Two area high school students participating in a Region II Jackson State science competition won fourth place and $500 at the 2016 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Phoenix.
Andrew Neely, 12th grade, and Charley Hutchison, 10th grade, both of St. Andrew’s Episcopal School in Ridgeland, placed first at the annual Mississippi Region II Science and Engineering Fair hosted by Jackson State University’s College of Science, Engineering and Technology earlier this year.
The students then advanced to the Mississippi Science and Engineering State Fair and again won first place eventually gaining victory on the national stage.
An estimated 1,000 judges from a broad range of scientific backgrounds assessed the projects. Among 600 finalists, Neely and Hutchinson placed fourth in the chemistry category.
Neely and Hutchison developed an “Electrodynamic Approach to the Colligative Properties of Solutions Through Thermodynamic and Quantum Consideration of Ionic Hydration Systems.” Their project propelled them to victory at one of the world’s largest high school science and research competitions.
“We join Intel and the Society for Science and the Public in congratulating Andrew and Charley for their achievement. This award is indicative of the hard work and effort they put into their research,” said Joe Whitfield, director of Mississippi Science and Engineering Fair – Region II at Jackson State University.
“The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair is an excellent venue for uniting students around the world who are dedicated to identifying global problems, researching possible solutions and sharing those solutions with the world’s scientific community,” Whitfield said.