HOMEFRONT: Mad Science Skills

ROUND ROCK LEADER
October 5, 2007

MARCIAL GUAJARDO
Managing Editor

Thousands entered but only a few hundred were chosen earlier this year as semifinalists in the Discovery Channel's Young Scientist Challenge, including four Round Rock ISD students.

Austin Allison, Christian Chilarescu, Dhurv Garg and Matthew Speed were among the 40 contestants from Texas chosen as semifinalists in the competition, contest officials announced in August. A total of 400 semifinalists, picked from a field of 1,960 entries, were named.

"The Young Scientist Challenge targets students as they first pursue seriously their innate fascination with the natural world," said Elizabeth Marincola, president and CEO of Science Service, the nonprofit organization that administers the competition. "In partnership with Discovery Communications, Science Service is delighted to nurture these outstanding young scientists, encouraging their interest in research and helping build their skills in promoting public engagement in science."

Each of the RRISD semifinalists were students in elementary school at the time they started work on their entries. They have since moved on to middle school.

Chilarescu was a student at Live Oak Elementary in October when he began prepping for the school science fair. Ten projects from the school were chosen to advance to the Austin regional science fair, where Chilarescu won a first place ribbon. That elevated the entry to the Discovery Channel Challenge.

A history buff with a parent who is an engineer, Chilarescu, with advice from his father, centered his project on the science involved in a catapult, which he constructed out of wood, a protractor and with three rubber bands powering it.

"My teacher gave us about two months [to work on it] but I got it done early because I was so excited about it," he said, noting that he finished the project in about eight days. "I like history and catapults have a lot to do with it."

"It started like a toy," said his mother, Mihaela Chilarescu. "But he really did work hard on it. They spent a lot of time in the garage."

Garg was a fifth grader at Great Oaks Elementary, starting the project shortly before Christmas of last year for that school's science fair. He, too, placed first at the regional level and his entry was chosen for the Challenge.

He picked the science involved in parachuting as the topic of his entry, exploring how different shapes affect speed and paths of travel.

With the help of his father - also an engineer - Garg completed the project in about four weeks, working about two hours each day, he said.

"I've always been interested in how the shape would affect the parachute," he noted, adding that he had to learn a bit about trigonometry in the process.

"He had to learn a lot of things," said his mother, Anubha Garg. "Overall, I think he had a lot of fun with it."

His mother noted engineering appears to be in Dhurv's blood. Both parents are engineers, and on her side of the family, her father and both her brothers are engineers. On her husband's side, his brother and father also have worked in the field.

"Sometimes, [Dhurv] says he might want to be a doctor," said his mother, with a laugh.

Allison and Speed teamed up on their effort while students at Fern Bluff Elementary. They, too, won first place in their category at the Austin regional science fair and had their entry, on a mechanical volcano, chosen for the Discovery Channel Challenge.

Dubbed "Mad Volcanical Science," the project had an Erector set frame, with a paper maché surface, and motoring to power the eruption of confetti and tiny boulders, as well as producing shaking of their Mount Vesuvius atop heavy-duty springs.

They also created small-scale versions of Herculaneum and Pompeii - cities destroyed in the A.D. 79 eruption of Vesuvius. Their versions included plastic statues, soldiers and Roman buildings.

"It was quite a challenge for them," said Matthew's father, John Speed. "It was long and drawn out. It was a huge project but I knew they could do it. They wanted to do it."

"It was really challenging to put together, not knowing whether it would work at all," said Matthew. "We had other projects and homework at the same time."

"I want to have another chance at it," added Austin. "I thought we could have done better at it."

Each of the students completed an essay on their projects.

Forty finalists in the Discovery Channel Challenge were named in September, but RRISD will have to wait until next year for a chance at that level. The winner is expected to be announced Oct. 21-24.

In its ninth year, the Challenge is geared toward students in grades 5-8 and is designed to encourage the exploration of science "at a critical age when interest in science begins to decline," officials wrote in a press release.

In this year's event, competitors drew upon biochemistry, physics, math, engineering, zoology and other disciplines.

"This year's semifinalists represent the country's next generation of science leaders," said Steve Jacobs, Challenge head judge. "Even more impressive, and a fundamental part of our competition, is their skill in explaining their work to others, a prerequisite of scientific leadership. It is crucial that we continue to play a role in developing the skill sets that young people will need as the demand for eco-friendly innovation increases."

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