Oceans of science

Article Photos

Fact Box

50TH MAUI SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FAIR AWARD WINNERS

The award winners at the 50th Maui Schools' Science & Engineering Fair, held Jan. 29 at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center in Wailuku follow:

Division Winners

Best Senior Project-Team - Serena Perry and Terah Summers, grade 10, Baldwin High, "Three Fish, Two Fish, One Fish, No Fish!"

Best Junior Project - Celina Bekins, grade 7, STEM Academy, "Using Algae as a Fuel."

Merit Winners

Zachary Costa and Charles Rutkowski, grade 11, King Kekaulike High, "Viability of Spring, Stagnant and Flowing Waters."

Jared Shimada and Tyler Yamada, grade 9, Seabury Hall, "Water Desalination: Got Fresh Water?"

Alana Fernandez and Tiffany Riley, grade 11, King Kekaulike High, "Testing the Inactivation of Proteins in Fruits by Denaturation."

Christine Shimomura, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Does Pharmaceutical Chitosan Retard the Ripening of Fruit?"

Jessica Teshima, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "The Effect of Water pH Levels on the Growth of Allium Fistulosum."

Alexandra Underwood, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "What are the Effects of Different Substrata on the pH of Distilled Water?"

Honorable Mention Awards

Amanda Atlan-Kinasz and Kimdae Quema, grade 10, Baldwin High, "Efficient or Just Another Pain?"

Eric Gilliland, grade 10, and Ryan Johnston and Kyle Macmillan, grade 12, Molokai High, "Using Renewable Energy to Dry Macadamia Integrifolia."

Aulani Hiro, grade 11, Molokai High, "Lunar Phases."

Anthony King, grade 11, Baldwin High, "The Consolidation of Memory on Beta & Delta Brain Waves."

Jase Magarifuji and Kallen Yamasaki, grade 10, Baldwin High, "Do Crayfish Really Have a Color Preference?"

Caitlyn Miyamoto and Andy Tonthat, grade 11, Baldwin High, "Plaque Attack."

Jamie Teshima, grade 11, Baldwin High, "Self-serve Sanitation."

Shella Mangay Ayam and Hope Will, grade 7, Molokai Middle, "The Effects of Playing Video Games on Cognitive Ability."

Kieran Bhattacharya, grade 8, Doris Todd Christian Academy, "Measuring Your Taste Threshold for Salt."

Paige Cajudoy and Lekiesha Ching, grade 8, Lahaina Intermediate, "What Prevents Oxidation on Apples?"

Matthew DeMichele, grade 7, Doris Todd Christian Academy, "Can You Hear Me Now?"

Landon Eisen, grade 7, Iao Intermediate, "What is the Effect of Using Different Varieties of Organic Waste To Make Biogas?"

Christian Guzman, grade 7, Iao Intermediate, "Will Carica Papaya L. Or Persea Americana Yield More Deoxyribonucleic Acid Than Ananas Cosmosus?"

Lynsey Jio, grade 7, Iao Intermediate, "Is the Regeneration of an Earthworm Affected by the Length of its Segment?"

Keola Kahalewai, Esther Lopez and Kaiulani Laemoa, grade 8, Molokai Middle, "Extracting DNA from Bananas."

Luke Kimura, grade 7, Iao Intermediate, "Which Tooth Whitening Product Works Best?"

Dustin Kokubun, grade 7, Maui Waena Intermediate, "Nothing But Net: The Science of Shooting Hoops."

Zachary Kresge, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Which Organic Substances, Vanilla Extract, Garlic Juice, Vinegar, Cayenne Pepper, and Lemon Juice Best Deter Ants?"

Lindsey Miyamoto, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "How Much Does Sleeping at Different Hours Affect Your Cognitive Ability?"

Brad Nakagawa, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "What are the Effects of Using Graywater to Irrigate Seashore Paspalum Grass (Paspalum Vaginatum)?"

Steven Okada, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Can Seaweed be an Effective Electrolyte?"

Rysen Otomo, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Electronic Pollution: Is EMF Radiation the Cigarette of the 21st Century?"

Kristen Raleigh, grade 6, STEM Academy, "Cell Phone Waterproof Holder."

Kaylee Shimizu, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "Will Snap Peas Grow Faster With or Without Vitamins?"

Matthew Sturm, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "Magnetic Levitating Train."

Alisha Summers, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Do Cesspools and Wastewater Injection Wells Cause Algae Growth and Coral Reef Degradation?"

William Summers, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "A Study of Soil Productivity on Maui."

Ross Takemoto, grade 8, Maui Waena Intermediate, "Help from Kelp."

Taylor Tamanaha, grade 7, Molokai Middle, "Comparing the Growh of Erythrina Indica (Papaya) in Various Soils."

Layke Yamauchi, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "Is Worm Compost More Effective Than Commercial Compost?"

Specialized Awards

American Meteorological Society - Michael Plynn and Dane Oshiro, grade 10, Maui High, "Hadley Cell Expansion."

American Psychological Association - Lauren Nouchi and Tayler Shimzu, grade 10, Baldwin High, "The Effects of Colored vs. White Paper on Test Scores."

ASM Materials Education Foundation - Kristen Hasegawa, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "Which Paper Towel is Best?"

Association for Women Geoscientists - Alisha Summers, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Do Cesspools and Waste Water Injection Wells Cause Algae Growth and Coral Reef Degradation?"

Maui Electric - Eric Gilliland, grade 10 and Ryan Johnston and Kyle Macmillan, grade 12, Molokai High, "Using Renewable Energy to Dry Macadamia Integrifolia;" Celina Bekins, grade 7, STEM Academy, "Using Algae as Fuel."

Masonic Lodge - Rysen Otomo, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Electronic Pollution: Is EMF Radiation The Cigarette of the 21st Century?"

Monsanto Hawaii - Christine Shimomura, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "Does Pharmaceutical Chitosan Retard the Ripening of Fruit?"

National Society of Professional Engineers - Landon Eisen, grade 7, Iao Intermediate, "What is the Effect of Using Different Varieties of Organic Waste to Make Biogas?"

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Serena Perry and Terah Summers, grade 10, Baldwin High, "Three Fish, Two Fish, One Fish, No Fish!"

Ricoh Americas Corp. - Eric Gilliland, grade 10 and Ryan Johnston and Kyle Macmillan, grade 12, Molokai High, "Using Renewable Energy to Dry Macadamia Integrifolia."

Society for In Vitro Biology - Caitlyn Miyamoto and Andy Tonthat, grade 11, Baldwin High, "Plaque Attack."

Stockholm Junior Water Prize - Jared Shimada and Tyler Yamada, grade 9, Seabury Hall, "Water Desalination: Got Fresh Water?"

U.S. Public Health Service - Lucas McKeon, grade 10, Baldwin High, "The Effects of Violent Hand-Held Video Games on Teenagers Blood Pressure."

U.S. Metric Association - Jared Shimada and Tyler Yamada, grade 9, Seabury Hall, "Water Desalination: Got Fresh Water!"

Yale Science & Engineering Association - Alexa Foley and Mary Brune, grade 11, King Kekaulike High, "The Difference in pH and Nutrient Levels In Upcountry Maui."

U.S. Air Force Grades 9-12 - Serena Perry and Terah Summers, grade 10, Baldwin High, "Three Fish, Two Fish, One Fish, No Fish!"; Grades 6-8 - Celina Bekins, grade 7, STEM Academy, "Using Algae as Fuel"; Alexandra Underwood, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "What are the Effects of Different Sub-Strata on the pH of Distilled Water?"

U.S. Army Engineering - Kelli Kawano, Lynsey Dudoit-Alapai and Darianne Ruiz, grade 11, Molokai High.

The two top projects at the Maui District science fair came from the sea with one focusing on the correlation between the number of fish and the health of south and west side reefs and the other on algae as a fuel source.

Terah Summers and Serena Perry, sophomores at Baldwin High School, took the top senior division team project honors at the 50th annual Maui Schools Science and Engineering Fair late last month for their project titled, "Three Fish, Two Fish, One Fish, No Fish!"

The project, which qualified them for the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Reno, Nev., May 10 to 15, is particularly pertinent as the state considers rules that would halt the fishing of algae-eating fish along a one-mile stretch of West Maui reef. They offered their research at a state Department of Land and Natural Resources hearing on those rules earlier this month.

Terah and Serena took fish counts and visually evaluated the health of the reefs along two protected shorelines - the Ahihi Kinau Natural Area Preserve and Honolua Bay - and two nonregulated shorelines - Papalaua Point and Kahekili Beach Park.

They found two to three times more fish in the protected shorelines and brighter colored and more vibrant reefs in those areas. In the unprotected areas, the reefs were full of grime and invasive algae.

"We're not scientists, . . . but we could tell that if we had a lot of fish, we had a lot less of invasive algae, and the coral color was more vivid and healthier," said Terah, 15.

"It is really sad to see how the fish . . . are decreasing and the whole ecosystem is deteriorating," added Serena, 16.

The junior division-individual project winner at the Maui District science fair held Jan. 28-29 at the Velma McWayne Santos Community Center took another approach to the algae problem. Celina Bekins, a 7th-grader from the STEM Academy at Kihei Charter School, did her project on "Using Algae as Fuel."

She distilled a 30 percent alcohol solution from algae that she collected and fermented from a beach on Oahu. That 30 percent alcohol solution, similar to ethanol, can run vehicles efficiently, she said.

The solution is "as good as any biofuel but better for your engine," said Celina, 12. "It burns clean and lengthens the life of your engine for several years. . . . The chemicals in the alcohol clean out your engine."

Celina sees algae as a perfect source of energy, especially with the buildup and cleanup of algae along Hawaii shorelines.

"One of the best things of using algae as fuel is that we won't have to import it," she said.

Algae appears to be an efficient material; two cups of algae produced one cup of 30 percent alcohol, Celina said. Her algae distillation process would create "a lot more fuel than microalgae" currently being developed as an alternative fuel source in Hawaii, she said. An acre of microalgae generates 100,000 gallons of biofuel.

The 7th-grader who left her friends in Mililani for the scientific-technology program at Kihei Charter enjoys "the discovery" aspect of science.

"You can find anything if you work at it," said Celina, who lives with her grandparents on Maui and flies back to Oahu on most weekends and holidays. "The answers to the mysteries of things that people are worried about, through science, they find out about things they never thought possible.

"I think that's really cool."

Still, science is not cool enough to be her first love.

"I am leaning toward politics," Celina said when asked what she wants to do when she grows up.

The senior division winners don't see themselves as scientists in the future either, and Serena shares Celina's interest in politics. The work on their project and testifying at the DLNR hearing have sparked more of an interest in politics and the governmental process than the scientific process for Serena.

"It was very interesting . . . to see how America works and how people can go and speak on issues, and we are heard these days," Serena said. "It was politics, how it works."

A need to boost their science grades lured Serena and Terah to the fish-reef project. Serving as half their science grade, a good project was crucial, said Serena.

The project they came up with involved counting surgeon, or kala, and parrotfish, or uhu, along a 30.5-meter or about a 100-foot transect line. Serena held the ocean-end of the rope and a parent held the other end on shore. Terah swam up and down the line, counting fish within 2.5 meters, or 8 feet, along either side of the rope.

They performed 12 transects at each beach from October to January. They found an average of 89 fish at Honolua, 84 at Ahihi Kinau and 30 each at Kahekili and Papalaua.

Breaking down the results further, they found on average:

* Honolua - 14 surgeonfish, two parrotfish.

* Ahihi Kinau -16 surgeonfish, five parrotfish.

* Kahekili - five surgeonfish, six parrotfish.

* Papalaua - nine surgeonfish, zero parrotfish.

"We can conclude that beaches with more fish have coral reefs with a better constitution," they wrote in their conclusion. "Our hypothesis has been successfully proven and has drawn us to the resolution that for the health of Maui's coral reefs, more fishing restrictions should be established and enforced."

"People need to come to the understanding that overfishing in Maui and all of Hawaii needs to stop and be more aware of the consequences of our wasteful actions."

About a week after the science fair, Terah and Serena testified at a DLNR hearing at the Lahaina Civic Center on the proposed Kahekili Herbivore Fisheries Management Area. The first-of-its-kind rule would protect algae-eating surgeonfish, parrotfish, rudderfish and sea urchin in near-shore waters in an area from Black Rock or Kekaa Point to Honokowai Beach Park.

The high-schoolers testified about their results and received praise from some who attended the meeting. They also got to see the other side of the issue, those who have fished for recreation and for food in keeping with their longtime native practices.

"It was actually very fascinating . . . how it touched in their hearts, and it's in their blood to have this right," said Serena. "How passionate they are; it is startling."

"There's not really an easy answer," added Terah. "If they want those fish to be here and still be there for the next generation of kids. . . . We have to give and take. It's unfortunate because they are not the only ones who contributed to this problem, but we gotta do what we gotta do."

The self-described nonscientists will be headed to the Hawaii State Science & Engineering Fair on Oahu in April and the Intel international science fair in May.

"Terah and I are scared to go (to the international science fair)," said Serena. "Some kid is going to launch his rocket . . . All we did was count fish."

Also qualifying for the state science fair April 6 to 8 at the Blaisdell Exhibition Hall and winning blue merit award ribbons were:

* Zachary Costa and Charles Rutkowski, both grade 11, King Kekaulike High School,"Viability of Spring, Stagnant and Flowing Waters."

* Alana Fernandez, and Tiffany Riley, both grade 11, King Kekaulike, "Testing the Inactivation of Proteins in Fruits by Denaturation."

* Jared Shimada and Tyler Yamada, both grade 9, Seabury Hall, "Water Desalination: Got Fresh Water?"

* Christine Shimomura, grade 8, Iao Intermediate School, "Does Pharmaceutical Chitosan Retard the Ripening of Fruit?"

* Jessica Teshima, grade 6, Iao Intermediate, "The Effect of Water pH Levels on the Growth of Allium Fistulosum."

* Alexandra Underwood, grade 8, Iao Intermediate, "What are the Effects of Different Substrata on the pH of Distilled Water?"

* Lee Imada can be reached at leeimada@mauinews.com.