Seven Nacogdoches High School students qualified for the Texas Science and Engineering Fair next month in College Station.
Grace Hao, Kathryn Boyett, Sterling Smith, Rogelio Garcia, Sam Bentley, Viviana Chavarria and Xilone Puffer will show their projects March 22-23 at the statewide event. They will advance from the regional science fair held Friday, Feb. 9, in Kilgore.
Grace Hao - Screaming Mushrooms (Microbiology)
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. The electrical potential (mV) of P. djamor is 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 affect the electrical spiking activity of P. djamor.
Katheryn Boyett and Sterling Smith - Colonizing Moon Soil (Chemistry)
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's 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.
Rogelio Garcia - Load Capacities of Necrobiotic Spiders (Animal Science)
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.
Sam Bentley - Recycling 3D Print Filament (Environmental Engineering)
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.
Viviana Chavarria - Making Eco-Friendly Leather from Dragon Fruit (Material Sciences)
The purpose of this experiment is to discover whether the dragon fruit can be developed into a 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.
Xilone Puffer - Preventing Chlorine Staining on Teeth (Biochemistry)
Puffer displayed her project virtually because she was also competing in the Class 5A Region IV Swimming & Diving Meet in New Caney. (Her photo is from the NHS science fair in December.)
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.