Optical Society of San Diego

2002 Science Fair

By Murray Dunn
Science Fair Coordinator

(Photos by Kelly Cummings unless noted)

My career in optics got its start back in Jr. High with a friend's 9th grade science fair project. He was grinding an 8" telescope mirror and needed help with the grinding labor. I was personally fascinated that such a simple process could produce such a superbly accurate optic. From then on I was hooked on optics. So I have been more than pleased to be able to participate in the Science Fair with OSSD

Our Judging Criteria: OSSD is looking for projects that explore optical principals, or make significant use of optics technology in the projects apparatus. The student needs to be able to demonstrate a good understanding of what they did and why they did it. Their measurement technique should produce objective results, independent of their personal bias or desire to prove or disprove their hypothesis. They should recognize the factors that affect the accuracy of their measurement and they should have an idea of what they can do to improve it.

This Years Judges: Kelly Cummings, Graham Brewis, Larry Sverdrup and Murray Dunn.

This Years Winners:

Senior Division 1st Place
Gabriela Iniguez
Grade 11, Central Union High School
"Peripheral Vision Differences in Adults"

While this was a relatively simple project, it was very well executed. The student took a lot of data, kept good and complete records, and was able to explain what she did clearly.

Senior Division 2nd Place
Patricia Wang
Grade 10, Torry Pines High School
"Wireless Pollution Sensor Networks using Nanostructured Films"

Pat Wang, testing a porous Si based wireless remote sensor (inside the black box) for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) at the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve, October 2002.
(Photo: Sailor Group, UCSD)

Pat Wang's Abstract:

The purpose of my project was to construct a hand held hydrocarbon sensor using inexpensive, commercially available parts and a specially prepared silicon chip that is able to detect the presence of hydrocarbons. The box's general design consists of a LED, a phototransistor, and the etched silicon chip. The LED's light is reflected off the silicon chip and onto the phototransistor. In the presence of hydrocarbons, the silicon chip changes colors, which then results in a change in light intensity seen by the phototransistor. This particular set of sensors uses a wireless system to transfer its information to a computer program, which then graphs the changes in light intensity.

Various properties, including the battery time, the responsiveness and the recovery time, of a single sensor were extensively tested in the lab. During the summer of 2002, the sensor was taken to the Santa Margarita Ecological Reserve to test the greatest distance we could separate the sensor and its receiver for the wireless system to still respond. We also tested the stability of the box over a 24 hour time span.

This project was a report on work the student participated in as an intern at UCSD.

Patricia Wang in the center with her father Shinmin and mother May. Patricia had been at the Del Mar Fair all day demonstrating her project and then rushed to our Awards Meeting that evening. Though she couldn't bring her project set up for us to see, we were happy to have her there just the same.

Junior Division 1st Place
Nick Root
Grade 7, Lewis Middle School
"Echo Locating Beluga Whales"

Nick solved a problem in real time measurement of the shape of a beluga whales forehead, a problem posed to him by a friend at NOSC. His solution to the problem was a type of moiré technique. His model whale for the project was a ball; he used a slide projector to image a series of lines on his target from one angle, while photographing it from another. The second screen that created the moiré pattern was added using image-processing software.

Nick Root and his mother Stephanie Root were having fun at the Awards Meeting.

Junior Division 2nd Place
Katherine Stephens-Doll
Grade 8
CHILDRENS CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS ACADEMY OF SAN DIEGO
"Effect of Differentiating Droplet Size on Rainbow Brilliance"

This student distinguished herself by her enthusiasm, attention to detail and her tenacity in refining her technique. She talked to the judges at length about her numerous attempts at making this measurement. She recognized and corrected problems in her equipment and technique, and after several iterations she had developed a good technique and was getting good results.

Katherine Stephens-Doll went on to further awards at the local level, state level and national level. She won the Sweepstakes award at the San Diego Science and Engineering Fair and won the Silver medal in Physics at the California State Fair. She was announced as a semifinalist in the National Fair (Discovery Young Scientist Fair).

SPIE -(The International Society for Optical Engineering)
Honorable Mention: Katherine C. Stephens-Doll

Katherine Stephens-Doll and her father Bob

For another 2002 San Diego Science Fair story see

2002 SD Science Fair Winner, Laura Brees,
Continues to Shine

Thank You Melles Griot

The OSSD would like to recognize and thank Melles Griot for their past and ongoing support of our Educational Outreach efforts. They have provide HeNe Lasers for both the Senior and Junior division OSSD First Place Winners at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair for over five years and continue to assist the OSSD with encouraging optic and photonic projects at the SD Science and Engineering Fair.