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From December 5, 2006, News-Sentinel

Original URL:
http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_5156757,00.html

ORNL supercomputer helps trio excel

High school students present prize-winning research tonight

OAK RIDGE - Research by three brainy high school students, national finalists in a top-flight science competition, will be showcased to the public tonight.

Oak Ridge High seniors Scott Molony, Steven Arcangeli and Scott Horton will explain their project during a 6 p.m. presentation at the Pollard Technology Conference Center auditorium off Badger Avenue.

Using an Oak Ridge National Laboratory supercomputer, the trio studied ways to modify bacteria to better ferment plants to make ethanol for auto fuel.

The students' mentor, Dr. Nagiza Samatova, subsequently received a special $800,000 grant to continue that research at the lab.

The trio early this month won the New England regional finals in the annual Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology. That win netted them $6,000 in scholarships to divvy up.

Winning the competition has been described as the high school equivalent of the Nobel Prize.

The Oak Ridge students now advance to the finals Dec. 1-4 at New York University in New York City and a shot at scholarships ranging from $10,000 to $100,000.

Last year's Oak Ridge High team - Nick Grabenstein, Pat Brent and Tarik Umar - finished fourth in the national finals for their research project.

This year's team was the only Tennessee squad to advance to the regional competition. More than 1,000 research papers were submitted nationwide.

Bob Fowler, News Sentinel Anderson County editor, may be reached at 865-481-3625.

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