Please note that not every grade or category has a place winner at every level (sometimes no First Place).
If you have been selected for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (JIC) (formerly Broadcom MASTERS) or the California Science and Engineering Fair (CSEF), you will receive an email from SMCOE as well as those fairs with instructions for attending.
SMCOE STEM Fair award ribbons and Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge certificates will be sent directly to the schools.
Results
Below are the award winners of the 2023 STEM Fair. Individual students will be emailed with instructions on how to proceed to other fairs if they are eligible.
| Student(s) | Grade | School and District | Project Title and Category | Award(s) | CSEF | JIC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Samantha Ehrlich
Quintin Muffly |
5 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
Generative Artificial Intelligence Behavioral Sciences |
Second Place | ||
|
Mirabelle Chao
Bendely Azar Charles Diggans |
5 |
Arroyo
San Carlos Elementary |
Chicken Mind Maze Behavioral Sciences |
First Place | ||
|
Justin Tha
Ansel Ma |
5 |
Arroyo
San Carlos Elementary |
What is the most popular social media platform and content among 4th and 5th graders Behavioral Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Natalie Yue | 5 |
Arroyo
San Carlos Elementary |
Effect of Sodium Lauryl Sulfate in Toothpaste on Mouth Sores Biological Systems |
First Place | ||
| Peter McLaughlin | 5 | Episcopal Day School of San Mateo | Ban Bacteria Biological Systems |
Second Place | ||
| Emma Gregory | 5 | Episcopal Day School of San Mateo | Do Plants Affect Fish? Biological Systems |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Ronav Bhattacharjee | 5 |
La Entrada Middle
Las Lomitas Elementary |
How to turn salt water into fresh water ? Chemistry |
Second Place | ||
| Katherine Roberts | 5 |
Arroyo
San Carlos Elementary |
Does the Butter Make it Better? Chemistry |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Eloise Ayson
Byanca Pires Nathalia Lima |
5 |
Margaret Pauline Brown Elementary
Jefferson Elementary |
Potato Chips Chemistry |
Second Place | ||
|
Josephine Song
Victoria Lopez |
5 | All Souls Catholic Elementary | Lava Lamp Chemistry |
First Place | ||
| Collin James Dagandan | 5 |
Portola Elementary
San Bruno Park Elementary |
Seismic Building Designs: What's the best? Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
IEEE Special AwardSecond Place | ||
| Avi Buxbaum | 5 |
La Entrada Middle
Las Lomitas Elementary |
Alleviating Tech Neck Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
First Place | ||
| Hailey Chan | 5 |
Thomas Edison Elementary
Jefferson Elementary |
The Robotic Arm Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
IEEE Special Award | ||
| Max Weiss | 5 |
La Entrada Middle
Las Lomitas Elementary |
How Smart Is ChatGPT Anyway? Math and Software |
Second Place | ||
| Coby Lee | 5 | Synapse School | Motivating People to SavEnergy Math and Software |
First Place | ||
| Patrick Dournaee | 5 |
College Park Elementary
San Mateo-Foster City |
Sound in the Environment: Noise Pollution Physics |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Shakti Vinay
Annalise Kang |
5 |
Mariposa Upper Elementary School
San Carlos Elementary |
Does Color Matter Physics |
Second Place | ||
| Oscar Kimmell | 5 |
John Muir Elementary
San Bruno Park Elementary |
Does Color Affect Solar Oven Temperature? Physics |
First Place | ||
| Joey Guo | 6 | The Nueva School | Does Handedness Affect Perception? Behavioral Sciences |
Second Place | ||
| Jill Fulton | 6 | Nativity Catholic School K-8 | Friendship and Interests Behavioral Sciences |
IEEE Special AwardFirst Place | Alt | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Michael Demchak | 6 | Good Shepherd Elementary | Nightcrawlers Biological Systems |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Vera Hsu
Maria Pavlidou |
6 |
Ralston Intermediate
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
Are Taller Swimmers Faster Biological Systems |
First Place | Alt | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
|
Sophia Narbut
Molly Sikorski |
6 |
Woodside Elementary
Woodside School |
Which Environment Best Slows the Rotting Process of Fruits Biological Systems |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Arman Zarrin | 6 | Hilldale School | That Yogurt is so Basic Biological Systems |
Second Place | ||
| Evan Koo | 6 | Hilldale School | How much fat are you eating? Chemistry |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Delainey Guenther | 6 |
Crocker Middle
Hillsborough City Elementary |
Interventions to protect hair from chlorine damage Chemistry |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Naya Sumetanon | 6 |
Ralston Intermediate
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
Will Hot or Cold Batteries Fail? Chemistry |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Makena Bailey | 6 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
Melting Ice Cream Chemistry |
Second Place | ||
| Jackson Ryan | 6 | Nativity Catholic School K-8 | Sustainable Intergalactic Agriculture: A Comparison of Plant Growth in Different Planetary Soils Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Ian Reading | 6 | Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School | Hot or Not? Global Warming in a Bottle Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Yuvan Subbiah | 6 |
Terra Linda Middle School
San Carlos Elementary |
Automatic Hamster Feeder and Water Dispenser Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
Second Place | ||
|
Abigail Sullivan
Raquel Gould |
6 |
Central Middle
San Carlos Elementary |
The GOAT; Grabber Of All Trash Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Laurent Dagenais | 6 |
Nesbit Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
Spinning Super Brush Designing and building a brush that cleans 50 times better than a normal brush Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
Second Place | ||
| Arda Yurek | 6 | Notre Dame Elementary | Electricity Generating Shoes Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
IEEE Special Award | ||
| Gianna Herden | 6 | Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton | Keeping Hot Lunches Hot Materials Science |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Vera Li
Lillian Lockyer |
6 |
Burlingame Intermediate
Burlingame Elementary |
Which Purifies Water Better? Fabric Filter vs. P&G Purifying Packet Materials Science |
Second Place | ||
|
Emily Coffee
Henry Van Horn |
6 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
What Water Filters Work the Best? Materials Science |
First Place | Alt | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Avi Davidovits | 6 |
Terra Linda Middle School
San Carlos Elementary |
What is the Strongest Infill for 3D Printed Objects? Materials Science |
Second Place | ||
| Vikram Fox | 6 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
Secret Notes Math and Software |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Emma Terry | 6 |
Burlingame Intermediate
Burlingame Elementary |
Man or Machine? A Study on Distinguishing AI Writing from Human Math and Software |
Second Place | ||
|
Harrison Blake
Leon Blaine |
6 | Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School | Controlling Magnetism Physics |
Second Place | ||
| Lachlan Zhou | 6 |
Sandpiper Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
Terminal Velocity Physics |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Derek (Hunter) Eglington | 6 | Hilldale School | Spin-ergy Physics |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Charlotte Westervelt | 7 |
Woodside Elementary
Woodside School |
The Power of Lights Behavioral Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Nektarios Delis | 7 | St. Matthew Catholic | In One Ear and Out the Other Behavioral Sciences |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Violette Vestner | 7 | Episcopal Day School of San Mateo | Screens Behavioral Sciences |
Second Place | ||
|
Aliya Fung
McKayla Ramos |
7 |
Taylor Middle
Millbrae Elementary |
Dog Saliva vs. Bacteria: Does Dog Saliva Reduce Growth of a Particular Type of Bacteria from Common Areas? Biological Systems |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Reese Wagner | 7 | St. Charles Elementary | Vitamin C levels in Enzymatic Browning of Apples Biological Systems |
Second Place | ||
| Carl Achterkirchen | 7 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
Does Heat and Light Affect the Metamorphosis of Butterflies? Biological Systems |
IEEE Special Award | ||
|
Olivia Cantieri
Madeleine Miln |
7 | St. Charles Elementary | Tigger Pod Activity Levels Compared to Salinity Biological Systems |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Sophie Xie | 7 | Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton | What is a plant's favorite color of light? Biological Systems |
Second Place | ||
| Aarav Agrawal | 7 |
All Souls Catholic Elementary
South San Francisco Unified |
Curds Whey - How Do Curds Ferment Chemistry |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Camille Yung
Reagan Yang |
7 |
Central Middle
San Carlos Elementary |
The Scientific Scoop: Making the Best Vanilla Ice Cream Chemistry |
Second Place | ||
| Tyler Tan | 7 | Episcopal Day School of San Mateo | Fog City Chemistry |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Jonah Hsu | 7 |
North Star Academy
Redwood City Elementary |
What's in Your Water? Chemistry |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Alexa Hengehold | 7 |
Woodside Elementary
Woodside School |
Reduce, Reuse, and RECYCLE! Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Isabella Schrobsdorff | 7 |
Woodside Elementary
Woodside School |
Toxic Tides Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
Second Place | ||
| Emily Desrosiers | 7 | Episcopal Day School of San Mateo | Bioluminescence and Pollution Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Darren Tam | 7 |
Burlingame Intermediate
Burlingame Elementary |
Blade Runner Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Elisabeth Schor | 7 | The Nueva School | SpiritSeat Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
IEEE Special AwardFirst Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Camilla Khiari | 7 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
The Hermes Project: Testing the Fuel of the Future Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
Second Place | ||
| Samuel Hwang | 7 |
Taylor Middle
Millbrae Elementary |
Which Moisturizer Works Best to Keep Skin Moist? Materials Science |
Second Place | ||
| Julia Ahn | 7 |
Episcopal Day School of San Mateo
San Mateo-Foster City |
Which Metal Conducts Heat the Fastest? Materials Science |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Arya Charati
Nanaha Mizoi |
7 |
Sandpiper Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
Shaping Polymorphs Materials Science |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Brenden Yu | 7 | Episcopal Day School of San Mateo | Best Singing...Where? Materials Science |
Second Place | ||
| Alexander Nemychenkov | 7 |
Terra Linda Middle School
San Carlos Elementary |
Analyzing NHL teams’ performance in a season, and how it relates to the Stanley Cup championship Math and Software |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Zeyuan Fang | 7 | Woodland School | PathWays Math and Software |
Second Place | ||
|
Conor Wall
Kai Cena |
7 |
Woodside Elementary
Woodside School |
does wind effect Evaporation Physics |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Suhani Bansal | 7 |
Sandpiper Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
The Shocking Truth About Smartphones and Internet Routers Physics |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Julianne Miller | 7 |
Lipman Middle
Brisbane Elementary |
Aerodynamics in Flight Physics |
Second Place | ||
| Armaan Mishra | 8 |
Crocker Middle
Hillsborough City Elementary |
Humans vs AI: Is Music our Last Shred of Hope? Behavioral Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Anya Jain
Simran Thakur |
8 | Synapse School | Impact of Attention on Visual Working Memory Behavioral Sciences |
Second Place | ||
|
Alexandra Lu
Arav Ramchandran |
8 | Synapse School | How Sleep Affects Memory Behavioral Sciences |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Aldrich Jay De Guzman | 8 |
Lipman Middle
Brisbane Elementary |
Fast-Paced Gaming and Equally-Fast Adaptations Behavioral Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Violet MacAvoy | 8 |
Crocker Middle
Hillsborough City Elementary |
Engineering Heat Resistant Strains of Zooxanthellae Algae with Mutagens to Prevent Coral Bleaching Biological Systems |
Honorable Mention | ||
|
Jackson Rose
Caroline Walker |
8 | Synapse School | Investigating the Relationship Between Audiovisual Integration and Dyslexia Biological Systems |
Second Place | ||
| Camille Chu | 8 | The Nueva School | Identifying Novel Kinase Targets for Approved Drugs Using a Convolutional Neural Network Autoencoder Biological Systems |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Ela Viswanathan | 8 | Sacred Heart Schools, Atherton | Which Vegetable Has the Most Hydration? Chemistry |
Second Place | ||
| Hannah Villareale | 8 | Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School | Distance of Diffusion Through a Solution Chemistry |
Second Place | ||
| Giovanna Gasanyan | 8 | Good Shepherd Elementary | Shine Bright Like a... Penny! Chemistry |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Simone Fisher | 8 |
Manuel F. Cunha Intermediate
Cabrillo Unified |
Best Soil Type For Growing Radishes Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Ava Wong-Foy | 8 | Nativity Catholic School K-8 | Which Materials are Best to Clean Up Oil Spills? Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
Second Place | ||
| Veronica Howard | 8 | Stanford Online High School | Pesticide Residue On Organic Vs Conventional Produce and the Effect of Simple Washing Techniques Earth, Space and Environmental Sciences |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Dillon Yeh | 8 |
Crocker Middle
Hillsborough City Elementary |
Automatic Fish Feeding Mechanism Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
Second Place | ||
| Vesta Kassayan | 8 |
La Entrada Middle
Las Lomitas Elementary |
Ultrasonic Identification of Object Direction and Distance with Applications for the Visually Impaired Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
IEEE Special AwardHonorable Mention | ||
| Neethika Vijay | 8 | Synapse School | Car-bionify: Biocomposite car parts Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Adam Cheong | 8 | Woodland School | Cliffhanger: Dynamic Stability in a Mechanical Mountain Climbing Aid by Design Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Olivia Veroy | 8 | Hilldale School | Don’t Hold Your Breath: How low-cost PM sensors measure up to commercial ones Engineering, Technology and Application of Science |
IEEE Special Award | ||
| Jackson Doren | 8 |
Burlingame Intermediate
Burlingame Elementary |
Decarbonizing the Concrete Industry: Sustainable & Effective Implementation Methods for Geopolymer Cements Materials Science |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
|
Evyn Ellis
Nikhil Sivamurthy |
8 |
Corte Madera
Portola Valley Elementary |
How Radiation Impacts Metals in Aviation Materials Science |
Second Place | ||
| Jasmine Kaur | 8 |
Sandpiper Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
eNutri : Your personal Nutritionist Math and Software |
Second Place | ||
| Katheryne Abramenko | 8 |
Manuel F. Cunha Intermediate
Cabrillo Unified |
When dealing with small flower datasets, what is the best method to use for transfer learning? Math and Software |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Aanya Gupta | 8 | Stanford Online High School | From Ingredients to Inspiration: Using Web Scraping to Find Recipes for Leftover Ingredients Math and Software |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Connor Leong | 8 |
Crocker Middle
Hillsborough City Elementary |
The Brachistochrone Physics |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Victoria Murmann | 8 |
Sandpiper Elementary
Belmont-Redwood Shores Elementary |
Measuring Lift on Airfoils Physics |
First Place | State Eligible | Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Eligible |
| Zoe Herman | 8 | Ronald C. Wornick Jewish Day School | Mass and Motion Physics |
Honorable Mention | ||
| Allison Oh | 8 |
Crocker Middle
Hillsborough City Elementary |
Do You See What I See? Physics |
Second Place |