Two of the Nation's 40 Intel Finalists Hail From IMSA
For Immediate Release, February 2006
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at
(630) 907-5033
(Media Note: Students are from Chicago, Geneva, Hoffman Estates and Libertyville. For bios on the finalists visit http://www.sciserv.org/sts/65sts/finalists.asp).
Intel Semifinalist
Intel Semifinalist
Intel Semifinalist
Intel Finalist
Intel Finalist
AURORA—Two students at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) are among only three from Illinois and 40 in the nation who were named Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) Finalists. Often considered the “junior Nobel Prize,” the Intel STS recognizes the most accomplished students and their schools for excellence in science and mathematics.
IMSA seniors Letian Zhang of Chicago and Xin (Cindy) Wang of Geneva were among 40 finalists from throughout the nation and several other countries named in the 65th Intel Science Talent Search. They will compete for more than $530,000 in scholarships in America’s oldest pre-college science competition for high school seniors. Both students developed their research projects in IMSA’s Student Inquiry and Research Program.
IMSA Principal Dr. Eric McLaren said that since the Academy opened in 1986, many students have been named semifinalists or finalists in the Intel Competition (formerly Westinghouse).
We are fortunate that IMSA’s Student Inquiry and Research Program
supports the kinds of minds that are valued and recognized by
Intel—students who are highly skilled and integrative problem finders,
problem solvers and apprentice investigators,
Dr. McLaren said.
These students are already making significant contributions to their
respective fields, which may someday lead to discoveries that will
impact all of humankind.
The three additional IMSA students who were named semifinalists are Jason Chen of Hoffman Estates, William Chen of Hoffman Estates and Jamison Hill of Libertyville.
Letian Zhang’s research, GLY Conjecture on Upper Estimate of Integral Points in Real Tetrahedra, is focused on proving the Durfee Conjecture, an important problem in mathematical theory, which has eluded mathematicians for more than 30 years. Zhang’s research proved this conjecture.
Zhang conducted his IMSA mentorship project under the guidance of Professor Dr. Stephen Yau in the Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Xin (Cindy) Wang’s research, nm2608A: A New Naturally Arising Mouse Model for Human Autosomal Recessive Achromatopsia 2, is focused on mapping the Cnga gene, which is involved in achromatopsia (color blindness). During her research, Wang found a specific genetic mutation that causes color blindness. This discovery will make it possible to develop and test treatments such as drugs or gene therapy leading to the prevention and cure for color blindness in humans.
Wang conducted her IMSA mentorship project under the guidance of Research Staff Scientist Dr. Bo Chang at The Jackson Laboratory in Bar Harbor, Maine.
Mentorship, a part of IMSA’s Student Inquiry and Research Program, provides a variety of learning experiences for students to conduct research on-site with mentors, scholars and researchers throughout the Chicagoland area in their field of interest.
Mentorship sites have included Adler Planetarium, Argonne National Laboratory, Chicago Health Outreach, Children’s Memorial Hospital, Faulk Center for Molecular Genetics, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Field Museum of Natural History, Global Business Alliance, Hines VA Hospital, NewNeural LLC, Northwestern University Medical Center, Rainbow PUSH, Siemens Medical Solutions, USA, Inc., The United States Hispanic Leadership Institute and University of Chicago Medical Center.
In Intel, students were judged on their individual research ability, scientific originality and creative thinking. All Intel STS entries were reviewed and judged by top scientists from a variety of disciplines.
While as a nation we continue to struggle to improve science and math
education, these students give us hope for our future,
said Intel
Chairman Craig Barrett. Their grounding in science and math will help
them make the right decisions in their professional careers whether
they provide answers to some of science's grand challenges or help
guide the political and economic decisions that shape the 21st century.
From the 40 Intel finalists, 10 winners will be announced at a black-tie banquet on March 14, 2006 following the five-day Science Talent Institute in Washington, D.C.
Participation in the STS has often served as a precursor to impressive accomplishments in science. Past STS finalists hold more than 100 of the world's most coveted science and math honors including six Nobel Prizes, three National Medals of Science, 10 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships and two Fields Medals.
The internationally recognized Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) develops creative, ethical leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As a teaching and learning laboratory created by the State of Illinois, IMSA enrolls academically talented Illinois students (grades 10-12) in its advanced, residential college preparatory program. It also serves thousands of educators and students in Illinois and beyond through innovative instructional programs that foster imagination and inquiry. (www.imsa.edu)