"As a university committed to science education, we strive to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators by supporting a passion for exploration that extends beyond the classroom."
Scientific knowledge drives the world forward, and at the steering wheel are an ever-growing and changing roster of bright minds and great thinkers. The newest generation of great scientists gathered on campus this Spring as 62 middle and high school students from throughout the region converged for the 46th Annual Utica University Regional Science Fair.
The fair was held in the Utica University Donohue Concourse, located underneath the Frank Gannett Library, on Saturday, April 5, 2025.
The Utica University Regional Science Fair was established in 1978 with the twin goals of enhancing the region’s K-12 math and science programs and stimulating increased attention and interest in student learning in math and science.
This science congress embodies these goals in presenting a forum wherein talented students may demonstrate this enthusiasm and interest in science. Many individuals have spent long hours planning, soliciting support and interest, and bringing to fruition the day’s events to which guests are invited to enjoy.
"As a university committed to science education, we strive to inspire the next generation of scientists and innovators by supporting a passion for exploration that extends beyond the classroom,” says Professor of Biology and Regional Science Fair Director Dr. Jessica Thomas. “We aim for every participant to leave our regional fair feeling empowered and ready to embark on their next question and interest. A science fair is more than just an event—it’s a launchpad for curiosity, creativity, and discovery.”
The exhibition was closed to the public from 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. while judges evaluated participants and their entries. All levels of competition were evaluated during the course of the event. For judging purposes, the Senior Level (grades 9-12) and the Junior Level (grades 7-8) were each divided into three categories: Physical Science, Natural Science, and Math/ Computer Science/Engineering.
Award Winners Included:
- Senior Level Grand Prize: Richard Xu
- Senior Level Runner-Up: Trent Jenny
- Junior Level Grand Prize: Jacob Southwick and Mason LaBella
A complete list of winners can be found below.
Student projects were evaluated independently by two judges with awards given for first through fourth place in the three categories in each division. The project in each division with the highest overall score after three independent evaluations were awarded the Grand Championship.
Projects were also simultaneously judged for discipline-specific special awards supported by professional organizations, governmental agencies, and a number of generous individuals.
Science fair judges are local individuals who volunteer their time, with some judges having participated for more than two decades. Judges include faculty from Utica University, Hamilton College, SUNY Polytechnic Institute, Herkimer County Community College, and Mohawk Valley Community College; engineers and personnel from local technology and research industries; medical professionals; and civilian and military staff members of the Information Directorate of the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, NY.
The Utica University Regional Science Fair is affiliated with and sanctioned by the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the governing body for science fairs since 1980.
The Senior Level Grand Champion, Richard Xu, is invited to compete in the 2025 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair in Columbus, Ohio from May 10-16, 2025. Utica University sponsors one contestant and a chaperone to participate in the event.
Beginning at 12:30 pm., parents/guardians, friends, and judges were invited to Macfarlane Auditorium for the Sally Lachut Majka ’61 and Donald Majka presentation of certificates, ribbons, and medals to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th prize winners. At 1 p.m. the general public were then invited to the exhibit area in the Donohue Concourse for demonstrations, followed by the Sally Lachut Majka ’61 and Donald Majka awards ceremony in the Concourse at 2 p.m. and the announcement of Grand Champions, Runner-up, and Special Awards recipients.
Welcoming Remarks and Recognition of Special Guests were delivered by Regional Science Fair Director and Professor of Biology Dr. Jessica Thomas, with additional remarks throughout the day by Dean of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Dr. Sharon Wise and remarks by Utica University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Stephanie Nesbitt.
Full List of 2025 Regional Science Fair Award Winners
Senior Division - Grand Champion
- Richard Xu - SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Interacts with KCNA5 Potassium Channel: Potential Implications for Cardiac Ion Function and Arrhythmic Risk (New Hartford Senior High School)
Senior Division - Runner-up Grand Champion
- Trent Jenny - Rebuilding the Rhizosphere: The Effect of Endomycorrhizal Fungi Inoculant on the Growth of Triticum aestivum in Soil Samples with Various Management Histories (Remsen Senior High School)
Junior Division - Grand Champion
- Mason LaBella and Jacob Southwick - Gliding Golf Balls! (Remsen Junior High School)
Senior Division - Physical Science
- 1st -Cooper Rorick - Effectiveness of a Homemade Calorimeter (Clinton Senior High School)
- 2nd - Eliana Bentley - Calculating the Speed of Light with your Microwave (Clinton Senior High School)
- 3rd - Ella Brehaut - Rolling Friction on Different Surfaces (Clinton Senior High School)
- 4th - Robert Wilson - Hardwood Pellets vs Softwood Pellets (Poland Senior High School)
Senior Division - Natural Science
- 1st - Richard Xu - SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Interacts with KCNA5 Potassium Channel: Potential Implications for Cardiac Ion Function and Arrhythmic Risk (New Hartford Senior High School)
- 2nd - Daniel Gus - The Effect Of Music Genres on Heart Rate (Clinton Senior High School)
- 3rd - Trent Jenny - Rebuilding the Rhizosphere: The Effect of Endomycorrhizal Fungi Inoculant on the Growth of Triticum aestivum in Soil Samples with Various Management Histories (Remsen Senior High School)
- 4th - Ella Kelly - Whack-A-Mole: How age affects hand-eye coordination (Clinton Senior High School)
Senior Division - Math, Computer, and Engineering
- 1st - Calvin Cooley - The Impact of Areodynamics and the Design of Engineering in Varying Conditions of Gaseous Fluids (Whitesboro High School)
- 2nd - Mark Greben - Paper Airplanes: More Than Just a Fold (Poland Senior High School)
- 3rd - Evangeline Gwilt - How Does Accepting Cookies Correlate to Data Tracking? (Whitesboro High School)
- 4th - Sohayla Mohamed - Advanced Farming (Utica Academy of Science)
Junior Division - Physical Science
- 1st - Anna Becker & Reese Rowlands - Cookie Monster (Remsen Junior High School)
- 2nd - Sarah Hoyos - Different Reactions of Oobleck (Utica Academy of Science)
- 3rd - Arynn Day & Sophia Yager - Balloon Bottle (Remsen Junior High School)
- 4th - Arianna Paniagua - Copper Plated Coins (Utica Academy of Science)
Junior Division - Natural Science
- 1st - Norbert Bankert & Chase Helmer What - Happens to a Plant When Given Microwaved Water (Remsen Junior High School)
- 2nd - Kareem Alyafai & Serin Aws Answor - Steam Boat (Utica Academy of Science)
Junior Division - Math, Computer, and Engineering
- 1st - Mason LaBella & Jacob Southwick - Gliding Golf Balls! (Remsen Junior High School)
- 2nd - Waylon Rapson & Zachary Yousey - Which Glue Is Stronger (Remsen Junior High School)
- 3rd - Aliyah Marie Bentley - Drink up, Fuel up (Clinton Middle School)
- 4th - Alaina Meyer - Timbercrete: The Green Concrete (Poland Junior High School)
Special Awards
- Alaina Meyer - AFCEA Awards Supported by the Local Air Force Research Laboratory-Junior Level 1st Place - Monetary award received at the fair
- Aliyah Marie Bentley - AFCEA Awards Supported by the Local Air Force Research Laboratory-Junior Level 2nd Place - Monetary award received at the fair
- Lars van Hoesel - AFCEA Awards Supported by the Local Air Force Research Laboratory-Junior Level 3rd Place - Monetary award received at the fair
- Calvin Cooley - AFCEA Awards Supported by the Local Air Force Research Laboratory-Senior Level 1st Place - Monetary award received at the fair
- Harper Hawkridge - AFCEA Awards Supported by the Local Air Force Research Laboratory-Senior Level 2nd Place - Monetary award received at the fair
- Sohayla Mohamed - AFCEA Awards Supported by the Local Air Force Research Laboratory-Senior Level 3rd Place - Monetary award received at the fair
- Daniel Gus - American Psychological Association Award-Senior or Junior Level - Certificate and complimentary one-year student affiliate membership in the APA
- Norbert Bankert & Chase Helmer Bankert - Asa Gray Biological Society Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Sofia Protasovitskiy - Asa Gray Biological Society Award - Senior Level - 100.00
- Alaina Meyer - Association for Women Geoscientists Award-Senior or Junior Level - Certificate and honorary AWG membership for the current year
- Hannah Winghart & Alexis Petteys Winghart - Doc Aaronson Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Nicholas Venero - Doc Aaronson Award - Senior Level - 25.00
- Ku Ku Hser & Ker Hai Hser - Doris Miga Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Evangeline Gwilt - Doris Miga Award - Senior Level - 50.00
- Calvin Cooley - NASA Earth System Science Award-Senior or Junior Level - Certificate and invitation to a NASA scientist webinar
- Alaina Meyer - NOAA’s Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award-Senior or Junior Level - Certificate
- Phone Pyae Sone Zaw & Uqbah Zaid Zaw - Norman P. Bernstein Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Sohayla Mohamed - Norman P. Bernstein Award - Senior Level - 25.00
- Aliyah Marie Bentley - Office of Naval Research Science Award - Junior Level - Certificate, medallion
- Alaina Meyer - Office of Naval Research Science Award - Junior Level - Certificate, medallion
- Richard Xu - Office of Naval Research Science Award - Senior Level - Certificate, medallion, Gift Card
- Trent Jenny - Office of Naval Research Science Award - Senior Level - Certificate, medallion, Gift Card
- Richard Xu - Regeneron Biomedical Science Award - Senior level - Certificate and $375
- Alaina Meyer - RICOH Sustainable Development Award-Senior or Junior Level - Certificate
- Ajout Ajang - Society for In Vitro Biology Award-Senior Level - Certificate, membership to the society, and electronic journal access
- Norbert Bankert & Chase Helmer Bankert - The “Doc” Aaronson Award in Biology-Junior Level - 25.00
- Ajout Ajang - The “Doc” Aaronson Award in Biology-Senior Level - 50.00
- Arianna Colon & Serenity Hinkley Colon - The Adam and Bertha Lachut Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Arianna Castro - The Adam and Bertha Lachut Award - Senior Level - 50.00
- Jacob Southwick & Mason LaBella Southwick - The Copernicus Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Ella Brehaut - The Copernicus Award - Senior Level - 50.00
- Lars van Hoesel - The Madame Curie Award - Junior Level - 25.00
- Sohayla Mohamed - The Madame Curie Award - Senior Level - 50.00
- Alaina Meyer - The Sally Lachut Majka '61 and Donald Majka Award in Earth Science or Conservation - Junior Level - 25.00
- Trent Jenny - The Sally Lachut Majka '61 and Donald Majka Award in Earth Science or Conservation - Senior Level - 50.00
- Cooper Rorick - U.S. Metric Association Award-Senior or Junior Level - Certificate and free 1-year individual membership to the USMA
- Sophia Yager & Arynn Day Yager - United States Air Force Research Laboratory -Junior level - Certificate and a Sling pack, Power Bank, USB Flash Memory Drive, and USB Car Charger
- Evangeline Gwilt - United States Air Force Research Laboratory -Senior level - Certificate and a Sling pack, Power Bank, USB Flash Memory Drive, and USB Car Charger
- Richard Xu - Yale Science and Engineering Association Award-Senior Level - Certificate and an e-book
