Ying Prize

each walk away with $1,000 grant to further their research

Orlando, FL – (April 22, 2007) – Emily Sotherlund, a junior at Merritt Island’s Edgewood Jr./Sr. High School, won the prestigious top prize in the Ninth Annual Dr. Nelson Ying Science Competition at the Orlando Science Center on Sunday, April 22. Her research project on artificial surf reefs could one day lead to nicer beaches and better surfing along the Florida coasts.

She beat out rivals from other Central Florida schools with projects that battled toxins, investigated ocean currents and tested super elastic wires. Sotherland takes home $5,000 and a trophy while her science teacher, Ryan Cilsick, and her school each receive $1,000 prizes. The remaining four finalists, including Eric Bishop and Kaitlin Burlingame from Altamonte Springs’ Lake Brantley H.S., each received $1,000 grants to further their scientific research for another year.

The five finalists selected represent our community's most brilliant young minds. They were chosen after a thorough review by a distinguished panel of judges, which include event sponsor Dr. Nelson Ying as well as engineers, scientists and educators from Lockheed Martin, Kennedy Space Center and the University of Central Florida. The awards committee was impressed with the diverse roster of finalists, not only with their research but also with the range of their extracurricular activities. Each finalist excelled in areas beyond the sciences, including music, sports and volunteerism.

Sotherland’s research was given the top prize following oral presentations before the judges’ panel on Saturday. Her project, “Modeling Artificial Surf Reefs and Their Ability to Create Surf Waves While Inhibiting Beach Erosion,” entailed creating artificial surf reefs out of Plaster of Paris and then testing their efficiency on combating beach erosion in a miniature wave tank that she constructed. Her research showed that a V-shaped shaped artificial surf reef could inhibit beach erosion and create better waves for surfing. For beach communities with tourism-based economies, Sotherland’s findings have immediate value.

After two years of giving out multiple grand prizes, this year’s competition saw only one big prize awarded, but offered $1,000 grants to the remaining finalists to further their research. Lake Brantley’s Bishop will use his funds to extend his studies on the relationship between ocean currents and magnetism while his schoolmate Burlingame will look further into how to stop toxins from infiltrating cells and causing certain illnesses. Finalist Kyla Horn from Cocoa Beach Jr./Sr. High will use her grant to broaden her research on ultraviolet radiation damage on human cells while Edward Artz from Satellite H.S. will expand his investigation of super elastic wires for multiple applications, including eyeglass frames and cardiovascular stents.

Dr. Nelson Ying, a local philanthropist, scientist and entrepreneur, created and sponsors this science competition every year at the Orlando Science Center as a way to inspire the science leaders of tomorrow. Research projects are solicited from students in high schools or homeschool equivalents in Orange, Seminole, Brevard, Lake, Osceola, Volusia and Marion Counties. The research must have altruistic applications and be submitted with a written report.

Ying finalist Eric Bishop Kaitlin Burlingame Dr. Nelson Ying, Emily Sotherlund, Kyla Horn Edward Artz

Emily Southerland wins $5000

2006 Winners

PRESTIGIOUS SCIENCE CONTEST ENDS IN THREE-WAY TIE

Three Teens Each Walk Away With $5,000 During Ying Competition at the Orlando Science Center

Sponsor and OSC Collaborate to Honor and Inspire Tomorrow's Science Leaders Today

Orlando, FL - (May 1, 2006) - Three Central Florida teens snared the top prize for the prestigious Dr. Nelson Ying Science Competition at the Orlando Science Center on April 30. Their entries - which ranged from isolating genes that cause neurological disorders to computer wave simulations that predict hurricanes - inspired the event’s founder and sponsor, Dr. Nelson Ying, to award three grand prizes, instead of the usual one, during the annual event’s awards ceremony.

It was only the second time in the event’s eight-year history when the grand prize went to more than one winner. Shiv Gaglani, a senior from Brevard County’s West Shore Junior/Senior High School, Richard Zhang, another senior at West Shore, and Daniel Brandenburg, a freshman at Cocoa High School, each took home $5,000 and trophies while $1,000 prizes were also given to their science teachers and schools. Shiv has the distinction of being the only participant to ever win the Ying competition three years in a row.

His research project isolated genes that could cause neurogenetic disorders like schizophrenia or attention deficit disorder. His findings could ultimately lead to new diagnoses and treatments of these disorders. Richard’s entry explored the structure of the universe, which could help validate current scientific theories as well as lead to advancements in telescopes plus provide answers to questions about the birth and eventual collapse of the universe. Daniel’s project used computer wave simulations and physical models to identify wave patterns that could be used to predict hurricanes and tsunamis.

Rather than split the grand prize into three parts, Ying provided additional funds so each winner took home the same amount of prize money. Inspired by her benefactor’s example, the first $5,000 grand prize was made possible through a donation by a former Ying scholarship recipient. Wang Ying (no relation to Dr. Ying) is now an auditor with the Deloitte and Touche LLP accounting firm in Orlando and benefited from Ying’s generosity while a student at UCF in 2001.

The Ying Competition also granted $1,000 to the remaining finalists, Satellite High’s Ashley Ewh and Mario Mistretta, for their research. Finalists were selected from 15 entries from high schools and home school equivalents in seven surrounding counties. In recognition of every finalist this year being from a Brevard County school, Ying awarded a special $1,000 prize to Brevard County School Superintendent Dr. Richard A. DiPatri for his outstanding leadership in promoting science education. The additional prizes tripled the funds that Ying usually awards as the competition’s sponsor.

All entries were research projects that illustrated how science can be used to help humanity. Ying, a local philanthropist, scientist and entrepreneur, collaborates every with the Orlando Science Center on this event to encourage and inspire the science leaders of tomorrow.

Winners were selected following a thorough review process by a distinguished panel of judges, which include Ying as well as engineers, scientists and educators from Lockheed Martin, Kennedy Space Center, the University of Central Florida and the Orlando Science Center.

Photos & Captions - Photos Courtesy of Frank Weber, RF Photography

OSC Ying 2006 - Grand Prize Winners

L to R: Winners Shiv Gaglani, Daniel Brandenburg, Richard Zhang, Sponsor Dr. Nelson Ying and Wang Ying (no relation) during the awards ceremony for the Dr. Ying Science Competition at the Orlando Science Center (OSC). For the past eight years, Dr. Ying has collaborated with OSC to inspire tomorrow's scientists today by honoring teens with projects that show how science can help humanity. These three young scientists walked away with trophies and $5,000 cash prizes while two runners-up each received $1,000 prizes. Wang Ying is a former Ying Scholar who donated $5,000 to the competition to be used for the first grand prize awarded during the ceremony.

OSC Ying 2006 - Finalists

L to R: OSC’s Fred Curtis, Mario Mistretta, Shiv Gaglani, Daniel Brandenburg, Richard Zhang, Sponsor Dr. Nelson Ying, Wang Ying (no relation), and Ashley Ewh during the awards ceremony for the Dr. Ying Science Competition at the Orlando Science Center (OSC). These five finalists, all from Brevard County, were selected from 15 entries from high schools in seven surrounding counties. The Ying Competition inspires tomorrow’s scientists today by honoring teens with projects that show how science can help humanity.

Media Contact: Jeff Stanford, 407.514.2145, 407.421.8988 (cell)

ARTIFICIAL SURF REEF PROJECT SNAGS OSC’S TOP YING PRIZE

Seminole County’s Eric Bishop and Kaitlin Burlingame

each walk away with $1,000 grant to further their research