![The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_science-fair-360.jpg)
Google’s first-ever Global Science Fair showed off advances in chemotherapy and carcinogen research, turbine design and more — all from teenage researchers.
At a packed event this week in Mountain View, California, 15 teens presented their research to a panel of judges that included “father of the Internet” Vint Cerf, Scientific American Editor in Chief Mariette DiChristina and CERN Director General Rolf-Dieter Heurer.
Lauren Hodge won the 13- to 14-year-old age group with her study of the effect of marinades on the level of carcinogens in grilled chicken. Naomi Shah won in the 15- to 16-year-old age group with her study of the inverse relationship between certain environmental factors and a reliance on asthma medications. Shree Bose won the 17- to 18-year-old age group with her study of AMPK’s effect on chemotherapy drugs.
Bose was also the grand prize winner, earning herself a 10-day trip to the Galapagos Islands, an internship at the CERN particle accelerator and a $50,000 scholarship.
Google launched its Global Science Fair earlier this year, asking students to submit their projects online. From that group, 15 finalists competed for top honors.
Check out all the finalists and their projects in the gallery of photos we’ve assembled below.
Welcome to the Google Science Fair
Google held its first-ever science fair in Building 43.
Students at the Door
A group of students get their badges for the science fair.
Google Science Fair Sponsors
The science fair is sponsored by LEGO and National Geographic.
The Elements
The walls of the science fair room were lined with different elements from the periodic table.
Luke Taylor
Taylor's project demonstrated that NXT robots are capable of understanding the natural English language, therefore simplifying the programming of such robots.
A Closer Look at the Robot
This is one of Taylor's robots.
Skanda Koppula
Koppula's project "displayed two algorithms created to successfully collect, process and distribute marine data in order to effectively explore vast areas of the oceans."
An Explanation
Koppula explains his research.
Matthew Morris
Morris's project "concluded that a hydrodynamic keel on a sailboat performs more effectivley and efficiently than a canting keel while traveling both upwind and downwind."
Sailboat
A closer look at Morris's sailboat model.
Christopher Nielsen
Nielsen's project "displayed that an inexpensive webcam stereoscopic system could be developed to track a mobile platform through the development of algorithms."
Close-up
A close-up of a part of Nielsen's system.
Harine Ravichandran
Ravichandran's project "concluded that multilevel inverters can overcome power shortages, or voltage sags, when connected in a single phase circuit."
Vint Cerf
Vint Cerf, one of the fathers of the Internet and Google's chief Internet evangelist, speaks with Ravichandran.
Daniel Arnold
Arnold's project "concluded that by improving the switch design of a track to a spring switch combined with an additional spring, zero train derailments would occur."
Vighnesh Leonardo Shiv
Shiv's project "displayed sinusoidal modeling, onset detection and machine learning algorithms in order to automatically analyze music."
Automatic Music Analysis
This shows some of the data Shiv collected in his research.
Gavin Ovsak
Ovsak's project "concluded that in order to make a turbine work efficiently while submerged under water, the fin shape would have to differ while going against and toward the water. The new fin shape allowed for the turbine to perform at its maximum efficiency."
Turbine Model
A closer look at Ovsak's underwater turbine model.
Ovsak and Vint Cerf
Google VP Vint Cerf questions Ovsak on his project.
Ovsak Explains His Fin Design
Ovsak explains how his fin shape makes submerged turbines more effective.
Michelle Guo
Guo's projected "concluded that metformin and cinnamon, both capable of insulin sensitizing, caused untreated cells to produce twice the amount of β-amyloid, an amyloid plaque found in the brains of patients suffering from Alzheimer's disease."
A Deeper Look at β-Amyloids Role in Alzheimer's Disease.
A photo of some of Guo's conclusions on the impact of β-amyloids in Alzheimer's.
Explaining Her Research
Michelle Guo explains her research.
Shaun Lim Hsien Yang
Yang's project "concluded that increasing global ultraviolet levels would stimulate the allelochemical production or metabolites that affect the growth of organisms close by, in sunflowers."
Naomi Shah
Shah's project "demonstrated that a strong inverse correlation was shown between the decrease of the Peak Expiratory Flow (PEF) of asthma patients, and the increase of Particulate Matter (PM10) and Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC)."
Shah Explains Her Work
Shah delivers the pitch for her project.
Anand Srinivasan
Srinivasan's project "concluded that a more efficient brian-computer interface caused significant increase in the pattern detection accuracy of prosthetic technology, creating more effective technology for amputees today." Srinivasan was with the judges when this photo was taken.
Shree Bose
Bose's project "demonstrated that AMPK, an activated protein enyzme, causes resistance to cisplatin, one of the most common chemotherapy drugs used to treat ovarian cancer."
Explaining Her Research
Bose explains her chemotherapy research.
Dora Chen
Chen's project "demonstrated that by creating a video-audio recorder with decision-making abilities, a combined record of a day's events could be compiled onto one system, and could be applied as a memory aid for dementia patients."
Fighting Dementia
A close-up of Chen's dementia research.
Lauren Hodge
Hodge's project "displayed that the concentration of the carciogenen PhIP in grilled chicken decreased when the marinades of lemon juice, brown sugar, olive oil and salt water were used."
TGIF
Hodge's booth had a TGIF and a Burger King logo.
From the Googleplex
Another view of the science fair.
![Welcome to the Google Science Fair The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_5_welcome.jpg)
![Students at the Door The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_6_students.jpg)
![Google Science Fair Sponsors The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_7_google.jpg)
![The Elements The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_8_the.jpg)
![Luke Taylor The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_9_luke.jpg)
![A Closer Look at the Robot The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_10_a.jpg)
![Skanda Koppula The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_11_skanda.jpg)
![An Explanation The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_12_an.jpg)
![Matthew Morris The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_13_matthew.jpg)
![Sailboat The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_14_sailboat.jpg)
![Christopher Nielsen The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_15_christopher.jpg)
![Close-up The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_16_close-up.jpg)
![Harine Ravichandran The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_17_harine.jpg)
![Vint Cerf The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_18_vint.jpg)
![Daniel Arnold The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_19_daniel.jpg)
![Vighnesh Leonardo Shiv The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_20_vighnesh.jpg)
![Automatic Music Analysis The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_21_automatic.jpg)
![Gavin Ovsak The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_22_gavin.jpg)
![Turbine Model The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_23_turbine.jpg)
![Ovsak and Vint Cerf The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_24_ovsak.jpg)
![Ovsak Explains His Fin Design The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_25_ovsak.jpg)
![Michelle Guo The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_26_michelle.jpg)
![A Deeper Look at β-Amyloids Role in Alzheimer's Disease. The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_27_a.jpg)
![Explaining Her Research The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_28_explaining.jpg)
![Shaun Lim Hsien Yang The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_29_shaun.jpg)
![Naomi Shah The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_30_naomi.jpg)
![Shah Explains Her Work The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_31_shah.jpg)
![Anand Srinivasan The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_32_anand.jpg)
![Shree Bose The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_33_shree.jpg)
![Explaining Her Research The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_34_explaining.jpg)
![Dora Chen The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_35_dora.jpg)
![Fighting Dementia The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_36_fighting.jpg)
![Lauren Hodge The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_37_lauren.jpg)
![TGIF The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_38_tgif.jpg)
![From the Googleplex The Teenage Winners of Google’s Global Science Fair [PICS]](/media/feeds/images/weekly/2011/28/8_39_from.jpg)

