RSD is thrilled to announce that Isabella Pinto and Nicole Samaan, both seniors at Hanford High School, were named a 2025 Washington State delegates to the American Junior Academy of Science (AJAS). Isabella and Nicole are two of eleven students selected to represent the state based on original STEM research they conducted while in high school.
Isabella’s project, “How Magnetically Suspended Tires Utilizing High-Temperature Superconductivity and Electromagnetism Creates the Most Eco-Friendly Vehicle,” proposed a new theoretical design for a more efficient and eco-friendly car to decrease global warming. The car proposed in this project is built upon the principles of high-temperature superconductivity (HTS) suspension based on the tires.
For Nicole’s project, “Microgrid Optimization: The Future of Efficient, Reliable, and Autonomous Renewable Energy,” a model of a renewable microgrid was created. The model evolved to be complex yet simple, with many different elements all working together. According to Nicole’s research, microgrids integrate renewable energy on a small scale, giving users more personalized and reliable energy.
As Washington State delegates, Isabella and Nicole have been invited to attend the AJAS annual conference, which is held in conjunction with the American Association for the Advancement of Science annual meeting in February 2025. During the conference, they will have the opportunity to tour local institutions of scientific importance, share their research with their peers and with other scientists, attend conference sessions, and will be inducted as lifetime Fellows into the American Junior Academy of Science.
AJAS is a National Honor Society for students who have completed exemplar scientific research projects while attending high school. It the only honor society for pre-college research scientists.