![2025 Science Fair Grand Prize Winners]([{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_1/v1744230001/rsdedu/mqiiy60rhyeedf09eqtm/ScienceFairWEB.jpg","width":256},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto,t_image_size_2/v1744230001/rsdedu/mqiiy60rhyeedf09eqtm/ScienceFairWEB.jpg","width":512},{"url":"https://resources.finalsite.net/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1744230001/rsdedu/mqiiy60rhyeedf09eqtm/ScienceFairWEB.jpg","width":770}])
RSD Students Earn Top Honors at 2025 Mid-Columbia Science Fair
More than 20 RSD students earned awards at the 2025 Mid-Columbia Science and Engineering Fair. Three high school students, Hanford High junior Sonali Santhosh, Hanford High senior Sydney West and Richland High senior Advaitha Motkuri were named Grand Prize winners, earning them an expenses-paid ticket to compete in the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair later this year in Ohio. The students were commended for their creativity, hard work, perseverance, and the ability to take risks – attributes needed to solve the most pressing problems in the world. Brittany Hampton, a science teacher at Chief Joseph Middle School, was also honored with the Inspiring Excellence Teacher Award.
Students in grades 6-12 may compete in the fair by creating and carrying out a research project on a topic of their choosing. First place winners in grade 9 receive an expenses-paid trip to attend the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair as an observer and middle school division first place winners receive a scholarship to attend a week long residential STEM camp. Students were evaluated on their research project abstract, display slides, a scientific journal and overview video. Click here to learn more about the Mid-Columbia Science Fair.
Senior Division (Grades 10-12)
| Award | Name | School | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade Prize | Advaitha Motkuri | Richland High | "ASDetect: Detecting Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using AI-Based Facial Recognition Techniques" |
| Grade Prize | Sonali Santhosh | Hanford High | "Cracking the Seizure Code: A Deep Learning Approach to Neonatal Seizure Detection Utilizing Hybrid Architecture for Multi-Scale EEG Analysis" |
| Grade Prize | Sydney West | Hanford High | "The Design and Engineering of an Intelligent Remotely Operated Vehicle for Coral Reef Research and Monitoring" |
| First Place | Prayrona Choudhury | Hanford High | "AquaLink -Determining Freshwater Species Abundance Using the Multiscale Convergence of Chemical and Biological Processes" |
| Second Place | Isabella Pinto | Hanford High | "How a High-Temperature Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage System Can Be Implemented in Vehicles as an Exceptionally Eco-Friendly Power Supply" |
| Honorable Mention | Aashrita Bhamidimarri | Hanford High | "An AI Based Personalized Allergy Alert System" |
| Honorable Mention | Lily Deng | Hanford High | "Comparing Efficiency of Energy Harvesting Techniques for Medical Pacemakers" |
| Honorable Mention | Nicole Samaan | Hanford High | "A Comparative Analysis of Classical and Quantum Computing Algorithms in Enhancing the Efficiency of Electric Grids of the Future" |
9th Grade Division
| Award | Name | School | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Place | Aarav Shrivastava | Richland High | "Applying Deep Learning for Wildfire Identification: Economical and Accessible Solutions Leveraging Small Datasets" |
| Second Place | Rohan Nune | Richland High | "Bridging Health: Revealing the Connection Between Periodontal Disease and Diabetes" |
| Second Place | Akshath Motkuri | Richland High | "GlucoBone: An Early Detection Sensor System for Diabetes and Bone Disorders" |
| Third Place | Rishi Vijay | Hanford High | "ChemSafe: Hazard Prevention at Your Fingertips" |
| Third Place | Raman Harilal | Richland High | "Determination of laser induced chlorophyll fluorescence from spinach leaves" |
| Honorable Mention | Viraj Pilli | Richland High | "Smart Roof" |
8th Grade Combined Life/Physical Science Division
| Award | Name | School | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Place | Samuel Wang | Enterprise Middle School | "Sonic Fire Suppression: Multimodal Acoustic Frequency Modulation and Fire Dynamics Analysis" |
| Second Place | Chloe Custodio | Leona Libby Middle School | "Creating a Fish Trap Structure to Capture Microplastics" |
| Third Place | Theodore Maier | Chief Joseph Middle School | "Why Are You Driving So Fast?" |
| Honorable Mention | Andre Chin | Leona Libby Middle School | "Stabilizing the V-tail design in a jet aircraft" |
7th Grade Life Science Division
| Award | Name | School | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Place | Anvi Kulkarni | Enterprise Middle School | "Do Car Care Chemicals Contaminate Groundwater?" |
6th Grade Combined Life/Physical Science Division
| Award | Name | School | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Place | Ridhi Erla | Leona Libby Middle School | "Green Concrete: Making Concrete More Sustainable with Biorenewable Materials" |
| Second Place | Shelby Olsen | Chief Joseph Middle School | "How Well Can Humans Differentiate Between Human-written and AI Generated Text?" |
| Honorable Mention | William Fulsom | Carmichael Middle School | "Salty Seas" |
| Honorable Mention | Stanley Deng | Leona Libby Middle School | "What is the Best Method of Saltwater Filtration?" |
Special Awards
| Award | Name | School | Project |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project In A Box - Second Place | Ms. Hampton's 4th Period Class | Chief Joseph Middle School | "Natural Filters to Reduce Turbidity Levels" |
| Project In A Box - Honorable Mention | Ms. Hampton's 5th Period Class | Chief Joseph Middle School | "What types of soils and sediments can create the most effective natural filter of acid rain?" |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers High School Award; U.S. Metric Association Best Use of SI in a Project; Ricoh Sustainable Development Award; Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis | Isabella Pinto | Hanford High | "How a High-Temperature Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage System Can Be Implemented in Vehicles as an Exceptionally Eco-Friendly Power Supply" |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers High School Award; U.S. Agency for International Development Science Champion Award; United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement; Using STEM To Make the World a Better Place Second Place Senior Division Award; Award of Distinction for Presentation | Sonali Santhosh | Hanford High | "Cracking the Seizure Code: A Deep Learning Approach to Neonatal Seizure Detection Utilizing Hybrid Architecture for Multi-Scale EEG Analysis" |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers High School Award; Outstanding Achievement in the category of Computer Science; United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement; MCBONES Dig Award; Award of Distinction for Engineering | Sydney West | Hanford High | "The Design and Engineering of an Intelligent Remotely Operated Vehicle for Coral Reef Research and Monitoring" |
| Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers 9th Grade Award; American Society of Mechanical Engineers Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Award; Award of Distinction for Creativity | Viraj Pilli | Richland High | "Smart Roof" |
| American Chemical Society High School Chemistry Award; Award of Distinction for Creativity | Rishi Vijay | Hanford High | "ChemSafe: Hazard Prevention at Your Fingertips" |
| American Indian Science and Engineering Society Distinguished Project Award; The Society of Women Engineers Middle School Second Place Award; Lemelson Early Inventor Outstanding Invention Prize; Award of Distinction for Thoroughness | Chloe Custodio | Leona Libby Middle School | "Creating a Fish Trap Structure to Capture Microplastics" |
| American Indian Science and Engineering Society Distinguished Project Award; Award of Distinction for Novelty | Ali Evans | Richland High | "Dissolvantage: Biodegradable Gossamer for Accelerated Oro-Dental Regeneration" |
| The Society of Women Engineers 11th Grade First Place; Rosalind Franklin Award; Yale Most Outstanding Exhibit in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics; Dr. Harlan Halma Outstanding Health Project Award; Award of Distinction for Presentation | Lily Deng | Hanford High | "Comparing Efficiency of Energy Harvesting Techniques for Medical Pacemakers" |
| The Society of Women Engineers Middle School Honorable Mention Award; SEAW Structural Spotlight Award; Using STEM To Make the World a Better Place First Place Junior Division Award; Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominee; Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis | Ridhi Erla | Leona Libby Middle School | "Green Concrete: Making Concrete More Sustainable with Biorenewable Materials" |
| American Nuclear Society Eastern WA Division Bright Future Award; United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement; American Society of Mechanical Engineers Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Award; Using STEM To Make the World a Better Place Third Place Junior Division Award; Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominee; Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis | Samuel Wang | Enterprise Middle School | "Sonic Fire Suppression: Multimodal Acoustic Frequency Modulation and Fire Dynamics Analysis" |
| NASA Earth System Science Project Award; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award; Stockholm Junior Regional Water Prize Award of Excellence for a water-related science research project; Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis | Prayrona Choudhury | Hanford High | "AquaLink -Determining Freshwater Species Abundance Using the Multiscale Convergence of Chemical and Biological Processes" |
| STEM Enthusiast Award; Award of Distinction for Presentation | Lilly Antonissen | Leona Libby Middle School | "Snakes and their genetics color morphs!" |
| Inspiring Excellence Student Award; Award of Distinction for Creativity | Aashrita Bhamidimarri | Hanford High | "An AI Based Personalized Allergy Alert System" |
| Inspiring Excellence Student Award; Award of Distinction for Experimental Design | Andre Chin | Leona Libby Middle School | "Stabilizing the V-tail design in a jet aircraft" |
| United States Air Force Certificate of Achievement; Award of Distinction for Scientific Thought | Nicole Samaan | Hanford High | "A Comparative Analysis of Classical and Quantum Computing Algorithms in Enhancing the Efficiency of Electric Grids of the Future" |
| Award of Distinction for Presentation |
Shelby Olsen |
Chief Joseph Middle School | "How Well Can Humans Differentiate Between Human-written and AI Generated Text?" |
| American Society of Mechanical Engineers Outstanding Mechanical Engineering Award; GENIUS Olympiad Exceptional Genius Award (Alternate); Award of Distinction for Novelty | Aarav Shrivastava | Richland High | "Applying Deep Learning for Wildfire Identification: Economical and Accessible Solutions Leveraging Small Datasets" |
| Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis | William Fulsom | Carmichael Middle School | "Salty Seas" |
| Columbia Chapter of the Health Physics Society Best High School Physics Project; Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis | Raman Harilal | Richland High | "Determination of laser induced chlorophyll fluorescence from spinach leaves" |
| Tri-Cities Food Co-op Special Award in Agriculture; Award of Distinction for Scientific Thought | Benjamin Cooper | Leona Libby Middle School | "Analyzing Green Onions’ Growth With Different pH Levels" |
| American Psychological Association Achievement in Research in Psychological Science; Award of Distinction for Experimental Design | Advaitha Motkuri | Richland High | "ASDetect: Detecting Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder Using AI-Based Facial Recognition Techniques" |
| Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge Nominee; Award of Distinction for Presentation |
Anvi Kulkarni |
Enterprise Middle School | "Do Car Care Chemicals Contaminate Groundwater?" |
| Award of Distinction for Perseverance |
Rohan Nune |
Richland High | "Bridging Health: Revealing the Connection Between Periodontal Disease and Diabetes" |
| Washington State Science and Engineering Fair Outstanding Research Based Project Achievement Award; Award of Distinction for Scientific Thought |
Akshath Motkuri |
Richland High | "GlucoBone: An Early Detection Sensor System for Diabetes and Bone Disorders" |
| Award of Distinction for Experimental Design |
Stanley Deng |
Leona Libby Middle School | "What is the Best Method of Saltwater Filtration?" |
| Award of Distinction for Collection and Analysis |
Theodore Maier |
Chief Joseph Middle School | "Why Are You Driving So Fast?" |