2024 Falmouth Academy Science & Engineering Fair

Falmouth Academy

2024

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR

36th Annual Celebration of Science

Falmouth Academy 36 ANNUAL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR TH

FEBRUARY 15, 2024 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

8:15.........................Students Set Up 8:30........................Orientation for Judges 9:00-12:00...........Judging of Projects

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR SPONSORS LEGACY SPONSORS Marine Biological Laboratory Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries, Inc. Sea Education Association Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woodwell Climate Research Center NEWTON SIGNATURE SPONSOR

11:30-12:30...........Class Lunches 7-11

Scott Wayne

11:30-1:00 ������������Lunch for Judges and Faculty

EDISON SPONSORS

12:30-3:00 �����������Extended Inquiry Showcases

Cazeault Roofing & Solar

3:00 �����������������������Buses Pick Up from MV Ferry 3:00........................Public Viewing 3:50........................Awards Ceremony 4:40........................Buses to MV Ferry 4:45........................Regular Buses Depart

Ament Endowed Fund for Science Martha’s Vineyard Bank McLane Research Laboratories, Inc. Notus Clean Energy, LLC Teledyne Marine CURIE SPONSORS Capeside Oral & Facial Surgery Dalpe Excavation Falmouth Water Stewards Landschop Landscape Architecture Lowell Instruments, LLC MIT Club of Cape Cod Stephen Remsen Custom Carpentry Pelagic Electronics MARCONI SPONSORS The 300 Committee Land Trust Associates of Cape Cod Mid-Cape Home Centers Dr. Sophie Markovich, DMD Sports Center Physical Therapy Stillman Family ARCHIMEDES SPONSORS

ABOUT THE SCIENCE FAIR LOGO The original Falmouth Academy Science Fair logo was a linoleum cut designed by Ira Carmel ’89 on the occasion of FA’s inaugural science fair, held on March 17, 1989. The logo was refreshed in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Fair, but retains its original whimsical representation of the depth and breadth of the research that is conducted by our students. Whether exploring the basic elements of life or building better rockets, our students’ curiosity about the world around them is reflected in this logo and in all the work presented.

Dr. Scott D. Brown ’89 and Ms. Melissa Hofer Bruce & Shirley Gordon Giving Fund Hutker Architects, Inc. Marine and Paleobiological Research Institute IN-KIND VENDORS Coffee Obsession Party Cape Cod PrintSynergy

WELCOME

In an era of information overload and instant access, made even more challenging with the advent of AI, it is imperative to teach students how to think critically, analyze thoughtfully, and communicate effectively. The process surrounding the Science and Engineering Fair at Falmouth Academy teaches students how to find credible sources and discern and control for potential bias. Twenty (or even ten) years ago, these concerns were not part of the teaching experience, but today, they are integral to almost every conversation across the curriculum.

Curiosity and inquiry are the cornerstones of our process, with a good measure of resilience. Scientists value “intelligent failure,” recognizing that unexpected results can often lead to groundbreaking discoveries. Students grow as they embrace their mistakes and learn from them. As Einstein observed, “Failure is success in progress.”

It is a joy to witness the “aha moments” when the dawn of a new discovery spreads across a student’s face. And it is rewarding when we can reframe a perceived failure into a growth opportunity or even a challenge to try again.

Thank you for your amazing support of our students through this process of discovery.

Jill Reves Science and Engineering Fair Coordinator

2024 FALMOUTH ACADEMY Mr. Lane Abrams WHOI, Senior Engineer Dr. Rachel Allen ’04 USGS, Postdoctoral Scholar Mr. Alfredo Aretxabaleta USGS, Staff Scientist Ms. Ellie Armstrong MBL (retired) Dr. Richard Armstrong Falmouth Podiatry, Podiatrist Dr. David Aubrey EOM Offshore, LLC, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Peter Barry WHOI, Associate Scientist Mr. Kyle Benton ’12 EPAM Continuum, Innovation Consultant, Mechanical Engineer Dr. Albert Bradley WHOI, Engineer (retired) Mr. Robert Brown Huntington Ingalls Industries, Chief Engineer Dr. Scott Brown ’89 Rochester Institute of Technology, Principal Scientist Mr. Brian Buczkowski USGS, Curator of Geologic Collections Ms. Kendra Buresch MBL, Lab Manager, Hanlon Lab Mr. Rich Caruso INTER/COMP LLC, Chief Executive Officer Dr. Victoria Centurino WHOI, Education Coordinator,

Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet Mr. Owen Cesarano WHOI, Engineer Dr. Allisa Dalpe ’12 WHOI, Research Engineer Ms. Jayne DiCandio Waquoit Bay National Estuary Research Reserve,

School and Interpretive Program Coordinator Dr. Carol DiFalco Quincy College, Professor of Psychology Ms. Jessica Donohue SEA, Research Associate Dr. Meagan Eagle USGS, Research Physical Scientist Dr. Hugh Fargher Consultant Ms. Diana Franks WHOI, Research Associate (retired) Dr. Robert Gould MBL, Research Scientist (retired) Dr. Kristin Gribble MBL, Associate Scientist Dr. Mark Hahn WHOI, Senior Scientist Dr. Thomas Hallahan Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, Senior Director Dr. Gregory Hinkle Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, VP, Research Informatics Ms. Julia Holtzer MBL, Research Assistant II Dr. Peter Hopewood Cape Cod Surgeons, Surgeon Dr. Jeff Hughes Wellesley College, Lecturer (retired) Ms. Jillian Igoe ’18 MBL, Research Assistant II Dr. Mike Jech NFSC, Research Fisheries Biologist Mr. Louie Kerr MBL, Director Imaging Services and Staff Scientist Ms. Sarah Kerr ’19 MBL, Research Assistant Ms. Jessica Kozik WHOI, Senior Engineering Assistant I Mr. Gary Kreamer Delaware Division of Fish Wildlife,

Aquatic Education Program Coordinator (retired) Mrs. Sharon Kreamer Falmouth Academy, Biology and Chemistry Teacher (retired) Dr. Alan M. Kuzirian MBL, Senior Scientist, Emeritus Mr. John Lazarus Foley Lardner LLP, Partner - Patent Attorney Mr. Nick Lowell ’88 Lowell Instruments LLC, Founder and President Dr. Anna Michel WHOI, Associate Scientist

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING FAIR JUDGES Ms. Maureen Nolan Teacher (retired) Ms. Jin-Si Over USGS, Geographer Mr. Charles Perry McLane Research Laboratories, Electro-mechanical Technician Dr. Steve Phillips USGS, Research Geologist Dr. John Pohlman USGS, Biogeochemist Dr. James Preisig JPAnalytics, President Ms. Anna Redanz WHOI, Research Assistant ll Mr. Rob Reynolds Zephyr Education Foundation, President Dr. Charles Robertson Physicist and Developer (retired) Dr. Stanley Rose Rose Ventures, President Dr. Michael Sackville MBL, Postdoctoral Scientist Mr. David Santamauro IFI CLAIMS Patent Services (Fairview Research LLC),

Chief Technology Officer Mr. Jared Schwartz ’03 WHOI, Research Engineer Dr. Taylor Sehein Beneath the Waves, Laboratory Coordinator Dr. Alan Seltzer WHOI, Geochemist Dr. Adam Soule University of Rhode Island, Professor Dr. Alan Steinbach Doctor (retired) Mrs. Mel Stephen Plymouth Public Schools, Physics Teacher (retired) Ms. Diane Stillman Pembroke Medical Associates, Nurse Practitioner Ms. Hillary Sullivan Woodwell, Research Associate Ms. Amanda Sutherland WHOI, Mechanical Engineer Dr. Uri Ten Brink USGS, Research Scientist Dr. Bill Waite USGS, Geophysicist Dr. Nancy Walbek (retired) Dr. Kerry Walton NYU School of Medicine, Professor (retired) Mr. Scott Wayne (retired) Mr. JC Weber MBL, Senior Research Assistant Ms. Roo Weed MBL, Ph.D. student Ms. Deborah Winograd U.S. Department of Agriculture (retired) MBL

Marine Biological Laboratory

SEA

Sea Education Association

MIT

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

USGS

United States Geological Survey

NFSC / NOAA

Northeast Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

WHOI

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woodwell

Woodwell Climate Research Center

THANK YOU TO OUR 2024 MENTORS & ADVISORS Dr. Neel Aluru Dr. Alfredo Aretxabaleta Dr. Kendra Buresch Dr. Jeff Donnelly Dr. Levi Gorrell

Dr. Mark Hahn Dr. Alan Kuzirian Dr. Jim Lynch Dr. George Maynard Dr. Kirstin Meyer-Kaiser

Dr. Anna Michel Dr. Laura Motta Tyler Robertson Kharis Schrage Mary Ellen Stephen

Dr. Ann Tarrant Dr. Kerry Walton Sarah Youngs

EXHIBITORS AND PROJECTS Milo Allison Alanna Andrews Ari Aretxabaleta Alden Bank Isabelly Belo Sofia Canelos and Alexia Kalkanis Adrian Carreno-Vogt Emme Carroll Elijah Connors and Kaden Matthias Mason Crowley Alessandra Cugini Mira Davis Alexandro deChiara Declan Diriwachter Cassie Duarte

Charlie Dubé Cassidy Eldredge Sophia Famely Veronica Foureman and Sylvie Parsons Nolan Gallello Samuel Giguere Miguel Gomez-Ibanez Lucas Guadagno Aliyha Holder Natalie Hurlbut Magdalena Jazo Moss Junker Giulia King

The Germs Around Us Observing Bacteria On Leafy Greens Measuring Water Contamination in Woods Hole Testing Common Propeller Designs Observing Flower Pigmentation in Different Solutions The Effect of Different L.E.D. Light Colors on Algae Growth Comparing Different Sized Balloons and Free Fall Domestic Chicken Bowl Color Preference The Effect of Climate Change Factors on Enclosed Ecosystems Does Music Help Plants Grow?

What Type of Knife Is Best for Which Foods?

Does Color Affect Taste?

Which Bivalve Filters Algae the Best?

What Is the Best Speed to Travel the Most Distance on an Electric Scooter?

How Different Natural Dyes Are Affected by Different Mordants on Cotton Fabric How Nanoparticles Affect Marine Environments Which Flower Is Most Pigmented? Paper Chromatography Test Does Peppermint Improve Reaction Time When Fatigued?

Can a Family Live Solely on Solar-Powered Water Desalination?

What Fertilizers Work Best for Growing Tomato Plants?

Man vs Machine: Is AI Becoming too Smart for Humans?

Can Humans Recognize AI Generated Images?

Which Bubble Solution Creates the Strongest Bubble?

Testing Commercial Disinfectants vs. Antimicrobials on E. coli Testing the pH of Different Drinking Waters The Study of Gel Electrophoresis The Effects of Algal Prevention on Fresh Water Algae What Foods Repel Ants?

MIDDLE SCHOOL (GRADES 7-8) Russell Lavery Van Parijs Acoustic Analysis of the Morning Chorus as a Marker of Climate Change Mia Mathger Jones The Effect of Pavement Color on Its Temperature Samuel McGuire Comparing How Well Different Brands of Basketballs Bounce Adelaide Metters Modeling How Heat Is Trapped in Earth’s Atmosphere Evelyn Moffatt Comparing Which Insulator Is Most Effective to Keep a House Insulated Abigail Moore Which Houseplant Absorbs the Most CO2?

Finley Muric The Effect of Position in Success When Shooting a Soccer Ball Nadalia Najarian The Effects of Meditation, Age, and Gender on Heart Rate Tatum Nelson and The Efficiency of Sunscreen and How It Affects Brine Shrimp Liv Tanionos Hannah Park The Effect of Nicotine on C. elegans Madeline Park-Boudreau How Excess Algae Production Progresses Eutrophication Lydia Remsen How Climate Change Is Affecting Hatching Rates of Artemia salina Ryan Ronan The Effects of Adjusting the Exposure Triangle on a Camera Alana Rosbeck Effects of Sunscreen Protecting the Skin from UV Radiation Henry Sciortino Which Plastics Dissolve in Acetone?

Maya Shukla How Do Different Factors of Climate Change Affect the Growth of

Pea Shoots?

Charlotte Silveira Can Average People Recognize AI Text?

Zara Taylor-Keefer Growing Chick Embryos Without Shells Tama Tiapula Different Natural Water Filtration Times Griffin Tiernan Human or AI? Which Is Better?

Avery Todd-Weinstein Comparing Woods Based on Water Absorption James Tormey Comparing Ultraviolet Disinfectants Versus Commercial Disinfectants

on E. coli Wyatt Truman Water Sampling Device for Use in Cape Cod Bay Nolan Van Keuren The Effect the Amount of Time Food Sits Has on Microbial Growth Haoa Vanderhoop Testing Human Capability to Distinguish Between Human or

AI Written Text Siehanna Vazquez Fresh Water Testing in Different Locations Joaquim Verslycke The Effect of Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen on Vigna radiata Dominic Zuluaga Bouncy Balloons of Buoyancy

EXHIBITORS AND PROJECTS Ezra Ackerman

United States Wildfires: Fire Severity & Climate Change over 40 Years

David Aubrey

Gumby Power

Yaz Aubrey

Is the Source of Dark Energy Time Dependent?

Elizabeth Blauer

Measuring Wind Turbine Energy With Different Numbers of Blades

Lucian Bolton

Effects of Testosterone on Mental Health

Abigail Brown

The Efficiency of Duckweed in Nitrogen Removal

Matthew Brown and

Tracking Target Fish Population in Cape Cod

Tomas Tortora Anastasia Canelos and

The Differences Between Male and Female Eating Habits

Wyatt Thornton Elise Casso

The Effect of Different Fertilizers on Algal Blooms

Caroline Cazeault

The Effect of Pan Material on Heat Conductivity

Ronan Cazeault

Is Antibacterial Soap That Good?

Xuanyu Chang

The Effect of Excess CO2 on Radish Growth

Sara Cook and Lila Mele

How Experience Affects Ability to Accurately Execute Choreography

Gabriel Coughlin

How Music Affects Plant Growth

Jackson Cummings and

Spark of Life: Effect of Electrolytes on Daphnia magna

Hogan Teles Bailen Darack

The Effect of Essential Oil on Human Stress Levels

Cian Davis

The Effect of Distance Traveled by Swell on Wave Height and Period

Marc Djikaev

Promoting Mental Well-Being: Impacts of Meditation on

Stress Reduction

Max Donovan

Determining the Sustainability of Different Wood Pellet Types

William Dubreuil

How Well Can Motor Oil Be Cleaned Up With Natural Materials

Jaiden Elber and

Producing a Biofuel From Peanut Shells

Matthew Kellogg Hannah Flanders

Does pH Level of Water Affect Plant Growth?

Lilah Fulham

Comparison of Algae-Eating Fish Species

Nathan Gartner

How Do Different Structured Running Shoes Prevent Injury?

Sophie Gaughan

Testing the Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony

UPPER SCHOOL (GRADES 9-12) Taleena Gonneea

Observing the Effect of Microplastics on Zebrafish Macrophages

Erik Gulmann

Settlement and Post-Settlement Mortality of S. balanoides in Svalbard

Apex Heywood

Food Preferences of the Nudibranch Cratena pilata

Thomas Hirth

pHantastic Hydroponics

Sophie Holmes

The Effect of Diet on Urea Levels

Ivy Homa

Herbicides: Safety vs. Effectiveness

Torsten Houtler

How Do Different Types of Sunscreen Affect Zooplankton?

Elizabeth Jazo

Estuaries and Their Salty Tides

Oleksandr Kaplenko

Comparative Characteristics of 3-D Printed Implants in Orthopedics

Willow Lajoie

The Effects of Climate Change on E. coli Growth in Saltwater

Devon Lanson-Alleyne

Increased Mercury Exposure and Carbon Dioxide Emissions in

the Amazon

Nickolas Leach

Light Reflection Off Common Yard Surfaces

Noah Leveque

Analyzing Microplastic Contamination in Store-Bought Sea Salts

Susanna Lowell

An Investigation of Lobster Catch Rates in Relation to Temperature

Faye McGuire

Examining Hurricane Tracks and Their Impacts Using SLOSH Models

Joshua McGuire

How Does Color Affect Humans’ Perception of Flavor?

Nina McKim Kight

Do Different Emotions Affect Your Heart Rate Differently?

Justin McNeil

Which Hand Position Is the Best for Shooting Hoops?

Sophie McSherry and

Comparing Wood Properties For Fire Prevention

Mira Street Giovanna Messina

Building a Better Base: Designing Floating Wind Turbines

Mathilda Moehnke

Testing Different Cleaning Solutions on Pennies

Weston Mogul

Which Airplane Wing Shape Provides the Most Lift?

Andrew Muldoon

Analyzing Microplastics and Other Pollutants in Local Bodies of Water

Gabriel Murray

An Analysis of Water Quality of Five Ponds on Martha’s Vineyard

Luke Okoshi-Michel

Investigating the Impact of Oyster Aquaculture on Water Quality

Arden O’Neil

Cast-off Bloodstain Pattern Analysis of Varied Diameter Metal Pipes

Gabriela Otoni

Robotic Melodies: An Arduino Designed to Play the Guitar

Fletcher Parsons

Can Saris Be an Effective Water Filter?

EXHIBITORS AND PROJECTS UPPER SCHOOL (GRADES 9-12) Maverick Pil

Comparing Morphology to Sex in Juvenile Limulus polyphemus

James Riddiford

Comparing Microplastics In Mackerel From Different Areas

Robert Ronan

Can the Timbre of Musical Instruments be Replicated Digitally?

Amelia Russell Schaeffer Do Essential Oils Repel Amblyomma americanum Larvae as

Effectively as Deet?

Dhara Sananikone-Evans How Water Temperature Rise Affects Regeneration Rates in Sea Stars Elyse Sharpe

The Effect of Caffeine on Ghost Shrimp

Ethan Silveira

What Is the Most Efficient and Effective Infill for 3D Printing?

Siana Solarazza

Seasonal Erosion of Five Beaches on Martha’s Vineyard

Kayleigh Sontag

Is Musical Ability Developed or Genetic?

Elise Soule

Antibacterial Effects of Deodorant on Corynebacterium & Staphylococcus

Ellery Takach

The Effect of pH on Germination Rate

Graeson Takach

Browning Apples: Why It Happens and How to Prevent It

Bodhi Talbot

How Does Land Usage Near Ponds Affect Pollutant Levels?

William Thrasher

How Do Different Types of Music Affect Short-Term Memory?

Zoe Van Keuren

Effects of Wearing Rings on Skin Discoloration

Willow Wakefield

The Effects of Alcohols on Tardigrades and C. elegans

Harrison Webb

The Spread of Garlic Mustard

Good Luck Future Scientists and Engineers Make Some Magic at Falmouth Academy!

- Scott Wayne

Thank you to all our Science & Engineering Fair sponsors!

Congratulations to all the participants of the Falmouth Academy Science & Engineering Fair

In honor of the late Dr. Donald J. Zinn, Salt Pond Areas Bird Sanctuaries, Inc. is proud to continue our long-time commitment to sponsor the Falmouth Academy Science and Engineering Fair.

Our awards are given to students whose projects have an emphasis on the natural world, particularly in relation to the aquatic environment.

Congratulations to the future scientists and changemakers of Falmouth Academy.

Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. – Carl Sagan

CLIMATE SCIENCE FOR CHANGE

Congratulations to all FA students for their hard work on the 2024 Science and Engineering Fair!

Today’s Investments Tomorrow’s Leaders

Teledyne Marine is proud to support the Falmouth Academy Science and Engineering Fair

Notus Clean Energy, LLC Displacing emissions of six tons of CO2 every day

P.O. Box 547, W. Falmouth MA 02574 www.notuscleanenergy.com

www.teledynemarine.com

Be curious.

Ted Lasso

Pelagic

Electronics

174 Lake Shore Dr.

East Falmouth, MA 02536

Since 1970, Pelagic has offered quality products for use at any ocean depth, including: Actuators Deep Sea Solenoids Impeller Pumps Magnetic Switches Tension Releases pelagic@meganet.net (508) 540-1200

Falmouth Academy Harnessing the power of inspired learning in a world-renowned scientific and vibrant artistic community, Falmouth Academy emboldens each student to take creative and intellectual risks to confidently engage the challenges of our times.

7 HIGHFIELD DRIVE • FALMOUTH, MA 02540 508-457-9696 • www.falmouthacademy.org