Young science enthusiasts told to change the world for good

“It’s your responsibility to change the world for good,” Naweed Syed of the University of Calgary’s Cumming School of Medicine told close to 1,000 Grade 5 to 12 students competing at the 56th annual Calgary Youth Science Fair (CYSF). “I see so many bright faces here that will change history,” he said between rounds of judging Friday, April 13 at the Olympic Oval.

Syed, who studies brain-chip interfacing, shared stories of his own youthful curiosity, encouraged students to be courageous in their scientific efforts and to double their rates of failure. “Many of my dreams and the dreams of my colleagues will be achieved by you,” he said. “You are smart and sharp. Thank you for your courage to take part in science fair.”

For the seventh year, UCalgary hosted the CYSF, which is the largest regional fair in Canada. Here are the 2018 winners of university-sponsored awards:

Elementary level (Grades 5-6)

• Zaria Huq, Kiersten Young, Grade 5, The Buzz on Bees — Calgary Veterinary Medicine Intermediate Animal Health Award
• Veronica Kjolberg, Francine Adriano, Grade 6, Blue Light Exposed — Hunter Centre Secondary Consumer Science Award
• Abigail Sloane, Grade 5, How does light affect plant growth? — Dept. of Geoscience Elementary Runner Up
• Trenton Staples, Grade 6, Liquefaction-Can you Stay on Top of it? — Dept. of Geoscience Elementary Award
• Jadelyn Tran, Grade 6, Logical vs Emotional Thinking — Pacific Institute the Mathematical Sciences Elementary Award
• Justin White, Grade 6, Sled Wars — Hunter Centre Elementary Consumer Science Award

Intermediate level (Grades 7-9)

• Eric Grant, Grade 7, Walt Water Solutions — Dept. of Geoscience Secondary Award
• Sophie Hoye Pacholek, Grade 9, Bioengineered Wings Inspired by the Avian Form — Pacific Institute the Mathematical Sciences Secondary Award
• Haniya Kashif, Grade 7, Go With the Flow — Dept. of Geoscience Secondary Runner Up
• Mika Raber, Grade 7, Dyeing to Know — Hunter Centre Overall Consumer Science Award
• Fiza Rafeek, Grade 9, Antibiotic Resistance — Faculty of Science Discovery Award
• Catalina van der Raadt, Grade 9, Growing pneumatic robot — School of Engineering Second Prize
• Griffin Wong, Grade 9, Classroom Underdog — Faculty of Arts Award

 Senior level (Grades 10-12)

• Aaron Abraham, Grade 11, Applying Machine Learning to Predict Alzheimer's — Pacific Institute the Mathematical Sciences Secondary Award
• Anika Achari, Grade 11, Multi-Barrier Drinking Water Treatment System — Schulich School of Engineering First Prize
• Colette Benko, Grade 12, Epigenetics Role in Cancer Differentiation — University of Calgary Chancellor's Bursary (best overall project at the fair)
• Faris Fizal, Grade 11, Assessing the Structural Stability of HBOCs — Biochemistry and Experimental Biology Award
• Elise Gosse, Grade 11, Role of ZnT3 in synaptic plasticity and behaviour — Hotchkiss Brain Institute Runner Up Award
• Johan Lee, Grade 11, Oxidative Stress in Breast Cancer Cells — Faculty Women's Club Award
• Crystal Radinski, Grade 11, EG Coherence as a Biomaker for Alzheimers — Hotchkiss Brain Institute Award