The Florida Junior Academy of Science competition (FJAS), an annual science research competition for high school and middle school students, was held March 9 at Southeastern University in Lakeland. 25 middle and high school students competed at FJAS, with13 emerging victorious. “This was my fourth and final year competing at FJAS,” senior Lorenzo Pulmano said. “I’ve always liked going to this competition because it really showcases all the growth each researcher has made in both their project and their presentation skills.” (Photo/Dr. Juliana Caulkins)
The Sigma Xi Science Research team competed at the Florida Junior Academy of Science (FJAS) competition March 9, in Lakeland, Fla.
FJAS is hosted annually at Florida universities, with over 100 middle and high school students from various schools competing from around the state.
After conducting individual research during the summer and fall, students presented their findings to three judges or more. Students spent the morning competing in either poster presentations or oral slideshow presentations, they were able to talk with other scientists from various scientific fields ranging from physics to behavioral science.
“Since my project is about using an invasive plant species called Kudzu to treat ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), I presented in the Behavioral Science category,” junior Akshay Kumar said. “I always enjoy going to FJAS because the judges provide helpful criticism that I can take and learn from for later competitions.”
Here are the winners from the competition:
1st Place:
Vid Yash – Behavioral Science (oral)
Scott Shin – Environmental Science (poster)
Lorenzo Pulmano – Environmental Science (oral)
2nd Place:
Akshay Kumar – Behavioral Science (oral)
Roshini Shivakumar – Behavioral Science (poster)
Anagha Iyer – Environmental Science (oral)
Mikaella Mishiev – Medical Science (poster)
Siyona Narang – Middle School Environmental Science
3rd Place:
Emma Colarte Delgado – Behavioral Science (poster)
Noah-Duro Andre – Biological Science (poster)
Nicholas Kwok – Medical Science (poster)
4th Place:
Shriya Narasimhan – Biological Science (oral)
Honorable Mention:
Sanya Ahmed – Environmental Science (oral)
Kamilat Mustapha – Medical Science (oral)
Sophomore Nicholas Kwok presents his project board on the effects of weight-loss drugs and time-restricted feeding in fruit flies. “Presenting my work at FJAS was an amazing experience where I was able to inform others on my project about the synergistic effects of weight loss drugs and time-restricted feeding,” Kwok said. “I really enjoyed presenting to medical professionals and learned interesting information related to my project while talking one-on-one to them.” (Photo/Aliyah Dania)
Sophomore Shriya Narasimhan presents her oral presentation on the connection between the gut microbiome and addiction. “I was a little nervous to do an oral presentation since I usually present with a board,” Narasimhan said. “However, I actually ended up enjoying this format just as much. I felt comfortable using focused slides to present and keep my judges’ attention. I also liked getting everything done in just one presentation rather than presenting three separate times.” (Photo/Aliyah Dania)
