WASHINGTON: Three Indian American children are among the top 10 at this year’s Intel Science Talent Search, a popular competition that is touted as the US’s “Junior Nobel”.
Narendra Tallapragada from Burke, Virginia made it to the fourth place, while Preya Shah from Setauket, New York was ranked eighth, followed by Nilesh Tripuraneni from Fresno, California in the ninth position.
The topper in the competition in which thousands of high school students from across the US participated was Eric Larson from Eugene, Oregon, who received the $100,000 scholarship for his research project classifying mathematical objects called fusion categories.
Tallapragada, 17, received a $25,000 scholarship for his project to find ways to simplify complex models of atomic and molecular interactions, an Intel Foundation release said.
Shah, 17, received a $20,000 scholarship for designing and synthesising a tumor-targeting drug for cancer treatment.
Tripuraneni, 18, also received a $20,000 scholarship for formulating a set of hydrodynamic equations that may provide a potential method to better understand the first movements of the universe and could aid in the development of a quantum theory of gravity.
The 10 toppers were chosen from among 40 finalists, who all had a meeting with President Barack Obama at the White House. Nine Indian American children had made it to the finals.
“At a time when our country requires innovation to spur economic growth, it is inspiring to see such talented young people using critical thinking skills to find solutions to scientific challenges,” said Intel chairman Craig Barrett.