March 18, 2023
A LEGACY OF INNOVATION. A FUTURE OF POSSIBILITY.
On behalf of the 2023 Coriell Institute Science Fair Team, thank you to our generous sponsors for their support in making the 42nd Annual Science Fair a great success!
GOLD SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSORS
CONTRIBUTORS
THE ZAJAC FAMILY
Welcome to the Coriell Institute Science Fair!
Thank you to all of the participants in the room today. Each of your projects required curiosity, vision, tenacity, cleverness, and hard work–all qualities fitting a successful scientist. You should be proud of your commitment to completing your project and competing today. Congratulations to all.
Thank you also to the teachers, the parents and guardians, the judges, the volunteers, and all else who make this fair possible. All great scientists require mentors, teachers, and support to pursue their questions and curiosities about the world. Mentors and teachers are often our first inspirations, stirring in us lasting passions for discovery, and they guide and expand our education. Your work is appreciated deeply.
Great science does not happen in a vacuum. It occurs through collaboration among many people across a great many different roles. The men and women in lab coats need talented programmers to develop computational tools once thought impossible. They need engineers to develop state-ofthe-art equipment with the potential to change the way we see the world. They need teachers to inform and educate, and they need artists and writers to visualize and communicate our work and its story to the public.
If you have an interest in science, there is a home for you, regardless of the nature of your skills.
Finally, to all of the participants in the room, remember that science is not about winning awards or acing exams. It is the process of discovery. It is the spark of a question and the pursuit of an answer. It is the winding paths that you travel as you hunt for that answer. If you participated today, know that you have already achieved something truly remarkable by putting your ideas and findings on display.
May your curiosity lead you to interesting new places and a fulfilling future.
Jean-Pierre Issa, MD President & Chief Executive Officer
Congratulations and welcome to the 42nd Annual Coriell Institute Science Fair.
Camden County College is proud to host the Science Fair again this year, as we share your enthusiasm for scientific theory and its applications in healthcare, technology and engineering.
The selection of your project for this prestigious event recognizes your knowledge, hard work and creativity. Students whose ideas and experiments are showcased here today are on track to make discoveries that will increase our understanding of the world and change the way we live in the years ahead.
As a longtime leader of science and technology education, Camden County College is proud of its dedicated faculty and exceptional facilities. Our programs offer high-quality instruction in small, conveniently scheduled classes. Halpern Hall on our Blackwood Campus houses labs and simulation rooms for biology, chemistry, physics and veterinary technology and also includes a surgical technology suite, dental hygiene clinic, and a nursing arts center. Additional College facilities serve programs in many other fields, including biotechnology, computer science, data science, computer integrated manufacturing, robotics, photonics, music recording, and video game design.
A new Esports Production program is starting at Camden County College in
the fall. This will be the first of its kind in the region and will prepare students for career opportunities in esports event planning, networking, cybersecurity, video, and audio production. Students can also join our Cougar Esports Team that competes in our spectacular Esports Arena in Cherry Hill.
For all these reasons, Camden County College is a great place to start your higher education. This is especially true in allied health, science and technology fields. Two of today’s competitors, an 11th grade student with a winning physical/life sciences entry and an 11th grade student with a winning technological sciences entry, will be awarded two-year scholarships here.
On behalf of everyone at Camden County College, I wish you all the best at today’s fair and continued success with your future studies, research, inventions, and explorations. To learn how our programs and opportunities can start you on your way, visit www.camdencc.edu. I also invite you back to attend our Academic Open House at the Blackwood Campus on the morning of April 1, 2023.
Sincerely,
Dr. Lovell Pugh-Bassett President Camden County College
The Coriell Institute for Medical Research is an internationally renowned biomedical research nonprofit with a dual mission – to supply the global research community with high quality biological materials and services and to conduct forward-looking research at its facility in Camden, New Jersey.
Coriell was founded in 1953 by Dr. Lewis L. Coriell. Dr. Coriell, a virologist who played an important role in developing the polio vaccine, saw a need for standardized biological samples for use in research and worked with the National Institute of General Medical Sciences to create a collection which all scientists could depend on. That collection, the Human Genetic Cell Repository, was launched at Coriell in 1972. Over the years, Coriell has built relationships with many other organizations and now offers millions of samples to scientists around the world.
Research is also a major focus of the Coriell Institute.
Jean-Pierre Issa,
MD, Coriell’sPresident and Chief
has a team of researchers working to learn more about the role epigenetics plays in cancer and how it can be tapped to improve treatments.
ExecutiveOfficer, is a world-recognized expert in epigenetics – or the ways the turning “on” and “off” of genes affect our health – of aging and cancer. Coriell
• Lola Adedeji
• Donna Altamuro
• Jenn Aurilia
• Gennaro Calendo
• Barbara Campbell
• Sienna Casciato
• Woonbok Chung
• Victoria Conte
• Courtney Dirks
• Paul Foster
• Mikel Ghelfi
• Anthony Grandizio
• Christine Grandizio
• Christine Hastings
• Kirsten Hatchell
• Phill Hodges
• Eunice Horton
• Jaroslav Jelinek
• Dara Kusic
• Idella Leaks
• Almedia McCoy
• Diego Morales
• Chorlada Paiboonrungruang
• Peace Park
• Sonia Sampson
• Hiromi Sanders
• Jose Santana
• Frank Santiago
• Tom Schneider
• Jessica Smith
• Dajah Solomon
• Dean Stoios
• Bob Stokes
• Nahid Turan
• Himani Vaidya
• John Wilsman
• George Avirappattu
• Luanne Balestrucci
• John Barr
• William Beard
• Matthew Braun
• Eduard Dedkov
• Mark DeLizio
• Kate Driesbaugh
• Susan Eiseman-Hays
• Michael Ferrari
• Roberto Feudale
• Norman Gerry
• Mikel Ghelfi
• Kavita Gupta
• Edward Heil
• Stacey Heil
• Subash Jonnalagadda
• Dara Kusic
• Sudha Moorthy
• Paul Mulle
• Dave Parsons
• Madeleine Pelchat
• Laura Scheinfeldt
• David Seitman
• Dean Stoios
• Doug Taylor
• Nick Timpanelli
• Siobhan Toal
• Nahid Turan
• Himanyi Vaidya
• Songmei Yu
• Joyce Zhu
We applaud you for all the truly meaningful work you do in our community.
Big hearts deserve a big hand.
Coriell sincerely thanks all of the teachers who have dedicated their time and effort to helping the students prepare their entries for the annual Coriell Science Fair:
Aura Elementary School
• Tara Palma
Brimm Medical Arts High School
• Christopher Chavarria
Camden Academy Charter High School
• Madeline Fenner
Cherry Hill High School East
• Mark Brandreth
• Rajshekhar Chintapalli
Cherry Hill High School West
• Mark Brandreth
• Brian Grillo
Creative Arts Morgan Village Academy
• Vandita Desai
Haddonfield Friends School
• Rebecca Rementer
Hartford School
• Sara Loadenthal
Helen A. Fort Middle School
• Joseph Redden
Moorestown High School
• Sean Watson
Moorestown Friends School
• Jennifer Mosher
• Deborah Bruvik
Leap Academy
• Alexandra Keefe
Lenape High School
• Michael Condurso
Outschool of Gloucester County
• Ryan Reynolds
Rosa International Middle School
• Bruce Krohn
St. Margaret Regional School
• Regina Butterworth
Thomas Harrington Middle School
• Ross Cruz
Unaffiliated
• Supriya Kavalur
• Sujata (Sue) Soni
Voorhees Middle School
• Joyce Laurella
William Allen Middle School
• Christian Heine
• Ken Lynch
YARD Sciences
Brochures
Annual Reports
Catalogs
Pocket Folders
Rack Cards
Variable Data Printing Full Bindery
In addition to 1st and 2nd place presented to students in each age group and category, several sponsors of the 42nd Annual Coriell Institute Science Fair have provided special and distinctive awards to recognize students (both individuals and teams) who have displayed excellence with their science fair projects. These awards demonstrate the high value sponsors place on achievement by middle and high school students in the areas of science and technology.
In honor of Dr. Lewis L. Coriell’s spirit and innovative drive, one 6-8th grade participant or team and one 9-12th grade participant or team will be recognized by the Lewis L. Coriell Best of Fair Award for outstanding perseverance and cleverness in the design of an experimental approach to a research problem, particularly when the design overcomes limited resources. This award was created by the Coriell Institute for Medical Research in honor of its founder, who passed away in 2001. The winners will each be awarded $350.
One 6-8th grade participant or team and one 9-12th grade participant or team will be awarded the Best Life Sciences Award for exhibiting particular excellence within a life science category at the Coriell Institute Science Fair. Winners will each be awarded $150.
The Best Physical Sciences Award will be presented to one 6-8th grade participant or team and one 9-12th grade participant or team for demonstrating outstanding comprehension of one of the physical science categories. Winners will each be awarded $150, sponsored by the Zajac family.
One 6-8th grade participant or team and one 9-12th grade participant or team will be awarded the Best Engineering Award for exhibiting particular excellence at the Coriell Institute Science Fair (this can include mathematics, computer science, and engineering projects). Winners will each be awarded $100 for exhibiting particular excellence and most importantly creativity in engineering.
One 6-8th grade participant and one 9th-12th grade participant will be awarded $100 for exhibiting a creative and practical approach in Behavioral and Social Sciences. Sponsored by the Zajac family.
The South Jersey section of the American Chemical Society will award $50 to one 6-8th grade participant and $75 to one 9-12th grade participant for demonstrating particular excellence in the chemistry category.
The Marianne Raphaely Medicine and Health Award will be presented to one 6-8th grade student and one 9-12th grade participant who shows initiative and practical approach in Medicine and Health. Ms. Raphaely was a president of The Friends of Coriell and a strong supporter of scientific education. Winners will receive $100 sponsored by the M. Raphaely Memorial Fund.
Camden County College will present two 11th grade participants each with a 2-year, full scholarship – one for a winning physical/life science project, and the other, a winning technological sciences project. (Students must attend CCC full time.)
Category winners are eligible to enter the Delaware Valley Science Fair (DVSF), being held April 4-6, if you meet one of the following:
You can enter DVSF IF:
• You are an individual project in 6th-8th grade and won 1st or 2nd
• You are a team project in 6th-8th grade and won 1st or 2nd
• You are an individual project in 9th-12th grade and won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd
• You are a team project in 9th-12th grade and won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd
If you fit a criterion above and want to go to DVSF, you must visit Coriell’s website for information and instructions on attending the fair.
Please visit: https://www.coriell.org/education/sciencefair/delaware-valley-science-fair
All disciplines –multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary. Projects consist of 2 or 3 team members.
Human and animal behavior, social and community relationships – psychology, sociology, anthropology, archaeology, ethology, ethnology, linguistics, learning, perception, urban problems, reading problems, public opinion surveys, educational testing, etc.
Study of plant life –agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, forestry, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant pathology, plant genetics, hydroponics, algae, etc.
Study and development of computer software and hardware and associated logical devices – artificial intelligence, algorithms, data bases, networking and communications, computer graphics, computational science, programming languages, operating systems.
Geology, mineralogy, physiography, oceanography, meteorology, climatology, astronomy, geology, serology, seismology, geography, weather, paleontology, geophysics, tectonics, planetary science.
Chemistry of life processes –molecular biology, molecular genetics, enzymes, photosynthesis, blood chemistry, protein chemistry, food chemistry, hormones, metabolism, etc.
Study of nature and composition of matter and laws governing it – physical chemistry, organic chemistry (other than biochemistry), inorganic chemistry, materials, plastics, fuels, pesticides, metallurgy, soil chemistry, etc.
Testing and the comparison of consumer products for their intended use.
Technology projects that directly apply scientific principles to manufacturing and practical uses – civil, mechanical, aeronautical, chemical, electrical, photographic, sound, automotive, marine, heating and refrigerating, transportation, environmental engineering, etc.
Development of formal logical systems or various numerical and algebraic computations, and the application of these principles– calculus, geometry, abstract algebra, number theory, statistics, complex analysis, probability.
Air pollution and air quality, bioremediation, soil contamination and soil quality, ecosystems management, water pollution and water quality, environmental engineering, forestry, land use management, recycling, waste management.
Biology of microorganisms – bacteriology, virology, protozoology, fungi, bacterial genetics, yeast, antibiotics, antimicrobials, etc.
Study of disease and health of humans and animals –dentistry, pharmacology, pathology, ophthalmology, nutrition, sanitation, pediatrics, dermatology, allergies, speech and hearing, etc.
Theories, principles, and laws governing energy and the effect on matter—solid state, optics, acoustics, particle, nuclear, atomic, plasma, superconductivity, fluid and gas dynamics, thermo-dynamics, semiconductors, magnetism, quantum mechanics, biophysics, etc.
Study of animals – animal genetics, ornithology, ichthyology, herpetology, entomology, animal ecology, paleontology, cellular physiology, circadian rhythms, animal husbandry, cytology, histology, animal physiology, invertebrate neurophysiology, studies of invertebrates, etc.
Congratulations to Maya Butani, a winner in last year’s Coriell Institute Science Fair, for her recent first place award at the 2022 International Science and Engineering Fair! Maya received the first place award in the Biochemistry category for her work investigating the utility of plant tissue in human tissue engineering.
Maya admits she caught the science fair bug young. She first participated in the Coriell Institute Science Fair when she was in sixth grade and this international win is a bit of a repeat for Maya, but the event last May, however, was different in one big way.
“I didn’t know what I was missing because it wasn’t held in person (in 2021),” Maya said. “Meeting everyone in person is unmatched. Virtually, you can’t get the same experience meeting people around the world. At the event in Atlanta, I met people from Portugal, Egypt, Italy, and Saudi Arabia. I was able to have in-depth conversations with all these people.”
For her project, Maya utilized stem cells from connective tissue and grocery store celery. Maya sliced the celery in two ways—across the entire bunch and straight down the ribs lengthwise—to create two different surfaces to culture these stem cells. Looking down at the celery sliced across, the surface has a porous structure that is bonelike in appearance, and lengthwise, the structure is long and fibrous, like muscles.
When culturing stem cells on these two surfaces, she found that the stem cells on the porous celery sliced across were more likely to develop into bone cells and the stem cells cultured on the celery sliced lengthwise were more likely to grow into the types of cells found in muscles. Maya stained proteins and confirmed that when compared to synthetic tissue engineering bases, the stem cells responded better when cultured on the celery—there was more mechanosensing, meaning the cells had a stronger response to their physical environment.
“I found that not only is it viable to use plant material for tissue engineering, but there are advantages which is a fascinating conclusion of my research over the last four years,” Maya said.
Maya graduated last June and began attending Princeton University last fall where she is focusing her studies on Molecular Biology.
“The people I’ve met have changed my life. My mentors who have taught me and have given me opportunities, to the other science fair competitors who share my passion, and the judges who make me feel like I’m on the cutting edge of science,” Maya said. “It’s the people and the network that truly make the research.”
“ The people I’ve met have
changed my life. My mentors who have taught me and have given me opportunities, to the other science fair competitors who share my passion, and the judges who make me feel like I’m on the cutting edge of science”
A synergic partnership coming together to educate the next generation of healthcare providers for the region.
RURCBOG.COM
CORIELL INSTITUTE SCIENCE FAIR PARTICIPANTS
On the culmination of your dedication and ingenuity
ROWAN UNIVERSITY/RUTGERS–CAMDEN BOARD OF GOVERNORS
Grounded in Education — Focused on a Health Based Economy
