Students Earn Honorable Mention in Governor's STEM Competition

A team of Fox Chapel Area High School students received an honorable mention in the ninth annual Pennsylvania Governor’s STEM Competition. The team members are juniors Lakshanya Rajaganapathi, Adhitya Thirumala, and Gabriella Urso and sophomores Alex Kim and Swati Mylarappa. The theme of the competition this year was “Innovating the Commonwealth through Collaboration and Computing.” The Fox Chapel Area High School team was one of 20 winning teams from across the state and one of only two from Western Pennsylvania to be named a winner.

The group developed a product called TURBO, a low-cost turbidity sensor that repurposes the already-existing LifeStraws. TURBO addresses the needs of individuals struggling with various water quality issues and bridges the gap between individuals and communities from around the world to reduce water contamination. The device measures the turbidity of the water and relays the data via a mobile application to local water authorities who then alert the public about possible water contamination in the area.

This year, the Governor’s STEM Competition challenged 62 teams of students in grades 9-12 from across the state to research, design, and present a device or project that can help improve the lives of Pennsylvanians and fulfill realworld needs.

“The thought and innovation that went into this year’s projects continues to show us why Pennsylvania has long been seen as a national leader in STEM,” said Acting Secretary of Education, Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “The commonwealth is fortunate to have such talented, knowledgeable, and creative students.”

The Fox Chapel Area High School students’ advisor was gifted support facilitator Lisa Gibson.