The Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Serving Institutions (HBCU/MI) Program has awarded $15,000 scholarships to five students to compete at the 2024 Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Los Angeles, California, in recognition of excellence in research areas such as rocket engines and autonomous vehicles.
The award, in the form of the Director of Naval Research (CNR) Scholarship Award, is presented by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to recognize students in grades 9-12 who have developed and presented high-quality science and engineering projects.
The awards were presented at ISEF, the world’s largest science and engineering competition for high school students. It is part of the Naval Science Awards Program (NSAP), a Navy and Marine Corps program that encourages American students to develop and sustain an interest in science and engineering. NSAP recognizes the achievements of eligible students at local and state science and engineering fairs, as well as larger fairs like ISEF.
Anthony C. Smith Sr., director of the DoN HBCU/MI Program at ONR, presented each winner with their CNR scholarship award at ISEF. Smith, a captain in the Naval Reserve, also chaired a team of other reservists who served as volunteer judges, evaluating the students’ presentations for scientific rigor and applicability to future Navy challenges.
“It was an honor and a pleasure to present the CNR Scholarship awards to these outstanding students,” said Smith. “The sophistication of their research presentations, their passion, attention to detail and inquisitiveness exemplify what the award seeks to highlight. Events like ISEF are invaluable in discovering the most talented young people who can strengthen the Navy workforce.”
This year’s CNR Scholarship Award recipients are:
Timsin Elbaz (Acton, Massachusetts) — “Highly Efficient, Highly Adaptive, Dynamic Rocket Engine Nozzle”
Hannah Jansen (Nokesville, Virginia) — “The Impact of Toroidal Propeller Design on Acoustic and Aerodynamic Performance of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles”
James Nagler (Garden City, NY) — “Project Vision: 3D Mapping for Navigation Aids and Waypoint Positioning”
Isabella Pinto (West Richland, WA)—”How High Temperature Superconductivity and Electromagnetism Can Produce Magnetic Suspension Tires to Create the Greenest Vehicles”
Daniel Williams (Newnan, Georgia) — “Zenith Soar X-4: Autonomous Drone for Disaster Relief and Detection”
ISEF enables millions of students to pursue their passion for scientific inquiry through a global network of local, regional and national science fairs. Each year, a group of these students is selected as finalists and given the opportunity to compete in the worldwide ISEF Science Fair for approximately $9 million in prize money and scholarships.
Warren Duffie Jr. is a contract employee with ONR Corporate Strategic Communications.
