For this wiz kid from Great Neck North High School, being a national finalist in the 2011 Intel Science Talent Search has been a life-changing experience – but the real story goes far beyond the competition.
Completely blind since the age of 8, Michelle Hackman was born with a congenital condition called coloboma which robbed her of her sight in one eye at birth.
“I was almost like a ticking time bomb in that sort of sense,” said Hackman, who lost sight in her other eye in 2001.
Now headed to Washington, D.C., for the Intel finals in March as one of the nation’s most outstanding students, her remarkable mind and indelible spirit make her story unique.
“It’s actually crazy to be singled out like this,” said Hackman, seemingly stunned at the media attention she has generated after being named a finalists last week.
Beating out more than 1,700 students nationwide, Hackman said she is thrilled to have been named last week as one of 40 national finalists in the contest.
The 17-year-old senior said she’s understands why people find her story interesting, but as a lover of journalism, a part-time writer and a physics standout, she never thought she would be the story.
“I’ve just been this normal person my whole life just going about what I’ve been doing,”said Hackman, a self-confessed political news junkie. “I’ve never thought of myself that way.”
Hackman’s award-winning project, “Communication Underload: Validating the Existence of Disconnect Anxiety,” stemmed from a personal observation she made while sitting with friends.
Realizing that most around her were texting and mobile phone dependent, Hackman decided to measure and analyze mobile phone dependence – a topic not extensively discussed in scientific literature.
In the modern age of instant messaging, especially popular with high school teens, her question was extremely relevant although it remains mostly unexplored – until now.
“Is there something so physiologically strong that these kids find it easier to send text messages to the people sitting across the table than they would to just put their phones away and look across the table and say what they wanted to say?” asked Hackman.
After analyzing the reactions of 150 participants, half separated from their mobile phones for 45 minutes and half not, she found that the professional research term “disconnect anxiety” did not apply. Rather than becoming anxious, the students without their cell phones felt underestimated or bored, according to Hackman, who observed that they had lost the ability to “entertain” themselves.
“It was almost like a work play divide,” Hackman said, but in fact it involved much more.
Completed in-school under the guidance of science research teacher Alan Schorn, she was assisted in herresearch by South High teacher Michelle Sorise, who contributed advice on the design of the project and also by a team of 10 student aids.
Testing the last student on the final day of school last year, Hackman said she nearly missed the deadline but the results of her dedication and hard work have been life-changing.
“This is the only thing that I’ve ever done in my life that I can do for absolutely hours and hours and hours and I don’t take breaks,” said Hackman. “That’s something I probably shouldn’t ignore.”
Hackman will begin study at Yale University later this year.
Asked to join the science research program midway through her sophomore year, Schorn said Hackman’s sardonic sense of whit, sophisticated writing style, extraordinary physics talent made her an excellent social science research prospect.
“There are times where we have a problem that requires nine or 10 steps of calculus and she does it in her head,” said Schorn.
Having sent eight other students to the Intel finals in the past 17 years, Schorn said as writer, Hackman ranks in the top one or two from that group.
The Intel competition creates a general sense of school pride and inspiration, according to Schorn and Hackman who first learned of the contest as a freshman.
“It was considered unachievable,” said Hackman, who said she wondered how she has advanced this far. “It looked almost unattainable, but it was cool.”
She said most of the other science finalists are trying to cure life-threatening diseases such as obesity and cancer and searching for new antibiotic she’s happy that the judges recognized that thought that cell phone addiction was just as important.
In all 1,744 students from numerous high schools throughout the country submitted Intel applications.
Hackman will advance to compete in Washington, D.C., during a week-long event in March which features a rigorous judging process, meetings with national leaders, interactions with leading scientists and the display of her research at the National Geographic Society.
“I suddenly have to become a science expert and to be perfectly honest with you I’m not right now,” said Hackman, with a giggle. “I’ll probably win the award for the most amusing project.”
Intel, formerly known as the Westinghouse competition, is the oldest pre-college science competition in the U.S.
“It was one of the most nerve-wracking and stressful things I’ve ever done, but at the same time I enjoyed more than anything else in the world,” said Hackman.
Intel applicants are judged on research ability, scientific originality and creative thinking. Research projects cover many disciplines, including behavioral science, biochemistry, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, medicine and health and physics. Entries are reviewed and judged by top scientists from a variety of disciplines.
The Intel Science Talent Search ignites curiosity and passion among youth to tackle challenging scientific questions and develop the skills to solve the problems of tomorrow, according to Shelly Esque, Intel vice president of corporate affairs.
Past Intel winners hold honors including the Nobel Prize, National Medal of Science, Fields Medal and MacArthur Foundation Fellowship.
With plans to become a behavioral scientist and journalist, Hackman advised others who wish to achieve to go for their dreams.
“Find something that you are passionate about and really pursue it more than you have ever even thought to,” said Hackman. “Especially when you are living for something that’s is larger than yourself.”
E-mail Rich: rjacques@theislandnow.com or by phone at 516.307.1045 x203
