Jessica A. Richeri, a senior at Centennial High School in Corona, was the grand prize winner at the California State Science Fair held May 2-3 at the California Science Center in Los Angeles. Her project, “Autonomous Robotic Vehicle’s Guide to Eliminate the Traffic Problem,” was also a sweepstakes winner at the Inland Area Science Fair.

In addition to winning $10,000 with her prize, she won the right to compete in the Intel International Science Fair in Los Angeles May 8-13. Caitlin A. Redak, a 10th-grader from North (Riverside) High School, also was chosen at the Inland Science Fair to compete at Intel. Caitlin won a gold medal in Applied Mechanics and Structures Senior Divison, at the state fair.

Justin L. Myhre, a seventh-grader from Woodcrest Christian School in Riverside, was also a gold medal winner at the state fair in the Mammalian Biology Junior Division. Riverside County had 59 students competing in the state fair. A complete list of winners from Riverside County is below:

JUNIOR DIVISION

Biochemistry/ Molecular Biology

Second Place

Saumya R. Keremane, Grade 8
Biochemical Analysis of Color Development in Citrus: Year 2
Advisor: Dr. Richard Lee
School: Earhart (Amelia) Middle School, Riverside, Riverside County

Chemistry

Fourth Place

Stephanie Reese C. Rillon, Grade 8
Emily Yan, Grade 8
A Sticky Situation: Corn Syrup's Angle of Polarization
Advisor: Mrs. Barbara MacLaughlin
School: Miller (Frank A.) Middle School, Riverside, Riverside County

Earth & Planetary Sciences

Third Place

Hannah N. Johnson, Grade 8
Hannah R. Larsen, Grade 8
Zachary J. Larsen, Grade 8
Trilobite Leftovers: Mortality or Moulting?
Advisor: Mr. James George, Mrs. Tara Hightower
School: Earhart (Amelia) Middle School, Riverside, Riverside County

Environmental Science

Honorable Mention

Jem H. Unger Hicks, Grade 8
The Question of Cattle
Advisor: Mr. Arthur McMahon
School: Elsinore Middle School, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County

Mammalian Biology

First Place

Justin L. Myhre, Grade 7
Fox's Response to Territorial Markings
Advisor: Mr. Steve Kinney
School: Woodcrest Christian School, Riverside, Riverside County

Materials Science

Third Place

Lindsey Jergensen, Grade 7
Will That Break My Braces?
Advisor: Mr. Harry Post
School: Dartmouth Middle School, Hemet, Riverside County

Microbiology (Medical)

Fourth Place

Connor J.K. Lyons, Grade 8
Ability of Natural Remedies to Inhibit Growth of Lactobacillus casei Bacteria
Advisor: Mrs. Stacey Lerma
School: Vista Heights Middle School, Moreno Valley, Riverside County

Product Science (Physical)

Third Place

Neelesh "Neel" K. Karody, Grade 8
Effectiveness of Balance Bracelets: A Double Blind Study
Advisor: Mr. Carlo Rozzi
School: Earhart (Amelia) Middle School, Riverside, Riverside County

Fourth Place

Klynn S. Shelton, Grade 8
All Fired Up!
Advisor: Mr. Arthur McMahon
School: Elsinore Middle School, Lake Elsinore, Riverside County

Zoology

Honorable Mention

Walter Z. Su, Grade 7
What Material Attracts the Most Flies?
Advisor: Mrs. Elizabeth Marroquin
School: Gage (Matthew) Middle School, Riverside, Riverside County

SENIOR DIVISION

Applied Mechanics & Structures

First Place

Caitlin A. Redak, Grade 10
Black Widows vs. Orb Weavers: Extracting the Difference
Advisor: Ms. Lillian McCandless
School: North (John Wesley) High School, Riverside, Riverside County

Third Place

Loren J. Newton, Grade 9
Forces on the Road: Are You Inclined to Bank on a Curve?
Advisor: Mr. Bruce Barthlomew
School: La Sierra High School, Riverside, Riverside County

Electronics & Electromagnetics

First Place

Jessica A. Richeri, Grade 12
Autonomous Robotic Vehicle's Guide to Eliminate the Traffic Problem
Advisor: Mr. Sunny Kaura
School: Centennial High School, Corona, Riverside County

Microbiology (General)

Third Place

Jessica L. Cao, Grade 9
Beat Blemishes for a Bargain
Advisor: Mrs. Lilavatiben Patel
School: Centennial High School, Corona, Riverside County

Fourth Place

Neera M. Shah, Grade 11
Nehaly M. Shah, Grade 11
Saving Citrus Trees: Detecting Bacteria Associated with Citrus Greening Disease in Asian Citrus Psyllids
Advisor: Dr. Richard Lee
School: King (Martin Luther, Jr.) High School, Riverside, Riverside County

Physics & Astronomy

Honorable Mention

Adam S. Hall, Grade 10
Electrostatic Fields and Arcs
Advisor: Mrs. Sheri Harris
School: Arlington High School, Riverside, Riverside County

Plant Biology

Fourth Place

Christina E. Gerges, Grade 10
A Comparative Study of Nuclear Differences Between Similar Brodiaeas
Advisor: Mr. Michele Hampton
School: King (Martin Luther, Jr.) High School, Riverside, Riverside County

Honorable Mention

Ashley M. Bianco, Grade 11
Screening for Genes Involved in Floral Determinacy
Advisor: Ms. Thanh Dinh
School: River Springs Charter, Temecula, Riverside County

MAJOR AWARDS

Patricia Beckman Project of the Year Awards, given in honor of Dr. & Mrs. Arnold O. Beckman
($10,000 to the Senior Division)
Jessica A. Richeri
Grade 12, Centennial High School, Corona, Riverside County
Advisor: Mr. Sunny Kaura
Project: Autonomous Robotic Vehicle's Guide to Eliminate the Traffic Problem

For information contact:
Rick Peoples, Public Information Officer
Telephone: (951) 826-6642
Fax: (951) 826-6199
rpeoples@rcoe.us