Coriell Institute Science Fair - 2024 Program Book

Coriell Institute Science Fair

March 16, 2024

On behalf of the 2024 Coriell Institute Science Fair Team, thank you to our generous sponsors for their support in making the 43rd Annual Science Fair a great success!

FEATURED SPONSOR

RESEARCH LEVEL SPONSORS

QUERY LEVEL SPONSORS

CONTRIBUTORS

THE ZAJAC FAMILY

A Message from Coriell Institute

Welcome again to the Coriell Institute Science Fair!

Now in its 43rd year, this annual event brings together student scientists from across South Jersey to demonstrate to judges, parents, and peers their curiosity and thoughtful approaches to complex problems. Every year at this time I look forward to the winter winding down, and also to viewing all the exciting projects assembled by the students attending the Fair. I am always amazed by the creativity of our student scientists, and by their courage in presenting their findings in public.

Our shared love for science and uncovering the unknown led us to this science fair. In my own career, I have found that there is nothing as rewarding as the thrill of discovery. This passion led me to the Coriell Institute for Medical Research, the longtime organizer of the science fair. From our home in Camden, we built some of the world’s most significant and widely used collections of biological materials. Just last year, in collaboration with the Cooper Medical School at Rowan University and Cooper University Health Care, we launched the Camden Cancer Research Collaborative, a team-driven research effort to create new cancer treatments right here in South Jersey.

Coriell, as well as many of the educators and professionals representing multiple organizations at the fair, has many scientists on staff eager to uncover previously unknown details about the

world. We have ideas of what might be, design experiments to test them and their varied possibilities, and then analyze and communicate the results, as participants are doing now with their posters. Through this approach, our understanding of the world expands, medicines improve and treat more diseases with fewer side effects, technology improves, and new avenues for inquiry open, allowing others to pursue further breakthroughs.

The science fair represents a cycle of curiosity and discovery that’s endured for 43 years at Coriell. You can help ensure it continues next year and for many more to come by making a donation. Visit Coriell.org to give and learn more.

I must especially thank the parents and teachers who have guided the young scientists as they pursued their scientific passions. A little guidance can go a long way when considering a puzzling experiment. And thank you to Camden County College for allowing us to host this event on their campus again.

Thank you, students, parents, teachers, sponsors, and judges. I’m so proud of all you accomplished!

Dr. Jean-Pierre Issa President & CEO of Coriell Institute for Medical Research

A Message from Camden County College

Dear Young Scientists,

Congratulations and welcome to the 43rd 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.

Camden County College is proud to be at the forefront of new and exciting developments in science and technology education in our area. Last fall, we welcomed students into our Esports Production program, which is the first of its kind in the region. This program 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 state-ofthe-art 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.

Sincerely,

Dr. Lovell Pugh-Bassett President Camden County College

About Coriell Institute

CORIELL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH

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 forwardlooking research at its facility in Camden, New Jersey.

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Research is a major focus of the Coriell Institute. Jean-Pierre Issa, MD, Coriell’s President and Chief Executive Officer, 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 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. Last year, Coriell launched the Camden Cancer Research Center, a collaborative research effort, with neighboring institutions to tackle cancer here in South 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 for 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 1973. Over the years, Coriell has built relationships with many other organizations and now offers millions of samples to scientists around the world.

Coriell relies on donations to fully fund our programs and services. Join us by signing up for our mailing list and making a donation.

Volunteers

• Lola Adedeji

• Donna Altamuro

• Abigail Amberson

• Jenn Aurilia

• Candice Bui-Linh

• Denise Buscher

• Gennaro Calendo

• Barbara Campbell

• Morgan Chaunzwa

• Victoria Conte

• Kevin Dennis

• Robert Elefante

• Nora Engel

• Anghesom Ghebremedhin

• Zinasia Gibson

• Christine Hastings

• Kirsten Hatchell

• Phill Hodges

• Eunice Horton

• Edith Kreuzer

• Idella Leaks

• Diego Morales

• Almedia Myers

• Stacia Octaviani

• Chorlada Paiboonrungruang

• Peace Park

• Sam Piccolo

• Jason Plevinsky

• Anthony Pompetti

• Sonia Sampson

• Jessica Smith

• Carla Tolentino

• John Wilsman

• John Witherspoon

Judges

• Hardik Ghelani

• Norman Gerry

• Kavita Gupta

• Shaileshbhai Kaklotar

• Mark DeLizio

• Raj Chintapalli

• Roberto Feudale

• Behrooz Nazer

• Susan Eiseman-Hays

• Eduard Dedkov

• Anthony Pompetti

• Dara Kusic

• Stacey Heil

• Diego Morales

• Tatyana Pozner

• Fatema Begum Ruma

• Jozef Madzo

• Stacia Octaviani

• Nahid Turan

• Laura Scheinfeldt

• Candice Bui-Linh

• Gennaro Calendo

• Dan Deegan

• Kelly Hodges

• Matthew W. Mitchell

• Abigail Amberson

• Mikel Ghelfi

• Peace Park

• Christian Brown

• Will Davis

• Aly Gomez

• William Beard

• Amy Hart

• Donna Valjat

• John Barr

• Doug Taylor

• David Seitman

• Judith Miller

• Bonnie Harvey

• Paul Mulle

• Jay Gabriel

• Victoria Haggerson

• Jim Gibson

• Gillian McGuire

• Sudha Moorthy

• Lindsey Wilson

Teacher Recognition

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

Camden Academy Charter High School

• Madeline Fenner

Cherokee High School

• Rachel Senft

Cherry Hill High School East

• Mark Brandreth

• Rajshekhar Chintapalli

Cherry Hill High School West

• Elizabeth Begley

• Brian Grillo

Delran High School

• Saba Flomo

• Siobhan McVay

Delran Middle School

• Douglass Kennedy

Eastampton Community School

• Jeffrey Bowlby

Eastern Regional High School

• Kirstie DeLisa

Haddonfield Friends School

• Rebecca Rementer

Harrington Middle School

• Crystal Smith

Leap Academy

• Gregory Goss

Lenape High School

• Jim Scott

Moorestown Friends School

• Deborah Bruvik

• Trish Tate

Moorestown High School

• Sean Watson

Outschool of Gloucester County

• Ryan Reynolds

St. Margaret Regional School

• Regina Butterworth

White Home School

• Stacey White

William Allen Middle School

• Christian Heine

YARD Sciences

Special Awards

In addition to 1st and 2nd place presented to students in each age group and category, several sponsors of the 43rd 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.

LEWIS L. CORIELL BEST OF FAIR AWARD

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.

BEST OF LIFE SCIENCES AWARD

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.

BEST OF PHYSICAL SCIENCES AWARD

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.

BEST OF ENGINEERING AWARD

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.

BEST OF BEHAVIORAL & SOCIAL SCIENCES AWARD

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.

AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY AWARDS

The South Jersey section of the American Chemical Society will award $25 to one 6-8th grade participant and $50 to one 9-12th grade participant for demonstrating particular excellence in the chemistry category.

CAMDEN COUNTY COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP

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.)

MARIANNE RAPHAELY MEDICINE AND HEALTH AWARD

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.

Coriell Summer Experience for Students

The Coriell Summer Experience for Students is a paid opportunity for high school and college students to work alongside world-renowned scientists and researchers and gain insights into careers in science.

Through our four-week Summer Experience program, we offer a limited number of students an exclusive opportunity to be a part of the day-to-day research activities in dynamic research and biobanking environments, and we offer the possibility to experience biobank operations. The program will run from July 17 through August 19.

Students have the opportunity to apply for a summer experience in our Production Laboratories or in Research and Development. For more information on how to apply, visit Coriell.org.

ELIGIBILITY

Students interested in the program must:

• Be at least 17 years of age by July 1

• Have a strong interest in science (advanced science classes are preferred)

• Be available to participate in all four weeks of the program

• Must be a resident of the United States

• No lodging or transportation will be provided. All applicants should be able to commute to Coriell’s facility in Camden, New Jersey

Delaware Valley Science Fair

Top winners at the Coriell Institute Science Fair qualify to advance to the regional finals at the Delaware Valley Science Fair (DVSF). The 2024 DVSF is scheduled to take place April 2nd through April 4th and will be held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.

HOW TO ADVANCE

You can enter DVSF if:

• You are an individual project in 6-8th grades and won 1st or 2nd

• You are a team project in 6-8th grades and won 1st or 2nd

• You are an individual project in 9-12th grades and won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd

• You are a team project in 9-12th grades and won 1st, 2nd, or 3rd

The 1st and 2nd prize awards in 6-8th grade categories will be given to the strongest projects in each category that meet the minimum criteria for advancement.

Likewise, the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd prize awards in 9-10th and 11-12th categories will be given to the strongest projects in each category that meet the minimum criteria for advancement.

Coriell will automatically register you by forwarding your project paperwork to DVSF officials.

Category Descriptions

BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

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.

BOTANY

Study of plant life –agriculture, agronomy, horticulture, forestry, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant pathology, plant genetics, hydroponics, algae, etc.

COMPUTER SCIENCE EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCES

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.

BIOCHEMISTRY

Chemistry of life processes –molecular biology, molecular genetics, enzymes, photosynthesis, blood chemistry, protein chemistry, food chemistry, hormones, metabolism, etc.

CHEMISTRY

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.

CONSUMER SCIENCE ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS

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.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

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.

MICROBIOLOGY MEDICINE AND HEALTH PHYSICS

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.

ZOOLOGY

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.

Student Projects

Student Projects

Student Projects

Student Projects

Student Projects

A CAMPUS NEAR YOU

Camden County College has campuses in Blackwood, Camden and Cherry Hill featuring state-of-the-art facilities.

We encourage you to visit any of our campuses and explore all the options available to you.

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