Faculty at Utica University

Home
Directory
Faculty at Utica University

New Hartford Senior Wins Regional Science Fair

Desai Takes Top Honors Two Years Running

Written By Kevin Montano '16, PR Intern

Local budding scientists competed in 37th Annual Regional Science Fair

Contact - cleogrande@utica.edu

Science Fair Winners 2015

Utica, NY (04/23/2015) - Suveer Desai, a 12th grade student at New Hartford High School, was named Senior Grand Champion at the 37th annual Regional Science Fair held April 11 at Utica College. Desai’s project was titled “Optimizing the Culture Conditions for Differentiation of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells.”

In addition to the winner’s trophy, Desai receives a half-tuition scholarship to UC for two years, as well as an all-expense-paid trip to compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh in May. Desai will compete at the Intel ISEF for a grand prize of $75,000, and more than $2.1 million in total prizes.

The senior grand champion runner-up was Nicole Jeselson, a ninth grade student from Rome Free Academy. Jeselson also receives a half-tuition scholarship for one year to Utica College for her project, “That’s a Wrap!”

Leah Bovkin, an eighth grade student at John F. Kennedy Middle School was crowned the junior level grand champion.

The list of winners from the fair:

Grand Champion, Senior Level
Suveer Desai, 12th grade, New Hartford High School
Runner-up Grand Champion, Senior Level
Nicole Jeselson, 9th grade, Rome Free Academy
Grand Champion, Junior Level
Leah Boyki, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
Physical Science, Senior Level
1st Nicole Jeselson, 9th grade, Rome Free Academy
2nd Patrick Mahoney, 9th grade, Poland Central School
3rd Natalia Torres, 9th grade, Utica Academy of Science
4th Christina Thrasher , 9th grade, Home-schooled
Natural Science, Senior Level
1st Suveer Desai, 12th grade, New Hartford High School
2nd Shiane Irwin, 10th grade, Poland Central School
3rd Sarah Braunlich, 10th grade, Poland Central School
4th Christopher Rivera, 9th grade, Clinton High School
Math/Computer/Engineering Sciences, Senior Level
1st Ian Brehaut, 10th grade, Clinton High School
2nd Hannah Uvanni, 12th grade, Rome Free Academy
3rd Katherine Burritt, 10th grade, Poland Central School
4th Elise Butler, 11th grade, Poland Central School
Physical Science, Junior Level
1st. Joseph Falvo and Nicholas Matrulli, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
2nd. Emily Cajic, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Science
3rd. Hayden Zielinski, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Science
4th. Amra Becirevic and Selma Besirevic, 8th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Natural Science, Junior Level
1st Leah Boykin, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
2nd Ada Gouse, 7th grade, Poland Central School
3rd Kimberly Rivera, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
4th Alexia Vo, 7th grade, JFK Middle School
Math/Computer/Engineering Sciences, Junior Level
1st Bailey Dunn, 7th grade, Poland Central School
2nd Tejas Desai and John George, 8th grade, Strough Middle School
3rd Andrew Krom and Andries Kruger, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
4th Sean Cooney, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Special Awards
Asa Gray Biological Society Award
Junior Level: Joseph Pascucci, 8th grade, Clinton Central School
Senior Level: Suveer Desai, 12th grade, New Hartford High School
The Dr. Larry “Doc” Aaronson Award
Junior Level: Leah Boykin, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
Senior Level: Suveer Desai, 12th grade, New Hartford High School
The Don and Sally Majka Award in Social Sciences
Junior Level: Eva Borton, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Senior Level: Christopher Rivera, 9th grade, Clinton High School
The Majka Award in Natural Science
Deven Draper, 8th grade, Poland Central School
The Majka Award in Ecology or Conservation
Sarah Braunlich, 10th grade, Poland Central School
In Memory of Adam and Bertha Lachut Award
Junior Level: Tejas Desai and John George, 8th grade, Strough Middle School
Senior Level: David Jeselson, 11th grade, Rome Free Academy
Vincent J. Coyne Award
Junior Level: Leah Boykin, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
Senior Level: David Jeselson, 11th grade, Rome Free Academy
Norman P. Bernstein Award for Achievement in Electronics
Junior Level: Tejas Desai and John George, 8th grade, Strough Middle School
Senior Level: Patrick Mahoney, 9th grade, Poland Central School
Doris Miga Award
Kimberly Rivera, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Utica College National Alumni Council Award
Junior Level: Kimberly Rivera, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Senior Level: Shiane Irwin, 10th grade, Poland Central School
Pratt and Whitney Metals, Inc.
Junior Level: Emily Cajic, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Senior Level: John Zuchowski, 9th grade, Poland Central School
Oneida Research Services Inc. Award
Junior Level: Amra Becirevic and Selma Besirevic, 8th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Senior Level: John Zuchowski, 9th grade, Poland Central School

Intel Excellence in Computer Science Award
Sarah Braunlich, 10th grade, Poland Central School
Stockholm Junior Water Prize
Katherine Burritt, 10th grade, Poland Central School
Rebecca Sergott, 10th grade, Poland Central School
Reem Nagi, 10th grade, Utica Academy of Science
U.S. Air Force
Katherine Burritt, 10th grade, Poland Central School
John Zuchowski, 9th grade, Poland Central School
Andrew Krom, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Andries Kruger, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
American Meteorological Society
Ammar Arnautovic, 9th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Peter Burritt, 9th grade, Poland Central School
APA Outstanding Research in Psychology Award
Kimberly Rivera, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
NOAA’s Taking the Pulse of the Planet Award
Sarah Braunlich, 10th grade, Poland Central School
ASM International Foundation Award
Alexia Vo, 7th grade, JFK Middle School
RICOH Sustainable Development Award
Ada Gouse
ASU Walton Sustainability Solutions Initiatives Award
Shiane Irwin, 10th grade, Poland Central School

Association for Women Geoscientists Award
Sarah Braunlich, 10th grade, Poland Central School
Society for In Vitro Biology Award
Sarah Braunlich, 10th grade, Poland Central School
U.S. Metric Association Award
David Jeselson, 11th grade, Rome Free Academy
The Surgeon General’s Special Science Award Certificate
Hannah Libertella, 7th grade, Camden Middle School
Yale Science and Engineering Association Award
Peter Burritt, 9th grade, Poland Central School
US Navy: Office of Naval Research
Junior Level: Ada Gouse, 7th grade, Poland Central School
Junior Level: Hayden Zielinski, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Senior Level: Katherine Burritt, 10th grade, Poland Central School
Senior Level: Suveer Desai, 12th grade, New Hartford High School
Mu Alpha Theta Award
Jason Browne, 12th grade, New York Mills
AFCEA Senior Awards
Suveer Desai, 12th grade, New Hartford High School
Patrick Holt, 9th grade, Whitesboro High School
Reem Nagi, 10th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Jason Browne, 12th grade, New York Mills High Schools
David Jeselson, 11th grade, Rome Free Academy
Hannah Deering, 9th grade, Clinton High School
Christopher Rivera, 9th grade, Clinton High School
John Zuchowski, 9th grade, Poland Central School
Nicole Jeselson, 9th grade, Rome Free Academy
Patrick Mahoney, 9th grade, Poland Central School
Christina Thrasher, 9th grade, Home-schooled
Peter Burritt, 9th grade, Poland Central School
Ammar Arnautovic, 9th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Lexis Mays, 10th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Katherine Burritt, 10th grade, Poland Central School
AFCEA Junior Awards
Lauren Chmielewski, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Leah Boykin, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
Joseph Pascucci, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Eva Borton, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Joseph Falvo and Nicholas Matrulli, 8th grade, JFK Middle School
Hayden Zielinski, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Marcella Seaton, 7th grade, JFK Middle School
Alexia Vo, 7th grade, JFK Middle School
Asalah Obaid and Suror Al Awasaj, 8th grade, Utica Academy of Science
Jadon Ingalls, 8th grade, Clinton Middle School
Adem Rosic, 7th grade, Utica Academy of Sciences
Hannah Libertella, 7th grade, Camden Middle School
Taylor Scheening and Karyna Savich, 7th grade, JFK Middle School
For more information about the science fair, call the Office of Arts and Sciences at (315) 792-3057, or visit utica.edu/sciencefair.

About Utica College – Utica College, founded in 1946, is a comprehensive private institution offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees. The College, located in upstate central New York, approximately 90 miles west of Albany and 50 miles east of Syracuse, currently enrolls over 4,000 students in 36 undergraduate majors, 27 minors, 21 graduate programs and a number of pre-professional and special programs.

Contact Us

Robert Halliday, Ph.D.

Associate Provost

201B DePerno Hall

rhallid@utica.edu

(315) 792-3122

TEACHING @ UC

"At UC, you get to enjoy a nice, productive atmosphere for teaching, research, and clinical practice. I think I made the right choice by being in here. My wife likes the area as well and we think that it is the right place to raise our children.."

Ahmed Radwan,
PT, DPT, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy

Support UC →