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Students win awards at regional science and engineering fair

Fox Chapel Area School District ›  |  Posted on

Nine Fox Chapel Area School District students won awards at the 2024 Pittsburgh Regional Science & Engineering Fair (PRSEF).

Dorseyville Middle School eighth-grader Divya Thirumala was named the first-place winner in the intermediate division of the consumer science category. Seventh-grader Rishabh Krishnamurthy received first place in the intermediate division earth & environment category, a sponsor award from the Allegheny County Health Department, and an affiliated sponsor award from the Office of Naval Research. Sixth-grader Cora Good won first place in the junior division of the behavioral & consumer science category. As a result of their category wins, Divya, Rishabh and Cora have all been nominated for the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge.

Additionally, Fox Chapel Area High School junior Rohit Velankar received second place in the senior division physics & astronomy category. Senior Lakshanya Rajaganapathi won an honorable mention in the senior division of the medicine/health/microbiology category. Junior Etash Jhanji won an honorable mention award in the senior division of the computer science/math category. Junior Benjamin Fiedler won an affiliated sponsor award from the Office of Naval Research. Freshman Param Thawani won sponsor awards from Aerotech and Bayer. Sophomore Ulyana Kubini received a scholarship award from Mount Aloysius College.

The PRSEF is open to students in grades 6-12 from 21 counties in western Pennsylvania and Garrett County in Maryland. Each year, students from nearly 100 schools spend up to 12 months developing and executing a project and compete for more than $1 million in cash, scholarships and trips. All of the students who participated in the fair conducted individual science research and presented their projects to a committee of judges. The judging took place April 2 and 3 at the Carnegie Science Center, a virtual awards ceremony was held April 5, and a showcase for all first place winners was held April 6.