Kiran Pendri of Wallingford Connecticut won $50,000 for his work on synthesising organic molecules in the the 2005-06 Siemens Westinghouse Competition in Math, Science and Technology, the nation’s premier high school science competition.  The Siemens Westinghouse Competition, a signature program of the Siemens Foundation, is administered by the College Board.  The winners were announced on Decmber 5th at New York University, host of the 2005-06 Siemens Westinghouse Competition National Finals. Four of the nineteen national finalists were Indian Americans. Desh Mohan, Denton, Texas secured fourth place in the individual competition and was awarded $30,000 .

Pendri's project incorporates recent Nobel Prize-winning chemistry
research and contributes to the ongoing understanding of the art of
synthesising organic molecules.

This study might contribute to future pharmaceutical and chemical
manufacturing developments. Essentially creating a new 'Lego' shape, or building block, for creating new molecules, macrocyclisation using a Ring-closing Olefin Metathesis allows for the creation of a useful mid-sized molecular ring that can serve as a precursor for the synthesis of new chemical species.

His mentors were Professor Erik Sorensen and Dr Brian Goess, Princeton
University. Fluent in Telugu, Pendri, a senior, is a member of the varsity math team and the senior judicial committee.
He is the first boat coxswain for the Choate boys' crew team and
president of the Choate Indian Association. Previously, Pendri received
honors at the 2003 General Electric Connecticut High School Computer
Science Contest and was selected for the Connecticut math team. He
enjoys reading and investing using analytical tools. He plans to study
chemistry in college.

Mohan's research, on the other hand, may contribute to the
understanding and potential clinical management of anoxic diseases such
as strokes. By studying the survival rate of male and hermaphrodite C.
elegans nematodes in oxygen-deprived conditions, he was able to
identify the hsp 12.6 gene as a factor in male anoxia survival.
His mentor was Dr Pamela A Padilla of the Department of Biological
Sciences at the University of North Texas.

Fluent in Tamil, Mohan, a senior, enjoys playing basketball and tennis
and performs the tabla at cultural festivals and celebrations. He
credits his father with nurturing his curiosity in math and science,
and hopes to become a medical geneticist.
Mohan is an active member of his high school, participating in the
medical society, sports club, HOPE - a community service
organisation, and the BalVikas Religious Youth Club.

Benjamin Pollack and Abhinav Khanna of Plainview, New York, who worked as a team, got the second position with a $50,000 scholarship while
Amardeep Grewal of Beverley Hills, Michigan and Ran Li of Valley
Stream, New York secured the fourth position in the same category and won $30,000.

“These students have done magnificent work that any researcher would be proud of,” said Thomas N. McCausland, chairman of the board of the Siemens Foundation.  “The fact that they are still in high school makes their achievement all the more remarkable.  Imagine what these young scholars will accomplish as adults.”

The national finals were judged by a panel of prominent scientists and mathematicians headed by lead judge Dr. Constance Atwell, consultant and former Director for Extramural Research, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke at The National Institutes of Health.
“On behalf of all the judges, I congratulate these outstanding young scientists and mathematicians on reaching the highest level of achievement in this extremely challenging competition,” said Dr. Atwell.

“The judging is not easy.  We really try to gauge their depth of understanding and we were impressed with all the competitor” said Dr. Tejal Desai, from the University of  San Francisco (formerly a professor at Boston University) who served on the panel.

The final competition, a grand affair in New York opened with a musical night at the Skirball Performance Center at New York University.  Titled “Beautiful  Minds Beautiful Music” it featured classical music performed by musicians who were either current or former Siemens-Westinghouse finalists or semi-finalists. The concert was in recognition of the fact that most  students who are interested in science are also musicians of a very high caliber. The recital featured Amrita Saigal from Burlington, MA who played the Viola.

The highlight of the weekend was a presentation on the Jumbotron in Time Square where each of the finalists were featured and welcomed. “This is an amazing experience” said Abhinava Khanna as he watched himself on the Jumbotron. He is nephew of the famous Bollywood Cinestar Deepti Naval.

Michael Viscardi, a senior who is home schooled, won the $100,000 Grand Prize scholarship in the individual category for mathematics research with real-world engineering implications.  Albert Shieh, a junior at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Anne Lee, a senior at Phoenix Country Day School in Paradise Valley, Arizona, won the $100,000 prize in the team category, which they will share equally, for developing new software that more accurately analyzes genetic data.  The winners rang The Closing Bellâ„¢ at the New York Stock Exchange on December 5.

For more information on this competition please check out the siemens foundation web site at http://www.siemens-foundation.org.

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