Brookhaven Lab Celebrates Students at 2023 Elementary School Science Fair

Students welcomed to the Lab to showcase their projects, receive awards

June 16, 2023

UPTON, N.Y.—How does the temperature of a magnet affect its strength? Why does honey come in different colors? Are permanent markers really permanent? Curious students from schools across Suffolk County shared questions they explored using the scientific method at the 2023 Elementary School Science Fair hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory on June 10.

 “Students from kindergarten to sixth grade who participate in the science fair use the fundamental skills that are the basis of the science conducted here at Brookhaven National Lab,” said Bernadette Uzzi, manager for K-12 programs in the Lab’s Office of Educational Programs (OEP). “Our goal is to develop today’s students into tomorrow’s scientists and engineers.”

After going virtual for three years, the competition returned to an in-person showcase at the Lab where students were ready to share their results and attend an awards ceremony for their grade level.

From delving into the physics behind speedy lacrosse tosses to studying how different materials react in salt water to crafting a codable maze, student’s experiments connected to the basics of wide-ranging research happening at Brookhaven’s world-class facilities.

Many students opted to tackle clean energy solutions, including experiments that tested solar cars, asked whether food waste can produce energy, and showed how hydrogen can be produced through water electrolysis for a clean fuel option.

Cameron Casey, a first grader from Charles E. Walters Elementary School, hypothesized that light energy changes based on location. He used machines equipped with small solar panels and topped with clear plates that would spin if powered with enough energy from the sun. The only plate that spun was attached to a solar cell place directly in the sunlight.

Casey said his favorite part of participating in the science fair was that it led him to Brookhaven Lab, a place he’d been wanting to visit for a while.

“I’m really proud of it,” Casey said. “It worked so well that it got me all the way to here.”

Other students incorporated their pets and demonstrated their passion for nature and the environment through their projects.

It was her love of the ocean and surfing that inspired Tatiana Panuthos, a fifth grader from South Bay Elementary School, to investigate microplastic pollution.

“When I’m out there, I see all the plastic and garbage in the ocean, so one day, I came home and was researching the plastics I saw in the ocean,” she said. “But then I found the bigger problem and we can't even see it: microplastics.”

After learning that much of the microplastic pollution in our oceans comes from fabric and clothing, Panuthos chose to build an inexpensive and easy-to-install filter to capture microplastics streaming out of laundry cycles.

Charlie Furman, a second grader at Fifth Avenue Elementary School asked: Can pinecones predict the weather?

“My hypothesis was that I think pinecones can predict the weather because they contain a living thing,” Furman said.

He collected pinecones and compared how they reacted to different temperatures and humidity. He found that in the cold, pinecones closed to protect their seeds, but opened as temperatures warmed up. It’s a test-the-weather project anyone can try out at home, he said.

Brookhaven Lab staff and local teachers volunteered as judges and event help.

“I love that the students are learning the scientific method,” said Kathy Haack, a science fair volunteer who teachers K-5 science at Westhampton Beach Elementary School. “They learn the difference between experiments and demonstrations, and the difference between an engineering project and an experiment.”

Students shared their projects, visited the Science Fair Expo, and posed for photos at their grade level award ceremony. Hover over image to reveal slideshow controls.

Science Fair awards

All participants received a ribbon at their grade level awards ceremony where fair organizers from OEP announced honorable mentions, first place, and judge’s choice awards for creative and thoughtful questions.

Kindergarten

1st Place: “The Best Way to Ship a Chip” by Cameron Wallace of Clayton Huey Elementary School, Center Moriches School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Rough Roads” by Ava D’Alsace of Riley Avenue Elementary School, Riverhead Central School District
• “Airplane Flights: Which Paper Airplane Flies the Furthest?” by Michael DeLuca of Forest Brook Elementary School, Hauppauge School District

First Grade

1st Place: “Standing Tall Backpacks and Gravity” by Siena Roseto of Cutchogue East Elementary School, Mattituck-Cutchogue School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Why can I not watch Netflix in my playroom?” by Rebecca Tyler of Miller Avenue School, Shoreham-Wading River School District
• “The Perfect Straw to Delight Your Tastebuds” by Advika Arun of Bretton Woods Elementary School, Hauppauge School District
• “Building the Tallest Tower” by George Miyagishi of Park View Elementary School, Kings Park Central School District

Second Grade

1st Place: “5 Second Rule-Breaker” by Vincent Calvanese of Pines Elementary School, Hauppauge School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Which Liquid Dissolves the Mint Best?” by Leah Cook of Riley Avenue Elementary School, Riverhead Central School District
• “White Out” by Isla Loudenslager of Hampton Bays Elementary School, Hampton Bays Public Schools
• “Will It Prevent Spoiling?” by Clayton Roberts of Sunrise Drive Elementary School, Sayville Union Free School District

Third Grade

1st Place: “Which One is the Best Filter Feeder: Oysters or Clams?” by Juliana Gianmugnai of Ridge Elementary School, Longwood Central School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Go Green with Bioplastics” by Taran Sathish Kumar of Bretton Woods Elementary School, Hauppauge School District
• “Capillary Action with Flowers” by Kendall Harned of Wenonah Elementary School, Sachem Central School District
• “Charged Up” by Kensley Chojnacki of Park View Elementary School, Kings Park Central School District

Fourth Grade

1st Place: “Loaded Diapers” by Emma Kowalik, of Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School, East Islip School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Marker Magic” by Margaret O’Callaghan of Laddie A. Decker Sound Beach School, Miller Place School District
• “Fire Extinguisher” by Declan Floyd of Sunrise Drive Elementary School, Sayville Union Free School District
• “Not-so-Safeville” by John Kreuscher of Cherry Avenue Elementary School, Sayville Union Free School District
• “Does Color Influence Taste?” by Isabella St. Pierre of Joseph A. Edgar Intermediate School, Rocky Point Union Free School District
• “Hello! We are Trying to Breathe in Here” by Isabella Maharlouei of Raynor Country Day School
• “Does N.Y. water really make Pizza taste better than other states?" by Aubrey Urbaniweicz of West Middle Island Elementary School, Longwood Central School District

Fifth Grade

1st Place: “How to Keep Batteries from Draining in Extreme Weather” by Aditri Arun of Bretton Woods Elementary School, Hauppauge School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Windpower” by Ethan Behrens of Tangier Smith Elementary School, William Floyd School District
• “Speedy Gonzales” by Laia Balcells, Raynor Country Day School
• “Wood Bat Vs. Aluminum Bat: Which Hits the Ball Farther?” by John Locke of Love of Learning Montessori

Sixth Grade

1st Place: “Do Peanuts Make Bigger Eggs?” by Norah Sobral of Babylon Memorial Grade School, Babylon School District (photo)

Honorable Mentions

• “Clean, Green Energy Machine” by Mihir Sathish Kumar of Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge School District
• “Effects to Temperature” by Ben DeSantis of Cutchogue East Elementary School, Mattituck-Cutchogue School District

New York State Elementary School Science Fair Results

Suffolk County Science Fair registrants were automatically entered into the Virtual New York State Science Fair organized by the Lab for students to compete with participants from other counties. 

Kindergarten

• 1st Place: “The Best Way to Ship a Chip” by Cameron Wallace of Clayton Huey Elementary School, Center Moriches School District
• 2nd Place: “Airplane Flights: Which Paper Airplane Flies the Furthest?” by Michael DeLuca of Forest Brook Elementary School, Hauppauge School District
• 3rd Place: “Rough Roads” by Ava D’Alsace of Riley Avenue Elementary School, Riverhead Central School District

First Grade

• 1st Place: “Standing Tall Backpacks and Gravity” by Siena Roseto of Cutchogue East Elementary School, Mattituck-Cutchogue School District
• 2nd Place: “Building the Tallest Tower” by George Miyagishi of Park View Elementary School, Kings Park Central School District
• 3rd Place (tie): “Why can I not watch Netflix in my playroom?” by Rebecca Tyler of Miller Avenue School, Shoreham-Wading River School District and "Lights...Curtains...SHADOWS..." by Casey Pena of  The Richard Rodgers School/P.S. 96

Second Grade

• 1st Place: “5 Second Rule-Breaker” by Vincent Calvanese of Pines Elementary School, Hauppauge School District
• 2nd Place (tie) : “Which Liquid Dissolves the Mint Best?” by Leah Cook of Riley Avenue Elementary School, Riverhead Central School District and “White Out” by Isla Loudenslager of Hampton Bays Elementary School, Hampton Bays Public Schools
• 3rd Place: “Will It Prevent Spoiling?” by Clayton Roberts of Sunrise Drive Elementary School, Sayville Union Free School District

Third Grade

• 1st Place: “Which One is the Best Filter Feeder: Oysters or Clams?” by Juliana Gianmugnai of Ridge Elementary School, Longwood Central School District
• 2nd Place: “Charged Up” by Kensley Chojnacki of Park View Elementary School, Kings Park Central School District
• 3rd Place: "“Capillary Action with Flowers” by Kendall Harned of Wenonah Elementary School, Sachem Central School District

Fourth Grade

• 1st Place: “Loaded Diapers” by Emma Kowalik, of Ruth C. Kinney Elementary School, East Islip School District
• 2nd: Place: “Hello! We are Trying to Breathe in Here” by Isabella Maharlouei of Raynor Country Day School
• 3rd Place: “Fire Extinguisher” by Declan Floyd of Sunrise Drive Elementary School, Sayville Union Free School Distri

Fifth Grade

• 1st Place: “How to Keep Batteries from Draining in Extreme Weather” by Aditri Arun of Bretton Woods Elementary School, Hauppauge School District
• 2nd Place: “Speedy Gonzales” by Laia Balcells, Raynor Country Day School
• 3rd Place: “Windpower” by Ethan Behrens of Tangier Smith Elementary School, William Floyd School District

Sixth Grade

• 1st Place: “Do Peanuts Make Bigger Eggs?” by Norah Sobral of Babylon Memorial Grade School, Babylon School District
• 2nd Place: “Clean, Green Energy Machine” by Mihir Sathish Kumar of Hauppauge Middle School, Hauppauge School District
• 3rd Place: “Can Seaweed Save the Ocean?” by Kayla Vessilico of Berner Middle School, Massapequa School District

Science Fair Expo

While their projects were on display, students and their families browsed the Science Fair Expo with up-close, hands-on demonstrations guided by science staff and volunteers.

Students tested their engineering skills with blocks, learned how electromagnets guide electrons around an accelerator ring, peered into microscopes, and more.

The science fair was sponsored by Brookhaven Science Associates, which manages and operates the Lab on behalf of DOE, and Teachers Federal Credit Union.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit science.energy.gov.

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