4 Manhasset students advance to ISEF

The Island Now
Manhasset students, from left, Vanessa Zhang, Fred Chu, Susan Wu and Emily Cruz advanced to Intel ISEF. (Photo courtesy of Manhasset school district)

Congratulations to Manhasset High School students Fred Chu, Emily Cruz, Susan Wu and Vanessa Zhang on advancing to the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, to be held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from May 13-18. Manhasset has the largest contingent of students attending ISEF from any school on Long Island this year.

Fred, Emily, Susan and Vanessa all advanced by winning first place in their respective areas of research at this year’s Long Island Science and Engineering Fair, held earlier this spring.

They won top honors as follows:

  • Fred Chu – first place in Engineering/Mechanical
  • Emily Cruz – first place in Earth and Environmental Sciences
  • Susan Wu – first place in Materials Science
  • Vanessa Zhang – first place in Computational Biology and Bioinformatics

Chu sought to detect sound on the atomic level by designing novel filters that only allow a specific sound frequency to pass through a nano-stethoscope.

Cruz tested the health of marshes along the Hudson River and Long Island Sound to identify negative impacts caused by human interference and influence future preservation policy.

Wu engineered inexpensive devices to attach to a standard laboratory syringe for the production of lipid nanoparticles at targeted sizes to achieve effective treatment of cancer cells.

Zhang studied DNA mutations using an algorithmic framework known as the DeepSEA method to determine whether they could be related to autism.

Intel ISEF unites the top young scientific minds, showcasing their talents on an international stage, where doctoral-level scientists review and judge their work. Each year, approximately 1,800 high school students from more than 75 countries, regions and territories participate in the event. The district wishes Fred, Emily, Susan and Vanessa the best as they prepare to present their research on the world stage.

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