TAMS students advance in science competition

Three Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science students were selected as regional semifinalists in the 2000 Siemens Westinghouse Science & Technology Competition.

Haley Hagg of Corpus Christi, Ketul Parikh of Dallas and Shaun Stewart of Sherman, all second-year TAMS students, were among five Texas students recognized for individual research in the competition, which was established in 1999 and is funded by the Siemens Foundation. It recognizes high school research in mathematics and science. Students may submit individual projects or projects conducted with one or two other students. The three UNT TAMS students entered individual projects for the competition.

The TAMS students competed for finalist status at the Southwest Siemens Westinghouse competition, held at the University of Texas at Austin Nov. 17-18.

Up to seven individual students and teams are selected as regional semifinalists and receive $3,000 scholarships, with the team members dividing the money. Semifinalists compete at one of six regional competitions, held at major universities, to advance to thefinal competition in Washington, D.C. This year's finals are scheduled Dec. 9-11 at the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Each individual finalist and team receives $20,000. Individual finalists compete for an additional $100,000 in scholarship money, while teams compete for $90,000.

Richard Sinclair, dean of the Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science, says the success of three TAMS students in the competition "is a wonderful recognition of our student research program."

"TAMS has a mission to direct bright youngsters into careers in science and placing them in sophisticated research laboratories is central to completing that mission," he says.

Hagg, the daughter of Steve and Marianne Hagg, was a home school student before entering TAMS in August 1998. Her research involved studying fumagillin, an antibiotic derived from fungi that has proven to shrink tumors by inhibiting the blood flow that keeps them alive. Working in a laboratory at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology this summer, Hagg tested the growing of fungi in different environments so that fumagillin can be quickly produced. The antibiotic must be mass-produced before it can be used as an anti-cancer drug, she says.

Hagg plans to major in chemical engineering after graduating from TAMS in May. She has not yet selected a university.

Parikh, the son of Mahendra and Hema Parikh, attended Richardson High School before entering TAMS in August 1998. For his project, he worked in the laboratory of Oliver Chyan, UNT associate professor of chemistry. He studied the manipulation of polyanilan, a polymer, on silicon surfaces. Growing this polymer on silicon would provide an inexpensive way to manufacture low-current circuit boards, he says.

Parikh plans to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Stanford University after graduating from TAMS in May, majoring in electrical computer engineering or medicine.

Stewart, the son of Max and Cyndi Stewart, attended Denison High School before entering TAMS in August 1998. He conducted his research in the laboratory of Douglas Root, UNT assistant professor of biological sciences. Stewart developed a mathematical model of human muscle contractions, which are controlled by two proteins. Better understanding of the interaction of these proteins could lead to a cure for familiar hypotropic cardiomyopathy, a heredity disease characterized by decreased efficiency of the cardiac muscle and an enlarged heart, Stewart says. He adds that this disease is the leading cause of heart attacks in young adults.

Stewart plans to attend the University of Pennsylvania after graduating from TAMS in May. He will major in biology or biochemistry.

TAMS is a two-year residential program at UNT that allows talented students to complete their freshman and sophomore years of college while earning their high school diplomas. Students enroll in the academy following their sophomore year in high school, live in a UNT residence hall and attend UNT classes with college students. After two years, they enroll at UNT or another university to finish their bachelor's degrees.

BY NANCY KOLSTI nkolsti@unt.edu

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