A teenage student from Vancouver has won the world’s largest high school science research competition, pocketing US$75,000. Raymond Wang, 17 years old and a Grade 11 student at St. George’s School was awarded top prize at the 2015 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh. He received the Gordon E. Moore Award, named after the co-founder of Intel, which recognises outstanding achievement in the fields of science, technology, engineering and maths. Over 3 million entrants, from more than 75 countries, were narrowed down to 1,700 winners of local, regional, state and national competitions.
Wang designed a high resolution modelling of the air flows inside commercial aircraft cabins which then allowed him to develop a new air circulation system. The purpose of this system is to isolate, eliminate and prevent germs from spreading among passengers in the confined spaces of airplane cabins, reducing travellers’ potential exposure to disease.
The results he gathered showed a decrease in pathogen inhalation by 55 times per passenger, and a 190 per cent improvement in fresh air inhalation, showing that the system could significantly limit contagion power of potential epidemics. Wang’s invention was also cost effective and practical, installation taking no more than 24 hours and costing the same as an average airline ticket.
Raymond wasn’t the only Vancouver teenager to win a prize. Nicole Ticea, won the Intel Foundation Young Scientist award , receiving US$50,000 for the creation of a disposable and electricity free HIV testing tool, which gives results in an hour and costs less than US$5 to manufacture. She was inspired to develop the test in response to high rates of undiagnosed HIV in low income communities, and the aim to make testing more accessible. Clearly a prodigious talent, Ticea received a US$100,000 grant for a company she has already set up to develop the technology.
