ECE Offers Scholarship and Cash Awards at Louisiana Science & Engineering Fair 2010

LSU Continuing Education hosted the statewide science fair event on March 29-30 in the LSU Student Union Royal Cotillion Ballroom, where the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) offered a scholarship and cash awards. The ECE Department recently became involved in the Louisiana State Science & Engineering Fair to enhance targeted outreach and recruitment. More than 300 Louisiana students in grades 6-12 from many schools participated in the fair on LSU's campus, competing for scholarships, savings bonds, and other awards.

All participants were judged by LSU's ECE faculty on the relevance of their projects to electrical or computer engineering and the quality of their work. By serving as a judge, the faculty were able to contribute to the progress of engineering education and research, in addition to the opportunity for faculty to witness the talent and skills of tomorrow's electrical or computer engineers.

The top three students were presented with cash awards, certificates, and the first place winner was awarded a $500 scholarship. The students were also presented the opportunity to visit the ECE teaching and research laboratories, meet with ECE faculty and students, and witness student design projects.

The following high school students were recognized at the 2010 Louisiana State Science & Engineering Fair.

First Place:
Dustin James Carlino
Project Title: Escaping the Grid: Collisions and Pathfinding in a Heterogeneous Environment
Redemptorist High School in Baton Rouge
Carlino won a $500 scholarship and award certificate.

Second Place:
Priash Patel
Project Title: Power Up
Saint Paul's School in Covington
Patel won a $50 award and a certificate.

Third Place:
Mitchell Hartley
Project Title: Solar vs. Electricity
John Curtis Christian School in River Ridge
Hartley won a $25 award and a certificate.

Students participating in the fair had previously won first, second, and third place in their regional contests. They were judged in the statewide fair by LSU faculty members and experts from around the area.

Article by Shannon Norwood, Mass Communications Intern, LSU College of Engineering, 225-578-5478,tvabshire@lsu.edu