Five TAMS students named semifinalists in national Intel science competition

Five Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science students have been selected as semifinalists in the 2001 Intel Science Talent Search.

TAMS is a two-year residential program at the University of North Texas 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.

Haley Hagg of Corpus Christi, Adam Horch of Willow Park, Ketul Parikh of Dallas, Shaun Stewart of Sherman and John Yandell of Spring, all second-year TAMS students, are among 10 Texas students named as semifinalists in this year's Intel competition.

Formerly the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, the Intel Science Talent Search is the nation's premier program to recognize high school student research in science, mathematics and engineering. Past honorees of the 60-year-old program later became recipients of Nobel Prizes, National Medals of Science, MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and other prestigious science and math awards.

Nationwide, 300 Intel semifinalists were selected from more than 1,500 applicants. TAMS has produced 20 semifinalists for this honor since 1993.

All Intel semifinalists receive $1,000 and the chance to be named one of 40 finalists in the program. Each semifinalist's school also receives $1,000.

Hagg, the daughter of Steve and Marianne Hagg, was a home school student before entering TAMS in August 1999. She worked in the laboratory of Witold Brostow, professor of materials science, for her project. She combined two different polymers to create a new material that is low in friction and long-wearing, and could be used in the automotive, aerospace and medical industries.

She has been accepted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to finish her bachelor's degree after graduating from TAMS in May. Hagg plans to major in chemical engineering and become a research developer and engineer.

Horch, the son of Thomas and Frances Horch, attended Trinity Valley High School before entering TAMS in August 1999. For his project, he worked in the laboratory of Teresa Golden, assistant professor of chemistry. He developed a method for growing montmorillonite, a material combining a ceramic mineral with metal, on metallic thin films. Because montmorillonite is 20 percent harder than stainless steel, and can be produced inexpensively and rapidly, it can be used for many applications, including artificial joints, industrial cutting tools and automobile parts, Horch says.

He plans to major in biomedical and engineering at one of several universities — Duke, Rice, Johns Hopkins, Vanderbilt or Washington — after graduating from TAMS in May.

Parikh, the son of Mahendra and Hema Parikh, attended Richardson High School before entering TAMS in August 1999. His research projected involved studying the manipulation of polyanilan, a polymer, on silicon surfaces. He worked in the laboratory of Oliver Chyan, associate professor of chemistry. Growing this polymer on silicon would provide an inexpensive way to manufacture low-current circuit boards, Parikh 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 1999. He conducted his research in the laboratory of Douglas Root, 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 said. He added 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 have a double major in biochemistry and computer science.

Yandell, the son of James and Julie Yandell, attended Klein High School before entering TAMS in August 1999. He worked at the Institute of Exercise and Environmental Medicine at Dallas' Presbyterian Hospital, creating a mathematical model showing how oxygen flows from the bloodstream to muscles within capillaries. Better understanding of this process will increase the understanding of oxygenation diseases such as diabetes, he says.

Yandell has applied to eight universities to finish his bachelor's degree after graduating from TAMS in May. He plans to major in biology, earn a medical degree and do biomedical research, preferably for the World Health Organization.

BY NANCY KOLSTI nkolsti@unt.edu

Other featured articles in this issue

• UNT sets fourth annual Equity and Diversity Conference
• UNT kicks off Black History Month celebration
• Second Spring Vision 2015 Forum scheduled March 1
• New program to help fill teacher shortage
• Conference concerts feature world premieres
• Merchandising school wins international award
• Efficiency saves time and money when mailing
• UNT faculty member receives NEA Creative Writing Fellowship
• Parent education conference planned
• Answerline

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