2007 High School Essay Contest Winners

2007 Press Release
2007 Photos

2007 Topic

In 2007, Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) celebrates 60 years of scientific discovery. Basic science research at BNL has enabled new technologies that continue to transform society.

For example:

• A BNL scientist created the first videogame, a precursor to Pong.
• BNL researchers developed radioisotopes used millions of times a year in medical diagnoses.
• BNL scientists are working on biodiesel technologies and hydrogen fuel cells that may change how we heat our homes and fuel our vehicles.
• BNL researchers are using a Linux computer farm that transfers data at more than 200 MB a second -- about a CD's worth of data in three seconds.
• BNL scientists have made advances in research that have resulted in six Nobel prizes and numerous other awards.

From the BNL web site, choose a technology for which BNL won an R&D 100 Award, given annually by R&D Magazine. Briefly describe the historic context of the science, then describe how this breakthrough could lead to new products or technologies and how those advances would impact human society.

The awards ceremony was held on April 20, 2007. Special thanks go to the judges who volunteered their time to read the 94 essays that were submitted: Diane Greenberg, Jeanne Petschauer, Len Schutzman, and Mike Stegman. Thanks also go to our speakers: John Carter of the U.S. Department of Energy and Terry Sullivan, Deputy Division Head of BNL's Environmental Research and Technology Division.

Students were asked to email copies of their papers if they were willing to have the essays posted to the web.