IMSA STUDENT NAMED ONLY INTEL FINALIST FROM ILLINOIS
For Immediate Release, Press Release
For comment, contact Brenda Buschbacher at
(630) 907-5033
Intel Semifinalist
Intel Semifinalist
Intel Semifinalist
Intel Finalist
Intel Semifinalist
(Media Note: Students are from Burr Ridge, Naperville, St.Charles and Westmont.
For bios on the finalists visit http://www.sciserv.org/sts/66sts/finalists.asp).
IMSA® STUDENT NAMED ONLY INTEL FINALIST FROM ILLINOIS
AURORA— A senior at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) is the only student from Illinois and among 40 in the nation who were named Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) Finalists. Often considered the “junior Nobel Prize,” the Intel STS is America’s oldest and most prestigious high school science competition.
IMSA senior Noru Xu of Naperville is among 40 finalists from throughout the nation and several other countries named in the 66th Intel Science Talent Search. She will compete for more than $530,000 in scholarships.
IMSA Principal Dr. Eric McLaren said that since the Academy opened in 1986, IMSA has had 26 semifinalists and 10 finalists- including five winners- 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 humankind.”
The four additional IMSA students who were named semifinalists are Chaoran Chen of Westmont, Susan Dittmer of St. Charles, Mahesh Vidula of Naperville and Lilly Zhu of Burr Ridge.
In Xu’s research, Modeling of X-ray Scattering of Nanocrystal Superlattice Multilayer Thin Films, she developed a unique x-ray scattering method using a mathematical model for determining the number of layers in nanocrystalline supperlattice (NCS) thin films (the layers of atoms within a nanocrystal). Her research will help to better understand the function-structure relationship of nanocrystals, which could aid the future development of specific NCSs, such as gold nanocrystals for use in optoelectronics and drug delivery for cancer patients.
Xu conducted her IMSA mentorship project under the guidance of Dr. Jin Wang, leader of Time-Resolved Research Group, X-Ray Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Photon Source.
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, Motorola, Inc., NewNeural LLC, Northwestern University Medical Center, Rainbow PUSH, Siemens Medical Solutions, USA, Inc., Tellabs, 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. Intel Chairman Craig Barrett noted an important milestone in the competition.
"For the first time in the history of the competition, this year’s finalists comprise an equal number of young men and women,” said Barrett. “It’s heartening to see so many young women interested in Intel science and technology. Together, these young women and men are posed to be the leaders of tomorrow.”
From the 40 Intel finalists, 10 winners will be announced at a black-tie banquet on March 13, 2007 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 mathematics 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)