GCPS students excel at 77th annual Georgia Science & Engineering Fair

     Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) students earned several top honors at the 77th Georgia Science & Engineering Fair at the University of Georgia. The event showcased some of the top young minds in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) across the state. A total of 53 projects, representing more than 20 GCPS schools, advanced to the fair from the Gwinnett Regional Science, Engineering + Innovation Fair held in February 2025. 

     More than 100 GCPS students competed against top STEM talent in Georgia, earning numerous special awards and top honors. This achievement highlights the dedication, innovation, and application of learning that GCPS students demonstrate, along with the support of their outstanding teachers and mentors at their local schools. 

Special Awards and Recognitions

     Several GCPS students earned special awards for their outstanding projects: 

• Linda Voss Excellence in Plant Science Award:
  Natalia Kurz (GSMST) - Earthworms and Phosphorus: A Controlled Greenhouse Experiment project. 
   
• NASA Earth System Science Award:
  Caleb Menghisteab (Paul Duke STEM HS) - Investigating the Impact of Amine-Functionalization on MOF-303. 
   
• Naval Science Award:
  Robert Hall (Jones MS) - Novel Biodegradable Bioplastic Derived from Invasive P. lobata,
  Samantha Caswell (GSMST) - BioQubits: Advancing Quantum Physics at the Biological Frontier
  Mehek Saha (GSMST) - Geometric Optimization of Differential Ray-Tracing Models. 
   
• American Chemical Society Award for Achievement in Chemistry:
  Stella Nguyen (North Gwinnett MS) - Stained to Sparkle. 
   
• UGA Charter Scholarship:
  Eun Jae Lee (Peachtree Ridge HS) - Boronic Acids Quench E. coli Quorum Sensing. 
   
• UGA Pharmacy Award:
  Ramin Sarkar (GSMST) - Dual Potential of Anti-Hypertensive IAA for AD and Tau Modulation. 

 

Best in Category Project Honors 

     GCPS students also excelled in various categories, earning Best in Category Project Honors: 

• Junior (MS) Best in Category Project Honors: 
  • Stella Nguyen (North Gwinnett MS)-  Chemistry 
  • Veer Shah (Hull MS) - Embedded Systems 
     
• Senior (HS) Best in Category Project Honors: 
  • Ramin Sarkar (GSMST) - Biochemistry 
  • Andrew Guo (GSMST) - Cellular & Molecular Biology 
  • Eun Jae Lee (Peachtree Ridge HS) - Microbiology 
  • Mehek Saha (GSMST) - Physics & Astronomy 
  • Taylor Fegley & Nathon Sanft (Mountain View HS) - Plant Science 
  • Zachary Orwin (Seckinger HS) - Robotics & Intelligent Machines 
  • Samiel Azmaien & Austin Johnson (GSMST) - Systems Software 

 

Georgia Science & Engineering Fair Top Ten Grand Award Winners

• Samiel Azmaien and Austin Johnson (GSMST) - Optimizing V100 GPU Architecture and Markov Predictive Caching 
• Eun Jae Lee (Peachtree Ridge HS) - Silent Signals: Boronic Acids Quench E. coli Quorum Sensing 

 

Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair Advancements 

     The following GCPS projects, sponsored by the Gwinnett Regional Science Fair, are advancing to compete at the 75th annual Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio, from May 10 - 16. These students will compete against peers from more than 70 countries in the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition. Gwinnett Regional Science Fair sponsors will pay for all student expenses.

• Aditya Arora (Peachtree Ridge HS) - EV Charge: A Novel Approach to EV Charging Infrastructure 
• Samiel Azmaien and Austin Johnson (Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology) - Optimizing V100 GPU Architecture and Markov Predictive Caching
• Kristen Bright (GSMST) - Phage and Peptide Solutions for Biofilm Growth in Space 
• BanAnh Doan (GSMST) - Optimization of Net & Whipple Shield-Based Space Debris Removal 
• Joyce Lee (Peachtree Ridge HS) - N-3-Hydroxyphenyl Alkanamide for Seizure Management 
• Eun Jae Lee (Peachtree Ridge HS) - Silent Signals: Boronic Acids Quench E. coli Quorum Sensing 

GCPS Director of Science (6-12), Jessica Holden is proud of the district’s students. “The success of these young people is a testament to their hard work, creativity, and passion for science and engineering,” Holden shares. “These young innovators have demonstrated exceptional skills and knowledge, earning recognition and experience that will impact future generations. These successes are a result of the partnership between the Division of Teaching and Learning and GCPS middle and high school staff. Together, they provide outstanding instructional and co-curricular student-centered, cutting-edge opportunities and mentorship in Science and STEM.”  

     For a complete list of honorees and participants, please visit: https://www.georgiacenter.uga.edu/sites/default/files/gsef-2025-announcement-awards.pdf