discover whether the dragon fruit can be developed into fruit leather textile and a valid substitute for other fruit leathers or possibly synthetic and real leathers. This was accomplished by creating a process to develop dragon fruit into leather and testing the durability of the dragon fruit leather by determining its water resistance and strength compared to that of synthetic leather. This experiment aims to serve a dual purpose of reducing the amount of pollution from leather textile production and reducing the amount of fruit waste by creating additional eco-friendly leather options.
Kennedi Cowser
Bioplastic Made From Sargassum (Material Sciences) – Kennedi Cowser – This project aimed to determine if sargassum can be developed into a sustainable bioplastic. This was tested by modifying pre-existing process used for alginate extraction and bioplastic production to create a bioplastic made from sargassum. It's durability was determined by tensile strength tests. In other words, the bioplastics' ability to hold its form under gradually increasing amounts of force. Its purpose served to utilize the abundance of sargassum that is washed up on beach shores, and decrease the threat plastic poses on human and ocean life.
Kaylen Dang
The Effect of Metschnikowia reukaufii in Floral Nectar on Vanessa cardui (Animal Science) – Kaylen Dang – "The purpose of this experiment is to discover whether the presence of yeast, specifically Metschnikowia reukaufii, has an enhancing effect within nectar on Vanessa cardui. This was tested by providing two experimental groups of Vanessa cardui each with a feeder containing only sucrose and a feeder containing sucrosw with liquid culture of Metschnikowia reukaufii. This research aims to reveal the effect of having Metschnikowia reukaufii present in floral nectar on an essential pollinator.
Rogelio Garcia
Necrobotic Capabilities of Different Spider Actuators (Animal Science) – Rogelio Garcia – "The goal of this project is to test and compare the lifting capacities of different species and sizes of arachnids in terms of percentages of their own body mass that they lift. The arachnids are manipulated by air pressure to make their legs extend and compress.
Grace Hao
Screaming Mushrooms (Microbiology) – Grace Hao – This research aims to investigate the change in the electrical spike shape of Pleurotus djamor, determined by the spike amplitude and duration, between environmental stressors of heat shock, ice touch, and pressure. Th electrical potential (mV) of P. djamor are taken by pairs of electrodes and a data logger, which are then analyzed through the spike sorting methodology to determine whether or not the stressors have an effect on the electrical spiking activity of P. djamor.
Gracen Klingenberg
Filtering Chemical Agricultural Runoff Using Ultrafiltration (Environmental Engineering) – Gracen Klingenberg – This project's goal is to engineer a pump filter capable of removing excess nutrients of NPK in water caused by agricultural fertilizer runoff. Excess nutrients in water can cause growth of harmful cyanobacteria, which can harm livestock when consumed, as well as other wildlife. The prototype consists of a pump filter that utilizes an ultrafiltration membrane. Simulated contaminated water is used and run through the prototype filter, measuring the levels of NPK before and after filtering.
Adan Mandujano
New Shadow Algorithm (Mathematics) – Adan Mandujano – The goal of this project is to develop an algorithm that is able to generate shadows in 3d renders. The new algorithm is designed to be comparable if not better than current raytracing methods for hard drive usage, speed, and quality.
Ashantavia Pleasant
Enhancing Swiss Chard Superfood Status with LED Lights (Plant Sciences) – Ashantavia Pleasant – Swiss chard contains a compound called betalain, which is known to have health benefits. This project will investigate whether it is possible to increase betalain production by growing swiss chard under different colors of LED lights.
Xilone Puffer
Preventing Chlorine Staining on Teeth (Biochemistry) – Xilone Puffer – The main focus of this research project is to find a preventative for chlorine staining on teeth. In doing this the project includes brushing pig laterals with different based toothpastes once a day after soaking in chlorinated water for 2 hours daily.
Lexia Reyes (left) and Keniyah Evans
Amp Up the Glo with Electrolytes (Biochemistry) – Lexia Reyes and Keniyah Evans – In this experiment electrolytes will be increased in dinoflagellates culture to determine if potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, sodium chloride or calcium chloride increases the bioluminescence of dinoflagellates the most. The purpose of our experiment is to better bioluminescent imaging used for cancer detection, because tissue depth is a limitation. After conducting this experiment, it was discovered that potassium chloride increased dinoflagellates bioluminescence the most.
Maggie Schaefer
Counterconditioning Slime Mold to Different Colors of Light (Microbiology) – Maggie Schaefer – The point of this project is to train slime mold to go against its instincts and go towards a light to find food. This includes using two lights for the slime mold to grow towards, but there will only be food by the light the slime mold needs to travel to. The goal is to increase the speed at which the slime mold travels to the food each day by making it learn that food is always where that specific light color is.
Ja'Mesha Skinner
Sigma: American Sign Language (Computer Engineering) – Ja’Mesha Skinner – The Main point of my American Sign Language app is to utilize not only building a base using the alphabet but to also make it fun. My app is designed for younger audiences who have verbal disabilities or aren't comfortable being vocal about what they need and want to say but will utilize their hands. The app guides them through base materials with fun colors and speech bubbles that tell users more information about the sign they are learning and/or history about ASL in general. After learning a little bit of the chapter in which the kind of vicinity or topic they are on, users will play a game. The game's purpose is to keep whoever is playing without the feeling they are having to do hardcore material, it is also to help those who get really anxious with multiple of the same repetition.
Jesus Trejo
Skimming Cyanobacteria from Water Surfaces (Environmental Engineering) – Jesus Trejo – A 3D printed design of a water skimmer that is able to skim off cyanobacteria off the surfaces of water bodies. The water skimmer is designed to be more affordable and feasible because other methods require certain circumstances and are costly for most people to afford. Cyanobacteria is a toxic-producing algae that is responsible for over 1200 deaths to humans and animals. Cyanobacteria develops and reproduces on the surfaces of water, such as lakes and ponds, so animals and humans are typically exposed when near bodies of water.
Aaron Victorio
Testing the Levels of L-Methionine and L-Histidine In Protein Powders (Chemistry) – Aaron Victorio – Finding levels of L-methionine and L-histidine in protein powders to show which protein powder is beneficial. Also, finding the levels of L-methionine and L-histidine because they are essential amino acids and the human body doesn't make essential amino acids. Using Thin Line Chromatography to find the presence of amino acids then used High Performance Liquid Chromatography to find the levels of amino acids. Once the levels are recorded, that data will be used to see which protein powder is beneficial.
Emma Welsh
Testing if Pill bugs have spatial memory (Animal Behavioral Science) – Emma Welsh – The pill bugs were placed into a constructed maze and had five minutes to free roam, with the intent to find the syrup at the end. This was tested for weeks to see if time would decrease, even if the prize at the end was removed.