![\"statewide](\"http:\/\/ezing.me\/transfer\/wp-content\/uploads\/stories\/news\/statewide%20science,%20math,%20engineering%20competition.jpg\" "\\"statewide")
<\/p>\nOXFORD, Miss. — High school students visited the \n\u00a0\n<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \nThe Mississippi Junior Academy of Science sponsored the \n“Students participating in these sessions not only present \nAsanka Nanayakkara of Oxford, a junior at the Mississippi \nNanayakkara’s biochemistry poster was titled \nOxford High School sophomore Thien Che was awarded the \nOther winners were Natalie Omattage of Cleveland, Xiaotion \nOmattage, a senior at MSMS, was presented the Mississippi \nLiu, a senior at MSMS, received the first-place trophy for \nSutton, a senior at Murrah High School, was awarded the \nShettar, a senior at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, was \nBarnett, a senior at MSMS, received the third-place trophy \n“It was a pleasure judging the posters as the students were \nThe visiting students also attended two workshops on
\nUniversity of Mississippi recently for a statewide
\nscience-engineering-mathematics poster competition and
\nworkshops on an upcoming catapult competition.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n
\nposter competition, hosted at UM this year for the third
\ntime. Fourteen students in grades 9-12 competed, and $4,700
\nwas awarded by MJAS and the Mississippi Academy of
\nSciences. Winners are to participate in the 2008 American
\nJunior Academy of Science Conference at the Massachusetts
\nInstitute of Technology in February.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\ntheir posters, they also have the opportunity to attend
\nprofessional scientific conferences and publish their work
\nin the MAS Scientific Journal,” said Maxine Woolsey,
\ndirector of MJAS and educational outreach specialist for
\nthe School of Engineering. “These opportunities give
\nstudents visions of where they would like to be in a few
\nyears and provide a purpose to their education.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nSchool for Mathematics and Science in Columbus, received
\nthe Clyde O. Sheely Award and a $1,000 reimbursement
\nscholarship toward the MIT competition. Making the
\npresentation was MAS representative Robert Fritzius, a
\njudge for the UM competition.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\n“Acetylcholinesterse Inhibitors from Herbs as Treatments
\nfor Alzheimer’s Disease.” He is the son of Dhammika
\nNanayakkara and Kumundini Meepagala.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nfirst-place trophy for grades 9-10 and a $500 reimbursement
\nscholarship toward the MIT competition. Che’s physics
\nposter was titled”Magnus Effect in Tennis.” His parents
\nare Tri and Van Che.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nLiu of Starkville, La’Mont Sutton of Jackson, Sandesh
\nShettar of Ridgeland and Nathan Barnett of Brandon.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nAcademy of Science Award and a $1,000 scholarship. Her
\nbiology poster was titled “Development of Biosensors for
\nDetecting Hazardous Chemicals.” She is the daughter of O.P.
\nand Thishya Perera.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\ngrades 11-12 and a $500 scholarship. His chemistry poster
\nwas titled “Catalytic Gasoline Synthesis.” His parents are
\nWenxuan Liu and Yujie Zhang.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nsecond-place trophy for grades 11-12 and a $300
\nscholarship. His biology poster was titled “Role of Tissue
\nTransglutaminase Type 2 in Calbindin D28k Interaction with
\nAtaxin-1.” He is the son of La’Rue and Mary Sutton.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\npresented the third-place trophy in behavioral science for
\ngrades 11-12 and a $300 scholarship. His poster was titled
\n“A Demographic Analysis of Smokers Seeking Cessation
\nTreatment at the ACT Center.” He is the son of Shambhavi
\nand Shashidhar Shettar.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nin chemistry for grades 11-12 and a $500 scholarship. His
\nposter was titled “Preparation of Activated 4-Cyanodithio
\nPentanoic Acid and RAFT Polymerization of Free Amine
\nContaining Polymers.” He is the son of Larry and Sandra
\nBarnett.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nextremely knowledgeable of their research and were very
\nwell prepared for their presentations,” said poster judge
\nBob Woolsey, director of the Mississippi Mineral Resources
\nInstitute at UM. “I have judged science fairs and the MJAS
\nposter sessions in previous years; these are some of the
\nbrightest and most impressive students I have talked with.”
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n
\nengineering a trebuchet, which is a gravity-driven
\ncatapult. The information sessions were in preparation for
\nthe students to participate in the catapult competition
\nscheduled Feb. 5, 2008 in the Ole Miss Indoor Practice
\nFacility.
\n<\/span>\n<\/p>\n